Joy Ko

Critic - Textiles
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Joy Ko
BA, Dartmouth College
PHD, New York University

Joy Ko is an artist and educator. Her teaching, research and writing explore the use of computation and digital technologies to augment and extend the creative process. In her studio, she renders walks in the woods, mixes memory with imagination and keeps things moving forward by staying (more or less) still. Trained as a mathematician, she has found her way towards the intersection of mathematics, computation, art and design. She has devoted considerable effort to demystifying mathematics and computation for artists and designers and has captured some of these insights in Geometric Computation: Foundations for Design (Routledge, 2018). She believes art and design have a unique role in guiding society: to anticipate changes, explore them critically and show many possible futures. She has taught in multiple departments at RISD including Architecture, Textiles and Industrial Design. Since 2021 she has guided the work of the Virtual Textiles Research Group (VTRG).

Courses

Fall 2024 Courses

ID 20ST-08 - SPECIAL TOPIC DESIGN STUDIO
Level Undergraduate
Unit Industrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2024
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

ID 20ST-08

SPECIAL TOPIC DESIGN STUDIO

Level Undergraduate
Unit Industrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2024
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2024-09-04 to 2024-12-11
Times: T | 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Instructor(s): Joy Ko Location(s): Industrial Design Building, Room 502 Enrolled / Capacity: 15 Status: Closed

SECTION DESCRIPTION

Juniors take two 3-credit Special Topic Design Studios in the Fall semester. Juniors choose one 3-credit option from the Content category such as Packaging, Typography, Play, or UI/UX, and the other option from the "Process" category such as Casting, Soft Goods or Prototyping. Students will gain multiple competencies by utilizing techniques and methodologies through practice and process. Each studio meets once per week.

Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Industrial Design Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design

Spring 2025 Courses

IDISC 2350-01 / TEXT 2350-01 - DIGITAL MATERIALITY
Level Undergraduate
Unit Textiles
Subject Interdisciplinary Studies Textiles
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

IDISC 2350-01 / TEXT 2350-01

DIGITAL MATERIALITY

Level Undergraduate
Unit Textiles
Subject Interdisciplinary Studies Textiles
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PM Instructor(s): Joy Ko Location(s): College Building, Room 446; College Building, Room 143 Enrolled / Capacity: 12 Status: Closed

SECTION DESCRIPTION

The material qualities of textile design and fabrication refer to our relationship to all aspects of the physical and tangible world. While computation has long been responsible for pushing the traditional techniques of textiles to high levels of mechanical industrial expression, digital sensibility and know-how of digital technologies are now increasingly seen as means to push the frontier and very definition of fabric. Parallel advances in digital fabrication and the invention of smart materials now allow for added dimensionality and functionality in fabric, and computation is a key interface for material exploration. In this course, students will learn to modulate the performance and behavior of fabric through its geometry and other systems of continuous structural surface within a computational framework. This course will provide students with the opportunity to push the boundaries of fabric design across disciplines and studio practices.

Estimated Cost of Materials: Varies by project.

Please contact the department for permission to register. 

Elective

IDISC 2350-01 / TEXT 2350-01 - DIGITAL MATERIALITY
Level Undergraduate
Unit Textiles
Subject Interdisciplinary Studies Textiles
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date

IDISC 2350-01 / TEXT 2350-01

DIGITAL MATERIALITY

Level Undergraduate
Unit Textiles
Subject Interdisciplinary Studies Textiles
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
Format Studio
Mode In-Person
Start and End 2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PM Instructor(s): Joy Ko Location(s): College Building, Room 446; College Building, Room 143 Enrolled / Capacity: 12 Status: Closed

SECTION DESCRIPTION

The material qualities of textile design and fabrication refer to our relationship to all aspects of the physical and tangible world. While computation has long been responsible for pushing the traditional techniques of textiles to high levels of mechanical industrial expression, digital sensibility and know-how of digital technologies are now increasingly seen as means to push the frontier and very definition of fabric. Parallel advances in digital fabrication and the invention of smart materials now allow for added dimensionality and functionality in fabric, and computation is a key interface for material exploration. In this course, students will learn to modulate the performance and behavior of fabric through its geometry and other systems of continuous structural surface within a computational framework. This course will provide students with the opportunity to push the boundaries of fabric design across disciplines and studio practices.

Estimated Cost of Materials: Varies by project.

Please contact the department for permission to register. 

Elective

Image
Joy Ko
BA, Dartmouth College
PHD, New York University