Course description
Modern and Contemporary Art and Design Specialization
This Specialization will introduce you to the art of our time. Through original films and audio, you will go behind the scenes to look closely at artworks and into studios to hear directly from artists, designers, curators and others. This Specialization is for anyone who would like to learn more about modern and contemporary art. No prior knowledge is required. Enroll to receive invitations to virtual events, gain exclusive access to MoMA resources, and share ideas with an international learner community.
Start with Modern Art & Ideas to learn how artists have taken inspiration from their environment and responded to social issues over the past 150 years. Next, take a deep dive into Seeing Through Photographs, exploring photography from its origins in the mid-1800s through the present. This course addresses the gap between seeing and truly understanding photographs by introducing ideas, approaches and technologies that inform their making.
Explore artworks made since 1980 in What Is Contemporary Art? Ranging from 3-D–printed glass and fiber sculptures to performances in a factory, the works in this course introduce you to the diverse materials, motivations and methods of artists working today. Complete the Specialization with Fashion as Design, and investigate the choices you make about fashion in relation to expression, sustainability, labor practices, identity and more. Learn from makers working with clothing every day—and, in some cases, reinventing it for the future.
Do you work at this organisation and want to update this page?
Is there out-of-date information about your organisation or courses published here? Fill out this form to get in touch with us.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
No prior knowledge of art or design is required.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What You Will Learn
- Develop a deeper understanding of artists’ and designers’ processes, including modes of experimentation and responses to technological innovation.
- Develop critical thinking and looking skills to understand how artists and designers respond to the social and cultural issues of their time.
- Gain confidence in looking at and talking about modern and contemporary art and design, and find inspiration from art all around you.
- Better comprehend the choices you make about fashion with respect to expression, identity, and issues such as labor practices and sustainability.
Skills You Will Gain
- Photography
- Design
- Art
- History
- Museums
- Creativity
- Art History
- Art Direction
Training Course Content
- Modern Art & Ideas
- Seeing Through Photographs
- What Is Contemporary Art?
- Fashion as Design
Course delivery details
This course is offered through The Museum of Modern Art, a partner institute of Coursera.
Suggested pace of 2 hours/week
Expenses
Please visit the Institute website for more information about tuition fees