Modern art—it has beguiled, bewildered, and confounded viewers since the last half of the 19th century, and continues to do so today. “Is it Art?” “What is Art?” Such questions have arisen at the dawn of every art movement, and we will discuss them in depth throughout this discussion-based art history course. We will also consider questions such as the following: How did a urinal set the course of modern art in the early 20th century? What has been its legacy? Why is Cézanne considered the father of abstraction? Why could a five-year-old not have made Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings? What did the Russian avant-garde contribute to abstraction? How much further could abstraction be pushed?
Our core book will be the humorous and down-to-earth What Are You Looking At? The Surprising, Shocking, and Sometimes Strange Story of 150 Years of Modern Art, by BBC arts editor Will Gompertz. We will also watch videos about the various movements and artists in question. The 10-week reading and discussion portion of the course will be followed by two hands-on art sessions at the Visual Arts Centre.
Books to purchase:
Gompertz, Will. What Are You Looking At? The Surprising, Shocking, and Sometimes Strange Story of 150 Years of Modern Art
New Participant: $140.00
Returning Participant: $200.00
Day: Mondays
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 pm
Location: 3405 Atwater Avenue
Course leaders: Karen Etingin, Kathe Lieber, Joan Machnik
First session: September 15 2025
Course length: 12 weeks
Degree credit: 3 credits
Maximum number of participants: 18
Please note that the Thomas More Institute does not allow participants to audit courses for free.
About the Thomas More Institute: The Thomas More Institute has been providing adults with stimulating lifelong learning opportunities in Montreal since 1945. A secular and non-profit academic institution, TMI offers an ever-evolving choice of university-level courses in the liberal arts, including discussion-based courses, lecture-style courses, writing workshops, and more. Our courses are held in small groups, offering an alternative learning environment to that of traditional university courses. You can take individual courses that interest you, or work toward a structured bachelor of arts degree or comprehensive certificate that involve additional coursework. Share Your Curiosity at TMI!
About course fees: all prices displayed include Tuition and the Administrative fee.
Leaders of another course, and anyone else wishing to register by phone, should call (514) 935-9585 to register.
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