09/06/2026
🌏 Meet Iana Avdeeva, an exchange student from Russia who’s spending one semester here at XJTLU! She has brought a beautiful piece of her homeland here through a stunning new exhibition of student pen-and-ink drawings in the Design Building at South Campus.
The intricate works on display are dedicated to the unique wooden architecture of Eastern Siberia, created after studying the architectural heritage preserved at the Taltsy Architectural and Ethnographic Museum - located right near her hometown of Irkutsk.
“Wood has played a fundamental role in the history of Siberia,” Iana shares. “For centuries, it was the main building material used to create homes, churches, defensive structures, and entire settlements. These buildings are not only examples of traditional construction techniques, but also reflections of local culture, climate, and ways of life.”
Located on the banks of the Angara River between Irkutsk and Lake Baikal, this open-air museum complex offers visitors an opportunity to experience the material and spiritual culture of the peoples of the Baikal region. It has a unique collection of historical, architectural, and ethnographic monuments dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries.
The student works presented here are created in the pen-and-ink technique under the supervision of professors from Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Institute of Architecture, Construction and Design, Department of Drawing, Basics of Design and Historical and Cultural Heritage.
“I hope this exhibition helps to discover the beauty of Eastern Siberian wooden architecture and gain a deeper understanding of the traditions and history behind it. I’m happy to share that knowledge and culture into the international community,” says Iana.
Stop by to experience the history and see Eastern Siberia through Iana’s eyes!
hshtag
