The MoMA Is Offering Free Online Art Courses
Art

The MoMA Is Offering Free Online Art Courses

by Savannah Hardman

The Museum of Modern Art in New York temporarily closed its doors in March in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In lieu of gathering in person to admire art, the museum features a "home movies" series as well as virtual tours of their collections online and now, a range of free online courses for the public to participate in.

The MoMA's five-course series focuses on contemporary art, fashion and photography. The beginner level courses have accompanying readings and exercises, and according to i-D, they take between 12 to 38 hours to complete.

Of the courses, three are geared towards developing a more in-depth understanding of the contemporary art world. "What Is Contemporary Art?" provides an overview of work created between 1980 and now, with insight from artists, designers and architects about their creative processes. Covering a more broad time period, "Modern Art & Ideas" looks at both modern and contemporary art, and examines how artists use their surroundings to express themselves. An even deeper dive into how artist expression, "In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting" is a detailed look at the lives of seven New York School artists, such as Yayoi Kusama and Jackson Pollock.

The other courses focus on fashion and photography. "Fashion as Design" analyzes more than 70 garments and accessories through the eyes of designers, historians and manufacturers. Lastly, "Seeing Through Photographs" looks at photography's 180 year history and addresses the difference between seeing and understanding an image.

Whether you want to learn more about contemporary art in general or the specific mediums within it, the courses are sure to provide a new and deeper understanding of art knowledge that you can flex once we are able to enjoy museums again in person. Head over to MoMA's website to learn more about the courses and their other online programs.

Photo via Getty/ Ben Gabbe