BAT - Turman Art Gallery

TURMAN GALLERY
'BAT'

Reception: Oct 2, 4-8pm

Duration: Sept 27- Oct 17, 2025

Location: Turman Gallery (Fine Arts Building)
649 Chestnut Street, Terre Haute, IN 47809

Hours: M-F 11am-4pm, open until 6pm on Thursdays
https://indianastate.edu/academics/colleges/art...
All exhibitions are free and open to the public. This means family and friends are welcome.:)

Partners: Indiana State’s: Permanent Art Collection, Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation, Department of Biology

Artist: ENRIQUE CHAGOYA | BARRY R. JONES | SHAWN E. RUSSELL | NICKOLAS STROHM | CINDIE UNDERWOOD

About: 
'Bat' is a multidisciplinary group exhibition presented in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Bat Festival, hosted by The Center for Bat Research and Conservation through the Department of Biology at Indiana State University. The exhibition also features selected works from the Indiana State University Permanent Art Collection.

Showcasing the work of internationally recognized artist Shawn E. Russell and multimedia artist Barry R. Jones, Professor of Art in the Department of Art + Design at Austin Peay State University, Bat explores the complex duality of bats as creatures both venerated and feared. This thematic inquiry is echoed in Enrique Chagoya’s intimate intaglio print, 'Mucho hay que chupar' (2012), which further reflects on the symbolic weight borne by these nocturnal animals—particularly those of vampiric species.

Russell contributes a series of meticulously rendered graphite and ink drawings that invite close, contemplative engagement with bats as misunderstood yet vital species. In contrast, Jones employs manipulated video projections—visually arresting sequences of bats in motion—that envelop viewers in a dynamic, immersive environment. This sensory experience culminates in Cindie Underwood’s sculptural work 'Fruit Bats & Rain Drops' (2003), a contemplative anchor that provides a moment of stillness within the exhibition.

Together, these works form a compelling interplay of motion and stillness, science and symbolism. 'Bat' offers a multi-sensory encounter that challenges perception, honors natural beauty, and celebrates the ecological and cultural significance of bats in our shared world.