Contemporary Art in Exhibition: Museums and Beyond

3 units

How does the collection and display of artwork create meanings beyond the individual art object? During the 20th century, enormous shifts occurred in exhibition design as artwork projected from the walls of the museum, moved outdoors to the space of the street, and eventually went online. We will study an array of twentieth-century exhibition practices and sites in their social and historical contexts, including the temporary exhibition, the white cube, museum installations, and websites. During the seminar, we will examine how issues such as patronage, avant-gardism, nationalism, and identity politics have progressively brought museums and other exhibition spaces into question. Prereqs: Intro to Western Art (L01 112) or Intro to Modern Art (L01 211); one 300-level course in Art History preferred; or permission of instructor.