Interview

June 25, 2026

Survivors and Perpetrators of Rwandan Genocide Pose Together in Powerful Portraits [Interview]

What does it mean to forgive someone? How is reconciliation possible when a person commits the worst acts imaginable? These are just two of the questions that surface from Dutch photographer Jan Banning’s series Blood Bonds: Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda. The collection, in which Banning’s photographs are paired with text from writer Dick Wittenberg, shows the unexpected: perpetrators and survivors of the Rwandan genocide posing together in solemn, restrained portraits.

Read Article

May 4, 2026

Self-Taught Painter Translates Personal Emotions Into Vibrant Oil Paintings [Interview]

Self-taught painter Tom D. Smith creates expressive oil paintings that translate emotion into color, movement, and form. As a result, his compositions emphasize energy and sensation, and they feel both immediate and reflective of shared human experience. Beginning with an internal concept or feeling, Smith develops his paintings through a process of visualization and refinement.

Read Article

April 25, 2026

This TV Director-Turned-Photographer Brings a Cinematic Beauty to Every Shot [Interview]

By the time the Writers Guild of America called for a nationwide strike in 2007, Daniel Sackheim had amassed quite a portfolio. He had directed episodes of iconic television series like Law & Order, The X-Files, and NYPD Blue; earned an Emmy in 1994; and solidified his reputation at the forefront of TV’s modern “Golden Age.” Suddenly and unexpectedly unable to direct, though, he decided to explore a new medium: photography.

Read Article

April 19, 2026

Spoleto: A Performing Arts Festival Celebrating Human Expression in Its Many Forms [Interview]

Perhaps the most common question you’ll overhear at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, is, “What are you seeing tonight?” It's an event where one evening, you can watch the world premiere of an opera and another night see a legendary performer play some of their greatest hits. Over the course of 17 days, the city brims with incredible talent as told through dance, theater, opera, and musical performances.

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.