Art History Class Explores Berlin as a Museum Without Walls
For Art History Professor Kristin Mihaylovich, the thought of teaching her Art History 170 class abroad sounded like a dream.
“There is something transformative about stepping inside a Baroque or Rococo palace or visiting the lakeside villa of a German Impressionist painter,” said Mihaylovich. “Experiences like these bring the stories and works we study in the classroom to life in a way that resonates deeply with students. No virtual experience can replicate the vibrancy, immediacy and sense of connection that comes from encountering art and architecture up close and in person.”
This past summer, Mihaylovich and 25 of her students traveled to Berlin, Germany for a series of unforgettable museum visits exploring class themes of lesser-known women artists, the history of collections memorialization and memory. The city of Berlin became the perfect classroom with its wide range of museums and architectural sites, connecting art history students with the opportunity to look at art and experience the history in its exact location.
“Berlin was the perfect city to study art history in, and being a part of the museum experience was intensely fulfilling for me. I loved exploring the city’s landmarks and museums and I learned so many new names, movements and styles from the art world in Berlin.” Fullerton College student Angelique De La Cruz said. “The trip was influential to my career goals, as I want to be a visual arts teacher. I feel lucky to have been able to experience the arts and culture in Germany’s capital and see fragments of history in creative conceptual pieces.”
The class began with lectures in the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) classroom, followed by curated museum ventures that included innovative hands-on activities every step of the way. From carving linoleum blocks to writing about architecture and memorials, the course’s dynamic curriculum and pace connected students with the history they studied.
The class has a guided tour with Art Historian and Berlinische Galerie Director, Thomas Köhler, who was also Miyahlovich’s colleague in the 1990s at the Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt, Germany.
While participating students learned a lot in Berlin, Mihaylovich also took them to Vienna, Austria for a weekend excursion.
During their weekend visit, students visited Gustav Klimt’s famous painting, The Kiss (1907). Klimt’s most iconic painting, The Kiss, is from the Art Nouveau period, painted with added platinum, silver and gold leaves at the height of his “Golden Period”.
“My favorite assignment was our journal entries. Each week we were given multiple prompts that encouraged us to analyze and think critically about the art and culture we encountered. Even more meaningful to me was that the journal allowed us to personally reflect on and weigh the significance of our daily experiences in a manner that was not stressful but thoughtful, as writing in a personal journal might be.” said student Dylan Reiter.
The last time a month-long study abroad course was held in Berlin was in 2011. With goals to give her students a historic experience, Mihaylovich was able to revive the opportunity while impacting students with a highly immersive learning experience that will follow them forever.
“I lived and worked in Germany for several years after college, and that experience was deeply formative to my career in art history. Returning with students to a place that had played such an important role in my own personal and professional coming-of-age was a deeply meaningful full-circle moment.” said Mihaylovich.
Learn more about Study Abroad at Fullerton College on the program’s website.
