Wikipedia Loves Art
First, let me say that I know a lot of people out there that have problems with Wikipedia
and the reliability factor. Since anyone and their mother can contribute to a Wiki entry, I realize that good, encyclopedic standards can be easily compromised, but on the whole I think that Wiki does provide a valuable service.
They have a campaign running through the month of February called, Wikipedia Loves Art,
which invites the public to photograph art, that will then be used to illustrate Wikipedia articles. There are rules and guidelines of course, an entry form has to be filled out, and there is a list of participating museums and cultural institutions.
What I love about the whole concept is the public participation factor. Anything that
encourages people to go to museums, interact with art, and put their creativity to use; is a good thing. So, if you're interested click on any of the links above and get yourself out to one of the institutions on the list, take a ton of pictures, edit out your favorites, and send them off to the Wiki editors. Most of the museums are offering prizes - nothing fancy, just a little something to say, "Job well done."
With all this jabbering about museums and photography, I wanted to mention an exhibit
that opened Tuesday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Walker Evans and the Picture Postcard. The exhibition focuses on 9,000 picture postcards that Evans amassed and classified. It closes May 25th, so you have a few weeks to check it out. Tomorrow is Friday!
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