Posts by Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou was a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
History
October 14, 2024

Día de los Muertos: How Mexico Celebrates Its Annual “Day of the Dead”

Throughout history, cultures across the globe have adopted creative ways to deal with death. In ancient China, they crafted funerary sculptures to fill complex mausoleums. During the Dutch Golden Age, artists touched on mortality in their memento mori still life paintings. And, in modern Mexico, people celebrate Día de los Muertos, a colorful holiday dedicated to the dearly departed. Though this festival has evolved over centuries, it remains one of Mexico's most historically and culturally important events.

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Art History
September 20, 2024

Kintsugi: The Centuries-Old Art of Repairing Broken Pottery with Gold

Poetically translated to “golden joinery,” kintsugi, or Kintsukuroi, is the centuries-old Japanese art of fixing broken pottery. Rather than rejoin ceramic pieces with a camouflaged adhesive, the kintsugi technique employs a special urushi lacquer, made from tree sap, dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Once completed, beautiful seams of gold glint in the conspicuous cracks of ceramic wares, giving a one-of-a-kind appearance to each “repaired” piece.

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Art History
September 2, 2024

What Is Contemporary Art? An In-Depth Look at the Modern-Day Movement

To many people, coming up with a contemporary art definition can be a tricky task. While its title is simplistic and straightforward, its modern-day meaning is not as clear-cut. Fortunately, understanding what constitutes as “contemporary” is entirely possible once one traces the concept's history and explores its underlying themes. What is Contemporary Art? In its most basic sense, the umbrella term contemporary art refers to art—namely, painting, sculpture, photography, installation, performance, and video art—produced today.

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Renaissance Art
August 13, 2024

Why Michelangelo’s ‘David’ Is an Icon of the Italian Renaissance

Michelangelo's defiant David statue has captivated the world for centuries. Considered one of art history's major masterpieces, the marble sculpture showcases both the artist's skill and the fine art focus that defines the Renaissance. Since its debut in the early 16th century, artists and art connoisseurs alike have admired the piece. Esteemed artist, writer, and historian Giorgio Vasari noted that “no other artwork is equal to it in any respect, with such just proportion, beauty and excellence did Michelangelo finish it.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.