Visual Arts Resources
Exhibitions, Galleries and Museums
These are the best source! You can experience the art properly, as it is meant, rather than simply just an image of it. You can sketch in front of the work and use the varied and useful resources of the gallery, including the exhibition leaflets and exhibition catalogues.
We are so lucky to live in a wonderful city for art. Look online or in Zitty or Tip for many of the art fairs and festivals you could visit, such as:
- Berlin Art Week, 15-20 September
- abc – Art Berlin Contemporary
- Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art 2016
- (…plus many more)
Or visit one of the very many galleries. Smaller commercial galleries are right near us, around Auguststraße. For larger art collections and exhibitions, with more established artists, visit:
- Neue Nationalgalerie
- Hamburger Bahnhof
- Martin Gropius Bau
- Gemäldegalerie
Books and Art Journals
This is the second best source, as you can rely on the artist being worthy of having a book published on their work! It will also have high quality images and good articles by critics and art historians. For libraries, check out:
- Questia School: Online Research Library for Secondary. This is an excellent resource for searching millions of books and academic articles, making it easy and convenient for you to broaden and add depth to your study. If you need help using the resource, please ask Robertson McIlwain in the BCS Library.
- BCS library: For some great art books, Robertson McIlwain is also worth consulting.
- Kunstbibliothek: Matthäikirchplatz 6, 10785 Berlin Tiergarten | Tel.: 030–266 424242 | auskunft.kb@smb.spk-berlin.de
Online Resources
This is a last resort! …But of course the most convenient. Balance your use of it as much as you possibly can, as it is important that you use a variety of sources. Here are some really useful websites:
Art terminology dictionary with a huge database
slideshows, videos and interviews with contemporary artists
Selection of historical artists books in this archive online
Outstanding value: search the immense British Museum collection by culture, by place, by people, by material. Very well organized and usable site.
High resolution images in this amazing virtual collection
How art made the world, art history films and videos
Another good website that showcases IB student artwork
The International Baccalaureate Organisation’s virtual gallery that showcases IB student artwork
Interactive timeline from the MET
Interactive timeline of art history
New York’s Museum of Modern Art – check out the artists and collection
The Photographers Gallery, London
Short, interesting podcasts of artists talking about their practice
A site especially for teens about contemporary art
Extensive database of images and education materials relating to the V&A collection and exhibition archive
Inspiring! All kinds of artists, writers and filmmakers take inspiration from the collection