Today, thanks to publicly accessible, digitized—or photographically reproduced—collections, art lovers can virtually “visit” museums through the screens of their computers, smartphones, and tablets. One major institution that has embraced this new technology is New York’s famed Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). In addition to browsing prominent pieces from its permanent collection (over 70,000 reproductions are available online), now, you can explore every exhibition presented by the museum since its grand debut in 1929.
According to Michelle Elligott, the museum’s Chief of Archives, the new exhibition history tool offers “free and unprecedented access to The Museum of Modern Art’s ever-evolving exhibition history.” It commences with the museum’s inaugural exhibition—a showcase of Post-Impressionist greats like Cézanne, Gauguin, Seurat, and Van Gogh—and will continue to grow, “with new and forthcoming exhibitions appearing in the history as soon as they’re added to the calendar on MoMA’s website.”
Each exhibition materializes before your eyes with installation photographs, digitized reproductions of catalogues (including rare and out-of-print publications), master checklists, and press releases. Any show is also easily searchable, with selections narrowed down based on keyword, “type” (exhibitions, film series, performance programs, and other installations), and decade.
Now you can stroll (and scroll) down memory lane with state-of-the-art ease.
Above image: Installation view of Cézanne, Gauguin, Seurat, Van Gogh (November 7–December 7, 1929)
Installation view of Cubism and Abstract Art (March 2–April 19, 1936)
Installation view of Abstract Painting and Sculpture in America (January 23–March 25, 1951)
Installation view of Masterpieces from the Collection (March 2, 1982–March 1, 1983)
Installation view of Monet‘s Water Lilies (September 13, 2009–April 12, 2010)
Installation view of Painting & Sculpture II (November 20, 2004–August 5, 2015)
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): Website | Blog
via [Mental Floss]
All images via MoMA.