Ball State has commissioned Stephen Knapp to create one of his signature 3-D lightpaintings for its Music Instruction Building (MIB), with the installation scheduled late August.

"Stephen Knapp was chosen for his unique style of blending glass, light and stainless steel, which he will tailor to the three panels in the MIB foyer," said Robert Kvam, dean of the College of Fine Arts. "MIB will afford an exceptional venue for his creativity, providing a highly visible, north-facing 'canvas' for the spectacular chromatic installation."

Art critics have called Knapp's lightpaintings the first new art form of the 21st century. Some of his better-known, large-scale lightpaintings and glass sculptures include "Luminous Affirmations" in Tampa, Fla., and the "Crystal Quilt" in Lincoln, Neb.

The mammoth 23 x 40-foot artwork Knapp will install at Ball State will use between 110 and 140 pieces of colored glass. Lights illuminating and reflecting off of the piece will bring the lightpainting to life, Knapp said.

"It's turning out to be much richer than I initially planned because once I get into something it's hard for me to stop," he said, whose Web site can be found at www.lightpaintings.com. "When people see it they'll be amazed that it's lit up with only eight 75-watt bulbs."

After months of planning, Knapp constructed the lightpainting near his Worcester, Mass., studio. Once the lightpainting was tested, it was then dismantled, shipped and will be installed in MIB beginning Aug. 21 with the official unveiling taking place Sept. 22.

To view a video of Knapp and his work, log on to: https://ilocker.bsu.edu/users/ucomm/WORLD_SHARED/

(Note to editors: For more information, contact Layne Cameron, media relations manager, at (765) 285-5953 or lscameron@bsu.edu.)