Course description
Today’s art world can be both playful and challenging, infuriating and trite - seeing record-breaking sales and continued visibility at high status events such as Miami Beach’s Art Basel to Banksy’s spectacle at the Sotheby’s auction house in London in 2018.
This course will focus on identifying the key artists, as well as the central themes – from technology to globalism – addressed in contemporary art, featuring exclusive video interviews with artists Shirin Neshat, the Guerrilla Girls, and Martine Gutierrez (among others). With an emphasis on evaluating how market forces such as galleries, art fairs, auction houses, and museums determine which artists are considered important, course participants are encouraged to explore how this dynamic is being altered by the rise of online art markets. This course aims to equip participants with confidence in their knowledge of art world trends and boosted skills of visual literacy and understanding.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
For successfully completing this course, you receive a verified Certificate of Completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art as well as 2.9 IACET Continuing Education Units. *
Our digital certificates allow you to share new skills with various social media platforms, including LinkedIn. Successful completion is defined by each instructor in the course syllabus and consists, at the least, of regular, thoughtful participation in online activities and timely submission of assigned papers or projects.
*As an IACET Accredited Provider, Sotheby’s Institute of Art offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.
Training Course Content
Week 1: Discuss the definitions, techniques, and processes of contemporary art.
Week 2: Examine the role of the artist and the audience, as well as key venues in the contemporary art market.
Week 3: Explore social politics and theories relating to gender and sexuality.
Week 4: Understand theories and interpretations of emerging global trends in contemporary art.
Course delivery details
Award-winning online course
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Sotheby's Institute of Art
Sotheby’s auction house was founded in 1744 when Samuel Baker, an entrepreneur, occasional publisher, and successful businessman held his first auction. Today at Sotheby’s Institute, we emphasize a keen understanding of an object’s value and history, a spirit of inquiry...