Bockelman exhibits works from Germany at art show in Lincoln

Photo credit: Courtney Wright

Courtney Wright

Sower Staff

Concordia Professor of Art James Bockelman has an exhibit through Oct. 1 at Fiendish Plots in Lincoln showcasing works he did during a 2022 sabbatical in Berlin, Germany.

Bockelman said the first time he visited Berlin, in 2006, he felt at home. “I really felt a strong pull, a kind of magnetic attraction,” he said.

He decided to do his next sabbatical in Berlin because it was easy have a creative mind when he was there.

“For me as an artist, it was really important; it wasn’t so much about being a teacher, but an artist,” Bockelman said.

The exhibit includes works on paper, photography, video and found objects.

While in Germany he took a train to the art studio, stayed there for five or six hours a day, and then returned home to continue drawing or to read. He said along the way he also met other artists and professionals from museums and galleries.

Bockelman said that in order to keep his outlook fresh, he only went over his framed drawings four or five times before calling them finished. He wanted his authenticity to show.

He said when working and teaching in Nebraska he has to worry about the balance between being a teacher and being an artist. In Germany, he focused on being an artist.

“If you’re going to be a person to create something outside of yourself that exists, you have to be able to let go of those worries and create,” he said.

The exhibit, “Bridging Between : James Bockelman” is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays or by appointment.