Art History from the Ground Up, Online

From cave paintings to contemporary art, this lively introduction to a complex discipline explores how art reflects - and reshapes - the world around us. We'll trace the global history of art through time, place, and power, while also asking whose stories are being told - and whose aren't. Along the way, we'll explore the question that every artwork invites us to ask: What does it mean? Offered online and designed for adult learners, the course requires no prior experience - just curiosity, a willingness to look closely, and an openness to new perspectives. 

Sample Schedule:

• Week 1: Thinking Globally, Looking Locally
• Week 2: The Origins of Art
• Week 3: Power, Patronage, and Belief
• Week 4: Why Is It Called The Canon?
• Week 5: Beyond the Frame: Global Art Histories
• Week 6: Race, Class, and Gender - And the Gaps We Live With
• Week 7: Modernism and Its Discontents
• Week 8: Modernism Breaks the Mold
• Week 9: What Is Contemporary Art?
• Week 10: Your Art History

This class is taught by Nika Levando Birman.

Registration closes at noon on Monday, September 29th.

No class on Sunday, November 30th.