Recently, as most dolphins have noticed, there has been a change to the scenery on the Grifford Terrace in between the Grewen and Reilly academic halls. Previously, as you walked in between the academic buildings, you could turn your head and see an art sculpture below in the terrace, which has been there for the past few years. The Le Moyne College Department of Visual and Performing Arts has supported five senior students – Alyssa Skerpon, Kailee Atkin, Maria Vaughan, Nicole Tuner and Samantha Farnsworth – in the construction and display of an installation based interactive art exhibition. This new exhibition is the product of a collaborative independent study in visual art, which is the first of its kind to be seen here at Le Moyne. The concept for the sculpture was completely the production of the five seniors and implemented with the aid of their professor, Zach Dunn.

The students started working on this exhibition without really knowing each other previously or having any knowledge of each other’s backgrounds, but through their close collaboration and time spent together during their process of creating this exhibition, the five senior students learned that teamwork and time management skills are more than classroom concepts. Each student brought their own individual ideas, skills and expertise to the studio and through their collaboration they were able to create this cohesive installation for all the Le Moyne community to enjoy.

The artists are hoping that this new piece brings to the viewers a remembrance of the amazement that comes from books and reading that we once all had as children, which has helped lead us to Le Moyne. The exhibition stands as a reminder of the youthful sense of wonder that we all once felt walking into a library, and also is a statement about the condition of the campus library and the attention paid to it. In such a fast paced technology based world, where electronic reading devices and internet encyclopedias seem to dominate as the sources of all information, this display stands to remind the Le Moyne community of the importance of the printed world, and the nostalgic love it invites that a computer screen can never mimic.

All books used in this display were donated; most destined for the recycling bin but were given one last life. Some of the books were rescued from the dumpsters across campus. The collaboration of students believe that books hold a permanent educational value, and by repurposing them into their project they are showing their continued importance. The installation also offers interactive activities for the Le Moyne community including an open book exchange telling to “Take a book, leave a book…Read on and save the books!” There are also three blank books with pens accompanied, asking the Le Moyne community to reply to the questions “What is a memory you have involving your favorite childhood book?”, “What role do books play in your life today?” and “What do you foresee for the future of books?” The display is already receiving positive feedback from the community. Sophomore, Allison Dolzonek, said, “It’s a nice addition. I like the attention it draws to literature and how important reading is to the students.” This is just one of the many praises that the installation has received across campus. If you have not seen it yet, come check out all of the hard work that was put into this wonderful new sculpture with an inspiring message.