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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015
Art about art
the legacy of John Bohac
Emily Ploch/Index A visitor to the University Art Gallery looks at one of the many manipulated signs at the Retrospective exhibit. Bohac said he hopes the combinations in the manipulated signs make people think in a different way about the images around them. BY EMILY PLOCH Staff Writer
Before art professor John Bohac went to college, he said he saw art in a very narrow way — he thought it was only about skill. He said it wasn’t until he came to Truman State more than 30 years ago that he started to understand art could address issues of content and meaning, and could be deeper than talent. Bohac was a student at Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman, before he was hired as a professor here. The Retrospective exhibit in the University Art Gallery is a culmination of his artistic career. Bohac said there’s an old saying that artists make us see old things in new ways. He said because of his education he was inspired to create art about art, using his knowledge of artists and themes to create new pieces that hopefully change the way people look at the world. Bohac said because he will retire at the end of the semester, the Retrospective exhibit — which opened Sept. 1 in the University Art Gallery — acts as his final farewell to the school. He said in the art department, having an exhibit is somewhat customary.
Bohac said the exhibit also works as a stepping stone for his future plans. When the time comes for Bohac to do other work, he said he can use this exhibit to create a resume. Pieces in the exhibit date back to 1970, during his high school years, Bohac said. He said other pieces include hobby work, undergraduate work, graduate work and the pieces he recently has created. He said the exhibit is not a complete collection but instead a representation due to space limitations and availability of his work. “I spent most of my summer tracking down artwork, calling my dad, calling old friends, seeing what my wife still had,” Bohac said. “When I told them what it was for they were thrilled.” When asked about his inspiration, Bohac said his education encouraged him to see things about art itself. Bohac said he started to look at pieces and ask not only if the art was done well but what was it about. Several pieces illustrating the theme of “art about art” can be seen at the exhibit. He said one of his favorite pieces is inspired by the classic René Magritte painting of a pipe that says “this is not a pipe” underneath it. Bohac said he found the concept
Emily Ploch/Index Truman students attend the opening of the Retrospective exhibit Sept. 1. The artwork pictured depicts Bohac’s theme of binary relationships by combining two different materials into one piece.
of the piece striking and intriguing. In his version, Bohac said he took an actual pipe, split it down the middle, and placed it in a frame with the caption “this is a pipe.” Another theme in several pieces of his work is binary relationships, which Bohac said are two opposing ideas or materials working together to create a new meaning. Bohac said this is apparent in his manipulated signs and the striped pieces that incorporate fiberglass with canvas. Bohac said he had an eight-year gap between graduating high school and going to college, but he never stopped working and creating art. Art professor Bob Jones said he remembered having Bohac as a student in his drawing class more than 30 years ago. Jones said Bohac absorbed as much as he could and was an inquisitive student. He said Bohac was highly intelligent and personable, a student most faculty members were proud of at the time. “When he came here he didn’t have any preconceived notions about what art was or [was] supposed to be,” Jones said. Now that they have been colleagues, Jones said Bohac has continued to grow as an artist who pushes himself to experiment with art and try new things the same way he would push his students. He said the exhibit really tracks Bohac’s growth as an artist. Jones said to most the exhibit is going to appear eclectic, but because he’s known Bohac for so long, he can see how Bohac has evolved as an artist. Art professor Jim Jereb said he has known Bohac for the 25 years he has worked at Truman. Because they started working at the same time, Jereb said they became very close. He said Bohac is clever, creative and definitely knows how to think outside the box. Jereb said Bohac’s artwork has several tongue-in-cheek pieces with a contemporary slant, but he said his favorite works by Bohac are the non-objective pieces. Jereb said the pieces in the exhibit are a good representation of Bohac and show his commitment throughout the years, especially the pieces from Bohac’s high school years. Jereb said having Bohac’s work in a retrospective exhibit should remind students to keep going despite all the things that could get in the way of creating art. He said Bohac has proved himself as a truly dedicated artist throughout the years. Jereb said he was impressed by Bohac’s ability not to let anything get in the way of making art, which he said is very easy to do. Jereb said before Bohac had a job related to art, he still was taking the time to create art, which Jereb said is remarkable. He said he hopes Bohac’s dedication inspires others. Bohac’s gallery exhibition is open through Oct. 1.
International students adjust at Truman BY PAIGE YUNGERMANN Staff Writer
With a record number of international students at Truman State, the Center for International Students has more responsibilities than ever to help these students adjust to life in America. The CIS offers a variety of services to help the 419 international students at Truman adjust to life in the residence halls, academics, and their initial arrival in Kirksville and America in general. CIS assistant director Melanee Crist said the number of international students at Truman has more than doubled during the past eight years. “Everybody is going to have more of an opportunity to interact with international students and get to know them,” Crist said. “They’ll be in most classes and residence halls. I think it’s very important that people take advantage of this, and get to know international students and learn from them. This is a great benefit to the University.” Senior Ryo Matsuda of Japan said the CIS helped her adjust to life in America through social events the center planned. Matsuda said these events helped her meet with other students and make friends. VOLUME 107
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Truman alumna Thilini Weerawarnasuriya, who is from Sri Lanka, said she worked at the CIS for three years before graduating during May. She said adjusting to life in America was not as difficult for her as for some international students, because she grew up in the United Arab Emirates, a country with many immigrants, but there were still challenges. Two challenges Weerawarnasuriya said she faced were learning American slang words and getting used to the fast-paced speed at which Americans talk. “Now my ears are trained to it,” Weerawarnasuriya said. “I remember when I first got here, I was sitting in my business law class, and my professor was talking, and I couldn’t keep up. He would say one sentence, and I was still processing what he had said, and he was on to the fifth sentence already. I was about to cry.” Weerawarnasuriya said while adjusting to these changes took time, making friends helped. She said she worked to make American friends, not just other international students, so she could learn more about U.S. culture. Weerawarnasuriya said the CIS also helped her adjust to life in America. She said the staff is good at understanding the perspective of international students, even though the staffers are American.
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“They are really passionate about actually helping us as opposed to just being an office that’s there,” Weerawarnasuriya said. Weerawarnasuriya said one of her favorite programs offered by the CIS is International Friends. She said this program matches Kirksville families with Truman’s international students so the student has a “family” in town, and everyone involved can learn more about different cultures. While each family and student’s situation is different, Weerawarnasuriya said she became close to the family she was matched with. She said these families can help students make memories they are not able to experience in their home countries. “We don’t have fall in Sri Lanka or the U.A.E.,” Weerawarnasuriya said. “I know it seems stupid, but I always wanted to jump into a pile of leaves. My first Thanksgiving, I got to do that. Weerawarnasuriya said even after living in the U.S. for three years, she is not completely accustomed to American culture. She said it is hard for her to get used to the outspokenness of Americans because people in Sri Lanka are not as direct. “No matter how long you’re here, you can never completely adjust,” Weerawarnasuriya said. “You still have your roots.” @trumanindex
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