The Google ART Project

Google has apparently launched a new ART Project ... "The Google Art Project".  This project supposedly launched February 1, 2011 ...  and I did see a promo and link for it on the Google.com main page on February 1st.  Then it was gone for a good part of the day on the 2nd, reappearing around lunchtime WST ... and now today (the 3rd) it is gone again? 

I even tried doing a Google search for this new project:  I found images for the project and articles come up about the project, but no link to the actual projects materializes or works?  I wonder what's up?  Are they having problems with their debut?

"Stary Night", By Vincent Van Gogh

Image used on Google's ART Project Intro Page ... One of my favorite Van Gogh paintings : )

I think that Google's goal is a noble one: to provide access to some of the greatest art museums and treasures in the world via the internet. They give "streetview" tours of the featured museums, as well copyrighted, high resolution images presented by the museums themselves. You can zoom in on the most minute detail, save your favorite pieces to your own collections, start conversations about pieces of art, view behind the scene videos and other information about the art that you are viewing and more (I've only spent about 20 minutes on the site thus far).

I personally think that Google has created a very powerful tool in this ART Project that could potentially unite the world through art. You never know ... stranger things have happened. I mean, in a world where there is so much focus on our differences and what divides us ... ART is universal ... uniting ... sharing bits and pieces of who we all are and where we've been ... and perhaps a vision for our future.


This past Spring, in another post, I said the following about photogrpahy (my newfound passion), and I think that perhaps it applies to ART in a broader perspective ... after all photography is just a subset of ART, is it not?

"It always amazes me how photography [ART] can bridge the language barrier.  An image [work of ART]speaks in a universal language to people of all dialects. It forms a bridge ... opens a dialogue for further communication ... discussion ... Then, you find a way to muddle through the rest of it.  I JUST LOVE IT ... on SO MANY different levels!!  I have honestly made friends from all over the world because of photography [ART] ... What other medium, I wonder, is capable of providing these sorts of opportunities for friendship, collaboration ... understanding ... between people of different cultures from all over the globe?


When was the last time you took a moment to stop and see the world through the eyes of another?"



Well, hopefully the Google Art Project will be back on-line again soon.  I can't wait to see more! Especially, now that this flu-like fog is slowly lifting for me : )


PJP

P.S.  Okay, I found a link to the Google ART Project and it appears to still work ... Check it out:  http://www.googleartproject.com

~M