MoMA casually drops five free online art courses
Image via The New Yorker
Words by Tori Mathison
A new take on art therapy.
I’m sure your isolation itinerary is already packed with convoluted Ottolenghi recipes, new TV shows and some bookmarked videos teaching you how to finger knit, but if you have space for just one more, hear me out.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) has just released a series of free online art courses, so whether you’re a creative seeking inspiration or you’re just running out of productive tasks to steer you away from social media, this is probably the kind of healthy distraction you need.
As a closer to home side note, the National Gallery of Victoria is also offering free virtual drawing classes, which you can read more about here. But back to MoMA – here’s a quick breakdown of what’s on offer so you can try your hand at some of the exclusive courses.
Fashion As Design
Fashion As Design lets you learn from fashion designers, historians and manufacturers. By the end of the course, you will have analysed up to 70 garments and accessories from across the globe. Through these garments as learning tools, you’ll begin to understand why we wear what we wear, and what it means.
Seeing Through Photography
Seeing Through Photography aims to address the gap between appreciating photography and genuinely understanding photographs. This course is designed to develop skills to better examine the differences between diverse types of photographic images and broaden your appreciation of photography in an image-centric world.
What Is Contemporary Art?
It’s a very broad question, but this 17-hour course analysing contemporary art created between the ’80s up until the present hopes to enlighten you. You’ll have the opportunity to listen to various architects, artists and designers divulge their creative processes and core inspirations.
In the Studio: Abstract Post-War Painting
This is the longest course out of the five, with 27 hours dedicated to offering a deep look at the materials, techniques and creative process of seven artists from the New York School, including Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. In this course, you even have the opportunity to participate in the study exercises, for which you are invited to post images of your own paintings on the discussion platforms.
Modern Art and Ideas
Modern Art and Ideas is a shorter, 12-hour course intended for anyone interested in learning more about contemporary art. Like many of the other courses, you will have the opportunity to listen to audio interviews with artists, designers and curators, giving you a broader understanding of the industry and the capacity art has to explore cultural and societal issues.