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Coursera

What Is Contemporary Art?

The Museum of Modern Art via Coursera

Overview

What is contemporary art? In this course, you’ll consider this question through works of art made since 1980. Hear directly from artists, architects, and designers from around the globe about their creative processes, materials, and inspiration. You’ll look at 3D–printed glass and fiber sculptures, performances in a factory and a museum, portraits (including those made with artificial intelligence) and interventions into television and video games. Not only will you develop a deeper understanding of how artists work today, you’ll also explore some of their approaches to the pressing issues and questions of our time. By taking this course, you’ll build skills for looking at contemporary art wherever you encounter it and make connections to your own life or creative practice.

Syllabus

  • Introduction to What Is Contemporary Art?
  • Media from Television to the Internet
  • Territories & Transit
  • Materials & Making
  • Agency
  • Power

Taught by

Christian Rattemeyer, Sophie Cavoulacos, Sean Anderson and Arièle Dionne-Krosnick

Reviews

5.0 rating, based on 1 Class Central review

4.7 rating at Coursera based on 1832 ratings

Start your review of What Is Contemporary Art?

  • Before I took this course, I didn't really understand what contemporary art was. Although short and not at all comprehensive, this course is really eye-opening.

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