Bentonville Public Library’s community art project was a creative engagement tool to gather feedback for the library’s Needs Assessment study in November 2020.
Artwork was submitted by local residents of all artistic abilities – kids, teens and adults – that creatively portrayed their vision and what they imagine for our public library.
Eighty art kits containing archival paper and a calligraphy marker set were distributed with the following prompt:
Submitted pieces are featured in three different works at BPL
Art Collage
An Art Collage featured as an outdoor display at BPL
This is Your Public Library!
A community artwork on permanent display in the fireplace room at BPL
The submitted pieces were cut into strips and woven together in the shape of Bentonville by artist Ziba Rajabi.
Ziba essentially reimagined multiple and distinctly different pieces into one collective piece that represents our community, our library and Bentonville’s creative and collaborative spirit.
Artwork approved by the City of Bentonville’s Public Art Advisory Committee and the Bentonville City Council; art medium: wood frame with paper, permanent marker and acrylic.
Ziba Rajabi (b.1988, Tehran, Iran) received her MFA from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and her BFA from the Sooreh University, Tehran. She primarily works with painting, drawing and fiber-based installation.
