Riley McNair

Riley McNair is an MA/PhD student studying modern and contemporary art of the United States with Professor Joshua Shannon. Her research interests include the rise of the New York Art Scene, contemporary art as a method of activism, and nontraditional forms of art— including tattoos, street art, and graffiti. She graduated from Wellesley College in 2026 with a BA in Art History after defending her thesis on the influence of coding and cryptology on Cy Twombly’s 1954 Augusta Series. Riley has held internship positions at institutions such as the US Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.