Anyone who has visited the Perry Library during the 2022-2023 school year can’t have missed the huge, colorful string sculptures hanging from the ceiling in front of the main entrance. This installation is “Patterns of Love” by artist and ODU student Kim McCoy. “Patterns of Love” was previously on display in the Webb Center during the Spring 2022 semester.

The installation is composed of three pieces. Two are large string structures that billow from floor to ceiling, one rainbow-hued and the other primarily yellow and pink. The third is a smaller sculpture consisting of spirals of steel and textiles. In total, the installation uses 6.9 miles of cotton thread and stands, at its highest point, 27 feet tall. This art piece “focuses on the various forms of love that we experience.”

Until Feb. 14, students who have experienced the installation are invited to share their interpretations of the art piece through an online form. The form is also available through a QR code located on a sign beside the artwork. Students may share their thoughts on any or all of the three pieces that make up the installation.

After submissions close, McCoy will “creatively place the student entries on display near the installation.”

McCoy’s work has been displayed at ODU in the past. Her installation “Hear Their Voices,” a piece intended to raise awareness about human trafficking, was displayed in the Barry Arts Building rotunda during January 2022.