Interview

November 10, 2020

Lebanese Artist Creates Powerful Sculpture From the Ashes of Beirut Port Explosion [Interview]

In August 2020, an enormous explosion at Beirut's port rocked the city. Causing over 200 deaths and 6,500 injuries, the incident occurred after nearly a year of protests calling for an end to sectarian rule in Lebanon. Artist Hayat Nazer, who is highly involved in the Revolution, used rubble from the explosion to fashion a powerful sculpture that speaks to the pain of the nation.

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October 5, 2020

1,000-Square-Foot Mosaic Honors Pioneering Black Suffragette Ida B. Wells [Interview]

Recently, the U.S. celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment—an amendment that gave some, not all, women the right to vote. To honor the efforts of suffragettes, the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission helped sponsor the creation of a 1,000-foot installation featuring a portrait of a prominent figure of the movement—Ida B. Wells, a Black woman whose story of activism begins over 130 years ago.

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August 26, 2020

Illustrator Imagines Powerful Warriors as a Diverse Group of Strong Women [Interview]

From Disney’s depiction of Mulan to Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, female warriors in animated films are undoubtedly legendary—but a rarity. Women in fantasy art and film are still vastly underrepresented, especially characters that embody diversity. Artist Yael Nathan seeks to change this. She’s created an illustrated series of powerful women warriors that represent many shapes, sizes, and skin colors. Female heroines are often depicted as young, physically fit, and attractive (by society's standards).

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July 28, 2020

Powerful BLM Video Projections Help Reclaim Controversial Robert E. Lee Monument [Interview]

In Virginia, one artist is helping his community reclaim a controversial monument in the name of Black Lives Matter. The Robert E. Lee Monument now stands as the only remaining Confederate statue on Richmond's historic Monument Avenue. While litigation ties up the statue's removal, light projection artist Dustin Klein is using his art to change the meaning of this contentious monument.

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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.