Posts by Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
Music
July 17, 2025

Musical Instrument Museum Highlights the Shared Experience of Making Music Across the World

Music tells the story of our history and culture, and one museum showcases different instruments from around the world and across time. The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) showcases more than 4,200 instruments and associated objects (out of over 12,000) in its collection, housed over two floors of light-filled galleries in Phoenix, Arizona. Boasting a diverse, international collection, MIM recognizes that music is something we all share.

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Architecture
July 10, 2025

MAD Unveils Giant Graceful ‘Chinese Paper Umbrella’ at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale

Pioneering architecture studio MAD has designed a stunning canopy for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025. The structure is a reinterpretation of traditional Chinese oil paper umbrellas, featuring a monumental floating form that doubles as a sheltered outdoor space next to the China Pavilion. (MAD also designed the China Pavilion.) Aptly called Chinese Paper Umbrella, the design offers relief from the external elements and a site of tranquility within a subtly shifting interior space.

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Installation
July 2, 2025

Monumental Sculpture Comes To Life at Night With Projection Mapping

South African artist Daniel Popper has created an artistic landmark in Miami’s Arts District. Titled Lumen, the larger-than-life sculpture is permanently installed as the entrance to Society Wynwood, a vibrant apartment community. It’s covered in mosaic tile that comes alive when it’s dark. During the day, viewers can admire the earth-toned surface, but at night, projection mapping completely reimagines the mosaics. Suddenly, the sculpture lights up with a colorful, changing digital display.

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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.