MAP Academy, on October 31, unveiled a brand new online course: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art! This course is authored by Dr Beth Citron, a New York-based curator and art historian, and edited and produced by MAP Academy.

MAP Academy, is a project of the Art and Photography Foundation, which also oversees the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru. The academy is a non-profit open-access educational platform focused on increasing the visibility of South Asian Art histories through free and reliable material available online.

"Typically, this subject is only available to those enrolled in select academic programmes or already a part of the ecosystem of art. This is the first time it is being taught online," MAP Academy said in a press release. The course is entirely free, self-paced and can be completed over a span of four to four and a half hour, upon which learners receive a certificate of completion.

Consisting of engaging videos, illustrated texts and interactive quizzes, the course spans the late 19th century to the present day, examining artistic responses to several shifting socio-political forces across this time period. The study is aimed at building a one-of-kind online curriculum focussing on South Asian art history.

“Typically, the majority of courses on modern and contemporary art across the world cover Euro-American narratives that exclude developments in the Global South. Whilst select museums and educational institutions in major urban areas, or in certain programmes overseas, address the subject from an Indian perspective, this course has the unique potential to reach wider audiences for greater impact. Written in jargon-free language, it covers seminal topics and artworks, while also drawing attention to how canonical narratives have frequently been biassed on the basis of gender, caste and socio-economic status," said Pooja Savansukha, Managing Director, MAP Academy, explaining the new course.