Science visualized in cascadic art work University Library Groningen
- multimedia grid transforms the library and public space

In the heart of the city of Groningen, the Netherlands, a multimedia art work has been added to the great staircase of the University Library. It visualizes science in this lively university town and transforms the building as well as the square where the library is situated. A space where thousands of students and researchers gather to study, lend books and meet every day.

The art work SHA_RE by the designer/artist Peter Musschenga, was commissioned by the Groninger University Fund and is a gift to the University of Groningen, which celebrates its 400 years anniversary this year.

The basis of the art work is a cascade of led screens installed on every floor, extending as far as the ceiling above the entrance. Together these panels form a dynamic grid with constantly changing forms, in which thousands of pictures and videos of historic and current scientific research at the University of Groningen and texts of dissertations are shown.

The visual grid not only changes shape constantly, it also takes on various views. In one of them, a link is being made with the history of the location, where previously the St. Martinus Church was, before it was taken down in 1982. At irregular intervals the grid shows a strong colour change, reminiscent of the stained-glass windows of this former church. The colour scheme is based on the original windows, some of which have been relocated to a church nearby.

Randomly one of the cells is selected and enlarged to spread out on all floors of the staircase, resulting in an image of several metres high. Also occasionally the cells of the grid become transparent and a glimpse is given into the veins of the library by a scrolling logfile that shows the queries in the catalogue: the start of many source researches.

Researchers from all fields of the university have contributed to the database of SHA_RE. And they will continue to do so, as science develops every day. Researchers can add new work to this 'living archive' in the years to come.

Peter Musschenga works as an independent designer and artist. His studio is based in Groningen for 16 years now. His work varies from graphic and web design to stage design. He has designed stages for the City Theatre in Groningen and Carré Theatre in Amsterdam. These stages are based on modular structures specifically made for the computerized operating systems. This light art work in public space is the first on this large scale.