In keeping with contemporary trends of open access to information, media, and videos of cats being cute, the Walters Art Museum has digitized a third of its collection and put it online for anyone to browse, tag, and digitally curate.
Search for works by their artist, medium, period, or by any number of tags, some of which make more sense than others (“adam-eve,” “agrizzle,” “alabastron,” etc.). The museum’s curators have set up their own categories (“art of ancient Egypt and Nubia”), but the real fun comes in the user-generated content. Take user Elissa W., who came up with a “Grrrl Power” collection of powerful female figures that includes a Baroque sculpture of Cleopatra and a 19th century ceremonial headdress. “Mr. Walters was one of the 1st American collectors to purchase female artist’s works,” she notes. Other user-generated collections include “Impressions of Delight,” “Mummies,” and “Nice Beard, Man!“
Check out our own Baltimore Fishbowl curated picks here.
