1. Content curation is the gathering, organizing and online presentation of content related to a particular theme or topic. In these exercises, the class will be curating a collection of related materials by selecting content to share. The collection will be built around ideas drawn from the curriculum.

When it comes to summarizing the art of the twentieth century – there’s a lot to consider. The term modern art has come to denote the innovating and even revolutionary developments in Western painting and the other visual arts since the second half of the 19th century. Embracing a wide variety of movements, styles, theories, and attitudes, the modernity of which resides in a common tendency to repudiate past conventions and precedents in subject matter, mode of depiction, and painting technique alike – applies with particular force to the painting of the last 150 years.

Back in the early 90s a graphic artist named Joan Gratz decided to create a short film called Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase in which she sought to compile and morph 100 of the most recognizable artworks of the 20th century. It was a great success, and at the time, demonstrated a groundbreaking graphic design technique. Watch the video by clicking the link below:

Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase

The video is named in part for one of the more controversial cubist compositions by Marcel Duchamp (Nude Descending a Staircase). No doubt you recognized many of the art pieces we’ve looked at during the quarter as the images on the video morphed from one to the next. Overall, this is an interesting way to visually summarize the class content.

The Task:

1. Share an example of an artwork from one of your favorite modern artists, including the artist’s name as well as the date of creation, and share why you selected this piece of work. Post the image AND the URL so others can view them – try not to duplicate each other. (25 points)
2. Your post should be a minimum of 250+ words. (10 points)
3. Cite resources used. (10 points)

2.Spotlight on Humanities

In general, museums struggle to define the value of what they do to the average community member. Why would someone who has never been to an art museum before, and who has no experience with art, suddenly choose to visit? The benefits of a museum experience are complicated and personal. They depend on a myriad of factors, including expectations of visitor, fulfillment of expectations in previous museum trips, personal history, context, mood, etc. What one person may love about the museum, another may hate. What one visitor thinks or feels in front of a work of art, another may never know.

Art is an interactive experience and museums provide a means of connecting people with objects. They also do so much more…

• Why do we go to museums?
• What compels us?
• What do we hope to see?
• What do we aim to learn while we are there?
• What is a good museum experience?

Google has partnered with hundreds of museums, cultural institutions, and archives to host the world’s cultural treasures online. With a team of dedicated Googlers, we are building tools that allow the cultural sector to display more of its diverse heritage online, making it accessible to all. Here you can find artworks, landmarks and world heritage sites, as well as digital exhibitions that tell the stories behind the archives of cultural institutions across the globe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEJqCUiaV68

The Google Cultural Institute puts the world’s cultural treasures at your fingertips. Get started by selecting an exhibition or a project. Search for a keyword, or use the Explore menu to find more partners and categories. Or visit “User Galleries” to find collections created by other visitors. Once you’ve selected a gallery and chosen an image, zoom in to see incredible detail.

Watch this video on how to navigate Google Cultural Institute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpplbJMj-No&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLw83Po3C1UpxvU334ATdkJDsId_WAZ1qI

Explore the Google Cultural Institute (Links to an external site.). Browse through any of the collections until you find an art piece that appeals to you. Then share what you find so fascinating about this piece. Consider the text, context and subtext of the piece. In your response, remember to explain what caught your interest or attention – give me the details!

1. Identify the title/name of the work and the artist. (10 points)
2. Include an image of the artwork and a link to the source. (5 points)
3. Explain what medium was used to create this work. (5 points)
4. Explain why you chose this particular work – be specific – and your assignment should be a minimum of 250 words in length. (20 points)