Students and other spectators have the opportunity for a hands-on experience in the School of Art Gallery today – if they’re not opposed to wearing the white gloves.

The 2007 Drawing Invitational opens on the second floor of the Art Building at 11 a.m. today. It will feature flat files, which contain several artists’ original works stacked in a closed drawer. The files are borrowed from the Pierogi Gallery in Brooklyn and may be sifted through by spectators at their own pace.

“It’s pretty interesting when you can put on a pair of white gloves and go through the artists’ work yourself,” said Anderson Turner, director of galleries at Kent State.

The idea for the exhibit grew out of the concept of the flat files, Turner said. It makes it possible for the audience to experience more of an artists’ work at one time.

“It’s very different to be able to come through and look at some big-name artists and literally lift up their original drawings,” he said.

Though past exhibits featured art by students in the School of Art, this exhibit focuses on artists from other parts of the country.

The invitational is more of an “East Coast meets Midwestern show,” Turner said.

The School of Art Gallery is open 11 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and is located on the second floor of the Art Building.

Contact Sam Twarek at [email protected].