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.
Art History
October 20, 2019

How Alphonse Mucha’s Sinuous Art Nouveau Posters Elevated Printmaking as an Art Form

At the end of the 19th century, a movement of “new art” swept through Europe. Characterized by an interest in stylistically reinterpreting the beauty of nature, artists from across the continent adopted and adapted this avant-garde style. As a result, it materialized in sub-movements like the Vienna Secession in Austria, Modernisme in Spain, and, most prominently, Art Nouveau in France. The French Art Nouveau style was embraced by artists working in a range of mediums.

Read Article

Sculpture
October 15, 2019

Powerful Statue Offers a Contemporary Response to Confederate Monuments

For centuries, the equestrian portrait has played a pivotal role in the politics of art. Originally reserved for members of nobility in Ancient Greece and Rome, portrayals of people on horseback eventually featured high-status sitters and, later, military figures—including Confederate soldiers in the United States. Given the controversial history of these statues, it comes as no surprise that celebrated contemporary artist Kehinde Wiley has harnessed this motif to craft his latest piece, Rumors of War.

Read Article

Design
October 12, 2019

Eye-Opening Poster Chronicles and Compares the 100 Largest Islands in the World

With ancient origins, the practice of mapmaking may seem like chartered territory. Today, however, contemporary cartographers continue to plot out new ways to keep the age-old craft alive. Leading the way in this modern map movement is David Garcia, a cartographer born in the Philippines and based in New Zealand. With this background, it is only fitting that many of Garcia's projects focus on isles, including his popular poster, Hundred Largest Islands of the World.

Read Article

Ancient Art
October 6, 2019

How This 30,000-Year-Old Figurine Continues to Captivate Today

Throughout history, countless creatives have found inspiration in Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Derived from Aphrodite, a prominent deity in ancient Greek mythology, Venus was central to Roman worship—and, in turn, to art of the time. While the 2nd-century-BCE Venus de Milo is perhaps the most well-known sculpture of the goddess, it is not the oldest; in fact, that honor goes to the Venus of Willendorf, a piece that predates the myth itself by over 20,000 years.

Read Article

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.