If you’ve ever found yourself saying “How can that be art?,” then this tutorial is for you! We’ve tried to answer the real questions that come up during a typical visit to a modern art museum. Learn how describing can help you slow down and better understand what a work of art is communicating. Learn how important historical context is and how meaning can change over time. This tutorial asks: Why is art important? How can a snow shovel be art? How can we find meaning in abstract art?

Watching a soccer game is a lot more interesting if you’ve actually played the game yourself. Similarly, art makes a lot more sense if you understand how it was made. Different materials can have a profound effect on how a work of art looks and how we respond to it. Learn about how artist’s made their own supplies before there were art supply stores! Understand the differences between oil and tempera and how marble is quarried and carved.

Why is that art? Can art be an idea? Does art have to represent the world we see?