Purinton House Art Installation

Project Leader(s): Laura Lee Partington, Carrie Caviani and Andrew Patrick, WVU Office of Global Affairs

At the Office of Global Affairs, we believe that Mountaineers will always rise to the occasion when required to explore uncharted territory, whether that territory be physical or conceptual. Our project intends to engage University constituents, domestic and international, through an interactive and collaborative art installation to be installed in Purinton House. We envision hanging a large decorative panel that will provide a space for faculty, staff and students to display mementos from around the world. It will additionally provide these constituents the opportunity to assist one another, vis-à-vis crowdsourcing important and relevant information about Morgantown and could include information about the best places to grab a bite, hang out, and explore. Importantly, the panel will provide constituents a chance to leave their mark at WVU. Shadow boxes will be attached to the decorative panel, and constituents who have meaningfully engaged with the international community will have the opportunity to sign and date a token that can be dropped into a shadow box. The shadow boxes will provide a visual representation of WVU’s continued growth and internationalization over time. We believe this project creates avenues for WVU constituents to meaningfully engage and establish connections that know no boundaries or physical borders. The project creates a physical and inclusive space that allows well-established and rooted Mountaineers to interact with newer, less represented members of the community, which in turn promotes social equity through the connection of individuals from all walks of life (i.e., of different race, age, ethnicity, gender, sex, religion, disability, socio-economic status, and sexuality). Ultimately, the project is intended to allow the University community to engage with a global perspective.