UND presents lecture on the art and architecture of Southeast Asia on Nov. 6

Visiting Minot State University Associate Professor of Art Andrea Donovan will share her knowledge of art and the architecture of Southeast Asia on Thursday, Nov. 6, as part of the latest installment of AH!Talks at the University of North Dakota. The event will take place in the East Asia Room of the Chester Fritz Library at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Donovan will explore the variety of religions and cultural influences in the art and architecture of Southeast Asia. Though Asian culture, in general, is primarily dedicated to religious references, the art and architecture of Southeast Asia includes multiple cultural referents. For example, the elephant is often referenced in Buddhism but is also referenced as being revered for its ability to help build temples and build up communities and roads. This duality between religious and practical contributions to the general mindset of a culture is the emphasis of Donavan\u27s lecture. Looking at the respect for various religions and that impact on artistic and cultural norms provides a clearer path to understanding the methodology of how art and architecture was produced throughout history up until the 21st century. Donovan has taught art history and humanities at Minot State University since 2007. She has a Ph.D. in European and art history from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich. She also has previous experience teaching at the elementary and secondary levels. Her degrees include work in painting, design, art education, art history, architectural history and historic preservation, European history and cultural studies. Donovan is also a practicing artist, whose painting and photography has been featured in galleries across the United States. AH! Talks AH!Talks (Arts and Humanities Talks) is the new name of the Interdisciplinary Studies Speaker Series. These presentations are designed to engage interdisciplinary thinking broadly and to be accessible to the larger community, bringing listeners to their own AH! moments as intellectual connections are made and our understanding of one another expands. AH!Talks may address either enduring or emerging questions central to the arts and humanities, or questions arising from other disciplines to which the arts and humanities might speak. In addition to presenting a major public event, external lecturers usually interact in smaller settings with faculty, graduate students and/or undergraduates