ART 395 - History and Theory of the Museum

Tips for choosing exhibitions to research:

• Google search for exhibitions based on theme or artist.
• If there is a contemporary artist you're interested in, check their website for lists of exhibits, press and publications.
• Check the websites of specific museums or galleries for information about past and current exhibits.
• Browse newspapers for reviews of recent exhibits.
• Browse art news websites and monthly art magazines.
• Once you have identified an exhibition title, date, and location, you can use these as search keywords in library sources and elsewhere.

Methods and resources recommended by the class:

• Social media (ex: instagram, twitter)
• Mailing lists
• Other artists
• Other students, friends
• Professors
• ISU Galleries
• Media/news sites (ex: Al Jazeera)
• Contemporary art news sites (Ex: Bidoun, Hyperallergic, Brooklyn Rail)

Not all exhibitions have catalogs! Usually, larger and well-resourced galleries and museums will publish printed catalogs.

Identify a few different exhibitions so that you have alternatives to fall back on if one or more of these does not have a catalog.

For information about older exhibitions (>20 yrs ago or more), you may have better luck in the library sources than Google.

To browse recent catalogs, try searching a specialty art bookstore / website. Artbook D.A.P. is one example.