By relating vivid imagery produced in The Circular Ruins by Jorge Luis Borges, a collaborative group of 23 artists from all over the country have formed an exhibit of the same name. With each painting, sculpture, and print, the exhibit makes a connection to the readings, and with each of the artist's writing that accompanies his or her work, Borges' style has been mimicked.

The exhibition, which started Oct. 2 and will run through Oct. 31 at the Zoller Gallery, will be hosting an opening reception Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception will allow visitors to see the work in a social setting, as well as meet some of the exhibit's artists.

"This project has a lot to do with finding beauty in everyday things." said exhibit curator Christopher Thomas, who is also one of the artists for the project.

Cardboard covers the floor, a dartboard hangs on the wall, and a canoe welcomes you into the gallery. Taking garbage and making it "something beautiful" was the theme when setting up the artwork in the gallery.

"The first time I walked through the gallery, I was taken aback by the cardboard floor," said Matthew Gordon (senior-art and art education). "I wasn't sure what to make of it."

The idea for the project itself began in Charlottesville, Va., where artists from all over the country and the world come together each year to participate in a print portfolio project that is based out of the University of Virginia. The artists, the theme and the format change every year. This year, Borges' The Circular Ruins was the inspiration.

"This is the first time that it's been so literally a collaboration," said Thomas, who is also an art professor at the Penn State Altoona College.

In the beginning, each artist created about 25 prints. These prints were then passed on to each of the other members of the group until an artist felt it was complete, and each artist made changes to the prints along the way. Then, the artists exchanged ideas by e-mail and sent the prints around until the images were complete. The finished images were then put together into a narrative including both the artwork and the story of The Circular Ruins. These books are on display in the gallery.

Thomas said that Borges' story lends depth to the artwork.

After reading the story in class, Gordon went to the gallery for a second time.

"I know how I would have responded, so it was nice to see how other people did," he said.

Along with the books of prints, visitors to the gallery will find the entire story of The Circular Ruins printed around the dartboard from a label-maker. Various paintings that were created during the time of the project also hang from the walls, as well as a sculpture that signifies when the character in the story was preparing for a journey.

The dartboard on the wall also grabbed Gordon's attention.

"It's pretty cool to play darts in a gallery," Gordon said.