We're celebrating the social media problem that obtained us by means of lockdown
A firm favorite during the lockdown, the Getty Museum Challenge challenged people to recreate some of the world's most famous artwork using just what they had on hand. A new book documents some of the best efforts
In recent years, museums have turned to social media to challenge long-standing perceptions and reassure people that they are not the stuffy institutions we might think they are. We saw this in the work of the Museum of English Rural Life, which went viral on Twitter in 2018 after sharing a picture of a particularly large sheep and continued to use memes to connect with people online.
A more recent achievement is the Getty Museum Challenge, which was launched this March when many of us found ourselves in social isolation. It was a simple task for people: find a piece of art from the Getty online collection, then create it using things that are around the house.
Above: Anna de Mendoza de la Cerda, Princess of Éboli, 16th century, by Alonso Sánchez Coello, replica by Laura Belconde. Above: The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, 1889, recreated by @clairesalvo
The Creation of Adam by Michaelangelo Buonarroti, 1508-12, replica by George Anthony Galdamez
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, 1665, replica by Jenny Boot
Maybe it was the simplicity of the challenge, or maybe it addressed the boredom of all collective lockdowns, but it picked up speed quickly. More than 100,000 replied, showing off some really outrageous interpretations of popular works of art. The best of these are gathered in Off The Walls, published by Getty Publications. All profits will be donated to Artist Relief, an organization that supports artists in the United States.
Not only are the images a testament to people's ingenuity, they're also a good example of what can be achieved when museums are brave enough to address the stupid side of people. There are many ways to get people to learn about art and this is definitely one of the more quirky and successful attempts we've seen this year.
Jeanne (Spring) by Édouard Manet, 1881, replica by Jeannette Hulick
The Desperate Man (Self-Portrait) by Gustave Courbet, 1843-45, replica by Peter Adam Rebadomia
The Monarch of the Glen by Edwin Landseer, 1851, replica by Fiona Elizabeth Griffin
The Scream by Edvard Munch, 1893, replica by @wanderwithnada
Saturn Devours His Son by Francisco de Goya, 1820-23, replica by Mark Butterfield, photograph by Cleo Butterfield
Pandora by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1879, replica by Isabella Beatrix Thompson
Off The Walls: Inspired replicas of iconic artwork are published by Getty Publications at a price of $ 14. shop.getty.edu