An opening reception for “Art Works in Rolla III,” an exhibition that celebrates the University of Missouri-Rolla’s connection to the art world with works by artists with a historical connection to UMR, will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the lobby of Castleman Hall.

The show will include works that reflect the history or missions of the university, including its unique place in the Missouri Ozarks, and will provide a source of artwork to be hung in UMR’s Havener Center.

In addition to the exhibit, the evening will feature a screening of What the Bleep Do We Know. Blending science and science fiction, this strange and fascinating 2004 film starring Marlee Matlin asks what is real, what is unreal and how do we really know the difference.

What the Bleep Do We Know will be shown at 7 p.m., immediately following the Art Works in Rolla III opening reception. Both the reception and the film are free and open to the public.

The Havener Center Art Acquisition Committee will solicit the public’s help, as well as that of UMR students, faculty and staff in selecting which works will be chosen for permanent display in the Havener Center.

“Rolla and campus community members will be able to vote on their favorite piece by each artist represented, as well as their top five pieces overall,” says Dr. James Bogan, Curators’ Teaching Professor of art history and film. A decision will be made by Oct. 15, when the selected works will be moved to the Havener Center for permanent display. After Oct. 15, the remaining works will be available for sale to the public.

A ballot will be provided to allow viewers of the exhibition to vote on their favorite pieces of each artist, as well as their five favorite pieces from the entire show. This survey will be used for guidance by the purchasing committee in making the final selections for the Havener Center. Students, faculty, and staff of UMR, as well as the Rolla community, are all invited to make their preferences known.

Because the works are to be hung in the new student center, they will be designed with students in mind. Subjects to be depicted include the various courses offered at UMR, from music and computer engineering to geology and cloud physics.

The exhibition features works by “top-flight artists whose work we already know is appreciated by the university community,” says Bogan. “The university will thus be supporting a proven constituency of artists who have already been generous to the University with their visions.”

For more information about the exhibition or the film, contact the UMR performing arts department at (573) 341 4755.