Register Now for Two Day Digital Aesthetics Program

There’s no doubt art has changed in the modern day – the question is how?

To seek the answer, one might consider attending “Digital Aesthetics, Art, Life and Museums,” a conversation with Metropolitan Museum of Art digital asset specialist Neal Stimler and some of Penn State’s most progressive thinkers in this field, which will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. April 6, in Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library on the University Park campus.

The event also can be viewed online. Registration is required.

Working in the digital media department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Stimler forecasts digital trends, leads digitization efforts and manages special digital media initiatives. He regularly advocates for digital humanities and holds a deep commitment to strengthening digital preservation in museums and encouraging museums to open access to their collections for use by the public. Stimler has been a social media curator for a number of conferences, including Museums and the Web, The Museum Computer Network and THATCamp. He was a #ifihadglass winner and one of the first Google Glass Explorers in the cultural heritage and museum sectors.

The use of personal mobile devices is highly encouraged. A question and answer session will be conducted using the live audience as well as on Twitter and Instagram, through the hashtag #psuda. More information is online.

Stimler will be joined by Penn State’s William Doan (theatre and women’s studies), Larry Ragan (Center for Online Innovation in Learning), Rose Cameron (Penn State Online and Outreach), Dana Carlisle Kletchka (Palmer Museum, iBeacon Project), Chris Long (College of the Liberal Arts), James O’Sullivan (College of the Liberal Arts and Publishing and Curation Services), S. Shyam Sundar (Media Effects Research Lab, Communications) and Andrew Schulz (College of Arts and Architecture). They will speak on a variety of topics, including digital aesthetics and the sense of being in a digital and physical world. They will also discuss where digital technology and a life of awareness, beauty and humanity intersect.

If you have questions about the physical access provided for this event, contact Patricia Doroschenko (pxd12@psu.edu/ 814-867-4893) in advance of your visit.

Stimler also will conduct a two-part workshop as part of his visit to Penn State. “From Prints to Pixels: Looking and Living in the Age of Digital Aesthetics” will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 7, in the Palmer Lipcon Auditorium, Gallery and the Drs. Albert and Lorraine Kligman Print and Drawing Study Room, Palmer Museum of Art. It will focus on looking and living in the age of digital aesthetics viewed through an examination of fine prints, modes of communication and visual information. Registration is required.

Gary Chinn, director of the e-Learning Institute, will first host lightning talks by Stimler, Patrick McGrady (Palmer Museum), Henry Pisciotta (Arts and Humanities Library) and Andrew Schulz (Arts and Architecture). This will be followed by an in-depth historical critique of Plate 29 from Goya’s “Los Caprichos,” that involves the museum exhibition as well as viewing the artwork on mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and wearable technologies. A question and answer session will be conducted with the live audience and on Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #palmerprintspixels.

For more questions about the physical access provided, contact Dana Carlisle Kletchka at dck10@psu.edu or (814) 863-9188, in advance of your visit.

Both events are co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Architecture, Outreach and Online Education, the Center for Online Innovation in Learning and the University Libraries.