Steven Byrd, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese in the Department of Society, Culture, and Languages and director of the Latin American studies minor, published a new essay in a Brazilian anthology titled Araxá em detalhes: Um novo olhar, edited by Luiz Humberto França (Editora Gulliver, 2019).
The book includes 13 essays and a variety of photographs that deal with the urban landscape and culture of the city of Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Byrd's essay, in Chapter 11, describes the architecture, landscapes, history, and culture surrounding the Municipal Theater of Araxá, designed by the modernist Brazilian architect Gustavo Penna. It further addresses the historic and cultural importance of the theater in the world, from ancient Athens to the modern city.
The book's editor, Luiz Humberto França - a journalist, photographer, and television and radio reporter - selected Byrd's essay and contributed photographs to it.
