Inspiration Constellation: Alumna Eleanor Kahn Brings Interactive Art to the Student Innovation Center

Kahn brings spaces that inspire into one beautiful web of art

Ames, Iowa — The Student Innovation Center at Iowa State University, in partnership with Start Something LAS and the ISU Department of Music & Theater, recently hosted a captivating art installation titled “Inspiration Constellation”, created by Iowa State alumna and Chicago-based artist Eleanor Kahn. This interactive piece invited the campus community to reflect on the environments that inspire them, and to contribute to a growing visual web of shared creativity.

A Living Constellation of Inspiration

The installation centered around a simple yet powerful concept: our environments shape how we see and connect with the world. Participants were invited to write down a place that inspires them on a colored circle that reflected their area of study, then add it to the suspended web-like structure. As more circles were added, the piece evolved into a living constellation of meaningful places.

“Our environments shape how we see and connect with the world. This installation is about honoring those spaces and sharing them with others,” said Kahn, the artist behind the project.

Collaboration Across Campus

Kahn invited students, faculty, and staff from across campus to bring the installation to life. The project was part of the LAS Alumni Innovators program, which brings distinguished alumni back to campus to engage with students and share their creative processes.

“It’s a beautiful way to visualize what inspires our community and how those inspirations overlap and connect,” said Tera Lawson, Senior Program Specialist for the Iowa State University Student Innovation Center.
“You can see the constellation grow in real time. It’s not just art, it’s a conversation,” added Brad Dell, Chair for the Department of Music and Theatre, a collaborator on the project with LAS Start Something Academy and the Student Innovation Center.

Why It Matters

“Inspiration Constellation” is more than an art installation, it’s a shared space built from the places that move us most. It encourages reflection, connection, and community-building through the lens of personal inspiration.

Whether you’re a student, faculty member, or visitor, this installation offered a chance to pause, reflect, and contribute to a constellation that grows with every story shared.