Posts by Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is 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.
Modern Art
June 3, 2022

Unraveling the Emotional Depth of Edward Hopper’s Modern Masterpiece ‘Nighthawks’

Celebrated as a key figure of 20th-century American art, lifelong New Yorker Edward Hopper held that “great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world.” While this intimate artistic approach is apparent in many of Hopper's masterpieces, it is particularly apparent in Nighthawks, an iconic oil painting that has helped define the Modernist movement.

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Art History
March 28, 2022

What Is Fresco Art? Exploring the Ancient Technique of Painting on Plaster

The fresco is celebrated as one of the most significant mural-making techniques in the history of art. Though most commonly associated with the art of the Italian Renaissance, the painting technique has been around for millennia, inspiring ancient and contemporary artists alike. Created by painting directly onto plaster, frescoes offer a permanence not found in other forms of art.

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Art History
March 12, 2022

How Artists Have Kept Still Life Painting Alive Over Thousands of Years

Édouard Manet once called still life “the touchstone of painting.” Characterized by an interest in the insentient, this genre of art has been popular across movements, cultures, and periods, with major figures like Paul Cézanne and Pablo Picasso sharing the Impressionist artist‘s view. Here, we explore the age-old genre, tracing its history and looking at well-known works to answer the questions: what is still life painting, and how has it evolved over time?

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Art History
March 5, 2022

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 tree sap lacquer 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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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.