Online Program
Online Lecture: Eras in American Art & Culture — the 1980s
Program No. 25168RJ
Join us on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, at 2 p.m. (ET)/ 11 a.m. (PT), for a one-hour lecture and Q&A that explores the art and influences of the 1980s.
Enroll with Confidence
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
At a Glance
An artwork is often linked to the historic events happening at the time of its creation. Join art historian Matthew Palczynski for this fourth online lecture in his latest series examining the art of specific decades. In this lecture, we will look at the 1980s and the changes that came with it that impacted art of the era. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, symbolically closed a wildly complex decade. Major shifts in technology, politics, pop culture and an ever-fluctuating global landscape impacted everyone, including artists. In the MTV era, art blossomed and its audiences reached millions. Unpack how Jean-Michel Basquiat and Michael Douglas, each in their own way, made art about the economics of the era. See how Cindy Sherman tore down barriers between gender and representation in the same era that saw President Reagan’s directive to “tear down this wall.”
General Notes
This lecture is the fourth in a series of four. To attend this full series, please also enroll in the other three lectures. The first is: "Online Lecture: Eras in American Art & Culture — the 1920s" (#25109) Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT, the second is: "Online Lecture: Eras in American Art & Culture — the 1940s" (#25153) Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT, and the third is: "Online Lecture: Eras in American Art & Culture — the 1960s" (#25165) Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. The cost is $25 per lecture. Your online lecture will take place live over the course of 1-2 hours. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly. This live online experience uses Zoom Webinar, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. You will receive a confirmation email when you enroll, and a reminder email one week and one day before, as well as the morning of the event with a link and instructions on how to tune in. You will not be pictured on screen during the lecture, but you will have the opportunity to ask the instructor live questions using the Q&A box. Unless otherwise noted, all those who enroll in this program receive access to the live event as well as a recording of the lecture that you can watch any time within the two weeks following the live event.
