An art historian, a painter and a product designer often do not get the opportunity to show their work together in a gallery. This year, the University’s School of Art and Design, wanting to give the campus a bigger view of the department’s activities, is doing just that.

Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Krannert Art Museum plans to hold an opening reception where the public can read a bit of art criticism from pages of a book displayed on a wall, check out electronic media installments and look at one of the many sculptures or paintings on exhibit. More than 15 faculty members will present their artwork.

David Weightman, the school’s director, said the show was designed to broaden the community’s understanding of the wide scope of the school, which does not have a dominant philosophy of art like some others. Weightman said this produces a broad variety of artistic approaches, resulting in a diverse collection at the faculty exhibition.

Weightman said the faculty exhibition is important because it allows professors to show students what kind of art they are creating.

“(It will give them) a reference point to check out faculty members,” said Kathleen Harleman, the director of the Krannert Art Museum.

Kevin Hamilton, a faculty member, has put on display what he calls “a new security system for the Krannert Art Museum.” Combining lights, buttons and buzzers to create the right aesthetic, Hamilton’s security system interacts with people by having them answer questions like “Is it day or night in Iraq?” and “Is the stoplight on Fourth and Peabody (streets) green or red?”

Hamilton said his installation is part of a bigger project called “The Department of Rhythm Analysis,” which looks at unexamined rhythms from everyday life. He said that recognizing these rhythms gives people a different understanding of the world and a changed relationship with our environment, potentially granting us greater control of it.

The exhibition also allows the school to reach out to alumni and other members of the campus to increase support for the school. Weightman said the faculty exhibition, along with the master of fine arts and the new bachelor of fine arts annual showings later in the year, are three major ways the school makes contact with the campus community.

The exhibition will remain open through Oct. 2 and will coincide with other events. On Sept. 11 at 1 p.m., University professor Timothy van Laar will hold a guided tour of the exhibition for the public.

Faculty members will also give talks about their artwork as part of a Wednesday lecture series beginning Sept. 14 at 1 p.m.

The faculty art exhibition is just one way the School of Art and Design and the Krannert Art Museum are collaborating, according to Harleman. She points to the modern design collection currently on a display, a collaborative effort between the school and the museum to showcase functional objects with unique designs. Not far from the paintings at the museum, a dozen different teakettles, sundry chairs of varying materials and shape, and even a toilet are on display.

The idea, Harleman said, is to make everyday life more interesting by improving the aesthetic of things like can openers, but maintaining a high level of functioning.

Harleman said that Krannert will continue to work with the School of Art and Design to build up a collection of modern design objects.