Visual Culture Lecture Series
The Visual Culture Lecture Series is sponsored by College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences John & Mary Gonska Cultural Fund, and the Department of Art & Design.
All events are free and open to the public
Dr. Julia Bryan-Wilson Art History | 6PM | 80 Montague Hall | October 2, 2025 ChatGPT said: Dr. Bryan-Wilson is a scholar, curator, and author focused on contemporary art, LGBTQ+ studies, and feminist and queer theory. She teaches at Columbia University and is Curator-at-Large at MASP. Known for books like Art Workers and Fray , she has curated major exhibitions including the Venice Biennale. Her work explores artistic labor, performance, craft, and visual politics.
Graphic Design Alumni Panel 6PM | 80 Montague Hall | November 4, 2025 UMD Alumni Anna St. Amant, Luke Pelant, Fiona Reid, Chris Wodicka & Cat Thielen to speak.
Joellyn Rock UMD Faculty | 6PM | 80 Montague Hall | January 27, 2026 Joellyn Rock is a mixed-media digital artist and Associate Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She co-founded the Motion and Media Across Disciplines Lab and explores folklore through new media. Her recent project, Frau Holle’s Werkhaus , combines fiber arts and video. Rock’s artist talk will highlight her work and collaboration with UMD Theatre and Dance for Dancing Tales (Feb 2026).
Brian Wagner Printmaking | 6PM | 80 Montague Hall | March 24, 2026 Brian received their B.F.A. in Printmaking and Art History from MSU Moorhead in 2019. In 2020 they attended the world-renowned Tamarind Institute of Fine Art Lithography and are a trained Collaborative Printer and Lithographer. They are currently working as a Collaborative Printer at Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis, MN where they also maintain their personal artistic practice.
Mika Negishi Laidlaw Ceramics | Studio Juror ASE '26 6PM | 80 Montague Hall | April 7, 2026 ChatGPT said: Born in Kobe, Japan, Mika Negishi Laidlaw is a ceramic artist working in Japan and the U.S. She earned her B.A. from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and M.F.A. from Kansas State University. Her career includes an apprenticeship at Akishino Pottery, McKnight Fellowships, and residencies. She has exhibited internationally and is a Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, living in Minnesota with her family.
Jen White-Johnson Graphic Design | Juror ASE '26| 6PM | 80 Montague Hall | April 7, 2026 Jen White-Johnson is a disabled, neurodivergent artist and educator focusing on Black disabled joy and futures through disability justice and Black feminist disability frameworks. She has collaborated with brands like Target, Coachella, and Adobe Design. Jen’s work is permanently archived at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC.
Ryan Smoler PlacemakingUS | 6PM | 90 Bohannon Hall | April 16, 2026 Ryan Smolar reconnects people with each other and the ecosystems sustaining them.
Funding for this event was provided by the Imagine Fund Special Events Grant Program which seeks to support new and ongoing activities that promote profound understanding of the human condition, excellence, innovation, collaboration, interdisciplinary dialogue, and greater public engagement with the University.