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Canadian artist to unveil Bloomington painting inspired by Jill Behrman disappearance
June 12, 2001
NOTE: To arrange an interview with Kupesic in Bloomington on June 17-20, contact her beforehand in Toronto at 416-483-7731 or rajka@kupesic.com. For more information about the artist, see her Web site at http://www.kupesic.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Canadian artist Rajka Kupesic will unveil a painting on Monday (June 18) that was inspired by the disappearance of Bloomington resident and Indiana University student Jill Behrman. Public sale of 500 autographed and numbered lithographs of the original work will begin at the unveiling ceremony.
Moved by the Bloomington community's response to the case, Kupesic, whose son, Boris, is a student in the IU School of Music, created the piece depicting Bloomington scenes and a likeness of Behrman with her bicycle in front of the Sample Gates. The work is titled "Melody of Youth." Behrman had just finished her freshman year at IU when she disappeared on a bicycle ride the morning of May 31, 2000. Police suspect she was abducted, and a reward for information on the case was recently increased from $50,000 to $100,000.
Kupesic will attend a reception for the unveiling from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Monday at the IU Foundation's Showalter House on the Highway 45/46 Bypass. A limited number of signed and numbered lithographs of the painting will be available for sale at the reception. All proceeds from the sale will support the Jill Behrman Scholarship Fund at IU.
Kupesic's paintings reflect her Croatian heritage and her training as a ballerina. In describing her work, Kupesic said, "I paint with great emotions. My goal is to create movement and beauty." Her works have been exhibited in galleries worldwide, including the Kaspar Gallery in Toronto, the Jaro Art Galleries in New York, the Gallery Mona Lisa in Paris and the Collectors Gallery in Calgary.
The Monday event is being arranged by a steering committee comprised of representatives from the Bloomington Mayor's Office, IU Foundation, IU Alumni Association and IU student body. Jill's father, Eric Behrman, works at the IU Alumni Association, and her mother, Marilyn Behrman, at the IU Foundation.
For more information about attending the event or to order a lithograph, contact the IU Foundation at 812-855-8311.
(Hal Kibbey, 812-855-0074, hkibbey@indiana.edu)