The bizarre quality of the exhibition opening today in Zoller Gallery could only be described by artist Jaclyn Tufford as a less trippy version of Alice in Wonderland.

"It really is an artsy version of Alice in Wonderland, but not so psychedelic and without the growing and shrinking," she said.

Tufford (graduate-visual art) and Marie Rim (graduate-painting) are exhibiting their graduate thesis work through March 17 at Zoller Gallery in the Visual Arts Building. The reception will be held from 5 to 8 tonight in Zoller.

Tufford said the reception will include a 26-minute video screening at 6 p.m. and a costumed performance during the reception.

"It will be interesting and dramatic -- there will be people in wire dresses and bodysuits looking creature-like more than anything," she said. "It will be very theatrical. You're involved in the story."

She said costumed people will also greet visitors and serve cake.

The exhibit is a compilation of Tufford and Rim's work over the past two years as graduate students at Penn State. Their theses are composed of the work now being shown in the gallery.

Tufford, who studies new media that is technologically based, said two of the main features of her portion of the exhibit include the performance and video screening, both of which will only be shown tonight.

"The video and performance are like a short story," she said. "They both have a narrative and interact with each other."

Tufford will also showcase photographs in addition to the video and performance.

In relation to Tufford's less conventional setup, Rim said her side of the gallery will be more traditional, showcasing various forms of painting.

"There is a big contrast in terms of the media in which we work. My work is definitely traditional in terms of paint and canvas," she said. "But it is a little more experimental in the way in which I handle the paint."

Rim said her painting covers realism, realistic figure, figurative paintings and abstract expressionism.

"My work began in a very realistic manner of traditional figure paintings, moved into sculpture of the body, simplifying the torso and abstraction," she said. "Now I'm working with the debris left on the floor from all of my past efforts."

Rim said she and Tufford had similar ideas and themes behind their work, despite the obvious contrast in physical form.

"The subject matter is very similar in terms of intimacy. We're both trying to figure out relationships -- how we relate to ourselves, how we relate to others," she said. "I think memory has a lot to do with our work."