19 Comments

WOW

What a fantastic tool for schools!

Now we can all go for a trip to a gallery in a different country...in our lunch breaks!
But where to start?
Curator
2011-02-01 13:52:45

An amazing concept but personally i think it's still not the same for seeing the paintings and pieces in real life but it's definitely a helpful method for those who can't or don't want to travel.
Winnie Shek
2011-02-01 13:56:05

That's just genius.

So much so that you can find this article on our site in french.

Thanks for sharing this news.

Cheers.

Em
ETATmodern
2011-02-01 15:12:26

I agree, great for schools and institutions, but there's nothing like seeing art work in person!
David
2011-02-01 22:41:15

Wow! This is incredible. Great post.
Bedriftsbasen Norge
2011-02-02 07:03:16

I think this could open so many doors in education, inspiring the talent of the future by exposing them to work they might never have been able to get up close and personal with. Well done Google!
David Sweeney
2011-02-02 10:35:32

Does seem like a great educational tool, but the draw for me is wanting to go somewhere, then visiting and experiencing the place for real.

Personally I'm more interested in seeing this kind of thing used for music videos, etc – could be seeing it in games / hacks / other creative uses. Therefore making it less a 'substitute for the real thing', more a medium or platform for something new.
chris
2011-02-02 11:43:28

This is a great way to get people looking at art, I haven't got the time or money to vist most of these galleries.
Peter Hearl Photography
2011-02-03 08:07:38

This is great! Since Obama's plan for improving education doesn't recognize the arts, this may be the only art education available to many students. I think that this will encourage people to go see the real thing, rather than replace the trip. And it's certainly more available and affordable. Good for Google!
DW
2011-02-03 17:40:32

I thought you weren't allowed to take photos in galleries.
Tony
2011-02-04 09:16:31

I can not opn this site Can anyone help me in this. I really want to see the meseums with such precious works of art.
Cagla
çağla zeyrek
2011-02-04 12:06:46

I was also very excited when I came across it a few days ago, but I find it immensely cumbersome, unclear (you don't know where to go, which rooms are available etc) and ultimately pointless. I think it isn't a great educational tool as many other said, going to a museum and seeing the artworks in real life will never be beaten by any virtual experience. even if you live at the other side of the world, you can just see the pictures online or in books without the gimmick of navigating the museum with your mouse.
Claire T
2011-02-04 13:24:58

I think it is a great idea, which obviously won't replace going to galleries, but which could promote it. And I think it does offer the opportunity to view galleries you may never be able to visit in person.

However, I think Google have missed a trick here - there doesn't seem to be an overall search function (Google's USP), so if you are researching a particular artist or painting you can't search the whole site to find it quickly, you would have to go into each individual Gallery's section and search. It seems odd that Google wouldn't include an easy to use search tool (maybe I just didn't find it?). Perhaps they wanted Google Art Project to be more about exploration or 'the journey', but I found it frustrating.
HF
2011-02-04 21:09:39

As always google making the game to the politicians, and as always in favor of the most powerful. and as always being erected in POLITICAL SENSOR. Did the same thing make in China, "If it will affect me the pocket because you, well, fuck the Chinese" I wanted to know reason they always have to tie the culture and the art in general with the politics? Why cubans can not access to the art project from Cuba? and when you click on the link it says that you are in a country that has FORBIDDEN to access to that page!! MF´s, The same thing always, Shame for them.

It is amusing to read the press note:

"With this original project, any user in any part of the world will be able to know the history and the artists that are behind a great number of works of art with only to make a clic with the mouse."

They are really already believed themself "The Big Brother" (from the book) MANIPULATORS!!

I FIND THAT INSTITUTIONS SO SERIOUS AND NOTED AS THE MUSEUMS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THIS project, SHOULD WORRY ABOUT THIS AND NOT TO BE LENT TO THE POLITICAL INFAMOUS GAME OF THE SENSURA.

thank you
Jesús
2011-02-05 14:58:12

I love this new venture by Google - cool as! I've been looking at it for a few days - it's like going on a voyage of discovery. I'm pretty sure that, like Street View, this will improve as time goes one and I expect lots more galleries will be added, making this a really important and fun resource online. The only issue I have so far is about Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors - I've described it fully in my blog:
http://koolinx.com/2011/02/05/googles-cool-new-tool/

I've been trying and trying to get at the right angle to view the skull! If anybody's sussed this out and can let me know how to do this, I'd be really chuffed.
Debbie Todd
2011-02-05 23:48:23

This is a great project! but I couldn't find the search function on the site, it's hidden somewhere or just missing? should be an easy one for Google to add on, I would think / hope.
ulong
2011-02-10 16:32:32

Whilst I love the site, I find the height from which they shot it a bit odd. Surely the exhibitions are designed with the height of the average person in mind, yet google used a camera that looks like it was mounted at least 7ft high, which I find gives it a strange perspective (especially compared with my usual 5'8'' viewpoint).
zbass
2011-02-10 17:16:35

I can’t decide whether this is a great tool by Google or just another ploy for them to strengthen their grip on the market.

I’ll agree with previous comments that highlight how this can become a great educational resource (and hopefully it’ll benefit art galleries/museums with more people wanting to go see the work in person). I also have to agree with those who have commented that you can’t beat seeing the art up close and personal – as this allows you to see the various strokes used by the painters, and those small details which computer images – no matter how great they are, can’t pick up.

Yet on the other hand, I feel the site is Google flexing its muscles and showing the rest of the search engines out there that they are still top-dog in the industry, and will continue to come back bigger and better every time.
JP
2011-02-11 11:42:54

Of course you can't beat seeing art in the flesh. Thats almost too obvious to state! But not everybody will ever get to see those works of art in that aspect and for those who can't, this will give them a taste. We're not all fortunate enough to visit the wonderful galleries of the world. As usual, the cynics like to criticize anything and everything for the sake of it. Why not just embrace something for what it is. I guess that just not possible for some people. So what if 'Google is trying to get a bigger grip on the market'? Google provide amazing facilities for us, I certainly wouldn't criticize them for that.

Thank you, Creative Review, for sharing this story. Haters gonna hate.
Bella
2011-02-11 13:38:07

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