Identify a theme
This can be as simple as devoting the entire exhibition to a single artist or related group of artists, but you could also consider a broader theme that somehow links seemingly disparate art works and/or artists. Your theme can be anything, really, but here are some possible examples:
- Food art of the late 20th century
- Animal depictions in contemporary art
- Contemporary women artists
- Art and climate change
- Depicting warfare in modern & contemporary art
- Fine art & popular music
- Etc. etc.
Be sure to provide a brief description of your selected exhibition theme. (Minimum 2 well-developed paragraphs) If you use information from any online or library sources in your theme description, be sure to cite it.
Location & other details
Where will your exhibition be held? (Pretend that there are no limitations. You want space at the Louvre for a month? It’s yours.) When and for how long will it run? Will it be free or is there an admission fee? Is this a one-time exhibition, or will it travel to different museums? Will you even present your exhibition in a traditional museum setting, or will you do something different? (Think art exhibit pop-up, etc.)
Artists & specific works of art
This will be determined by your theme. What artists will you include in your exhibition and which of their works will you feature?
Your presentation should include at least 10 works of modern or contemporary art (20th to 21st centuries) that you would like to include in your exhibit. You can stick to a single artist or include multiple artists. You can include painting, sculpture, installation, assemblage, or performance art, etc.
Be sure to include the following for each art work you include:
- An image of the art work
- Title, artist, & date created
- On loan from (i.e, Where is this work normally held? A museum, a private collection, the artist’s living room?)
- A brief artist’s bio
- A brief description/discussion of the work, including a bit on how it fits w/ your selected theme
Miscellaneous considerations
Provide a brief description of how you will set the mood for your exhibition. You might consider things such as background music, food & drink, the design of promotional materials, what exhibition staff will wear, how the art works will be arranged, what the seating (if any) will be like, etc. Will you have artists on hand to discuss their work? Will you offer hands-on activities, such as a live artist demo or an opportunity for visitors to create their own art, etc.? Will there be art works or exhibition-related merchandise available for purchase? In this section, you might also consider practical concerns such as security (How will you safeguard the art works?), parking, etc.