The Net: Visual Art’s New Interactive at Bonisteel

Written by Anya Penherski & Caroline Daniels

On Sept. 29, the Public Art class—taught by Visual Arts faculty member Connor Fagan and Clyde Sheets, Director of Interdisciplinary Arts—collaborated with the Bonisteel Library to make an interactive piece. Their idea was to create a web-like structure located across the back window in the corner of the reading bridge, and the structure is named The Net. 

The piece encourages the viewer to write on a piece of paper and respond to the prompt located on a table in front of it: “Draw a response to your surroundings or your day (something you see/feel/imagine) and add it to The Net.”

Muniba Ritman Oke, a four-year Visual Arts major and a student of the Public Art class, stated, “The Net is supposed to make people more hyperaware of their surroundings.”

The Net is designed to have pieces of paper you can find near the structure, to write or draw your thoughts, goals, or anything personal to let them be shared with your peers and connect. You can then hang them using a paperclip located on the same table. The Net was made out of many materials like sheets, shoelaces, paper, yarn, and string. 

When asked why they decided to put The Net there, Muniba said, “The plan was to use the big window in the library, so when light shines through it reflects everywhere.” She then added, “And also the library attracts lots of people.” 

Possible concerns for the interactive piece included the usual wear and tear, but part of the class assignment is to check on the piece regularly and fix damage. To visit the interactive piece, it is located on the upper level of the Bonisteel Library.