IU Kokomo senior draws on circus performance days for thesis exhibition

A summer sculpture class changed James Murphy’s life.

As a new media, art and technology major at Indiana University, he had mostly focused on drawing and photography. But as he welded metal to create his first sculpture, he had what he described as a lightbulb moment.

“I thought, ‘This is incredible. I want to keep making more of these,’” said Murphy, from Peru.

As he prepares to graduate in May, he’s done just that, creating several metal sculptures to feature in the annual Senior Thesis Exhibition, which opened last week in the campus Art Gallery. It demonstrates the levels of competence each student achieved and provides an opportunity for the campus and community to see their work. Artists were recognized at the exhibition reception on April 23.

“This is definitely a big moment,” he said. “It’s a capstone on the last five years. It’s nice to see not just my work, but everyone else. I know all of us in the thesis group have worked hard over the better part of a year. We finally get that moment when we can set it all up.”

Murphy’s sculptures drew inspiration from his childhood experience performing in the Peru Amateur Circus.

“All of my forms for the sculptures come from the idea of the movement involved in these acts,” he said. “The flying trapeze was a big one, as well as juggling and balancing acts, balancing on a board, balancing on a wire, those are the main inspirations. I used the idea of movement, grace, balance, and strength.”

During his first sculpture class, Murphy, along with Gregory Steel, professor of fine arts and new media; and Cybil Johnson, a 2023 graduate, built a 10-foot-tall metal sculpture that is now a permanent part of the campus outdoor sculpture collection. Victory Unchained is displayed at the east end of the Kelley Student Center.

That class began his love of working with metal. He appreciates that it is both strong and flexible.

“I like the idea of something that it so strong it can withstand the elements of being outdoors, like the large sculpture we created, but it’s also very flexible in that you can heat it and manipulate it like clay,” he said.

He’s also thankful for the mentoring relationship he built with Steel during that class.

“He is definitely one of the greatest influences in my life,” Murphy said. “He’s done so much, from working with me in the classroom, allowing me to assist him in teaching some sculpture classes, and introducing me to new styles of art. He’s been very supportive and believed in me all the way.”

He also enjoyed painting classes with Aaron Pickens, assistant professor of new media, and Minda Douglas, associate professor of fine arts. Adjunct faculty member Mike Applegate was also his art teacher at Peru High School and inspired him to consider becoming an art teacher as well as a working artist.

“His class pushed me into wanting to pursue art,” Murphy said. “He’s my example for how to be an art teacher.”

Additional artists featured in the Senior Thesis Exhibition include: Z Fanning, Fort Wayne; Taylor Yoder, Greentown; Brooke Amsbury, Isaiah Belcher, Amy Laubenstein, and Anna Marcum, Kokomo; and Giovanni Sejour, Logansport.

The Senior Thesis Exhibition continues through Thursday, May 15, in the Gallery, in the IU Kokomo Library Building, 2300 S. Washington St.

The exhibition is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

For more information about the IU Kokomo Art Gallery, visit kokomo.iu.edu/gallery.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.