FARMINGTON — “Ekphrasis: Word and Image Beyond Ode and Urn,” is the University of Maine at Farmington Art Gallery’s opening exhibit for the academic year.

The exhibition looks at the interface of word and image in the 21st century and includes works by Jeffrey Thomson, poet; Christopher Lavery, installation/sound artist; Krista Connerly, new-media artist and sociographer; Stuart Kestenbaum, poet; Susan Webster, printmaker; and Dudley Zopp, installation artist and painter.

In this unique show, Thomson and Lavery create a collaborative visual and sound environment as they respond to each other’s work. Connerly maps online her journeys through the cityscape, building stories around the strangers she encounters as she invites viewers to participate with their own narratives. Kestenbaum and Webster build dynamic compositions in which the poet’s words create a complex dialogue amid dense visual forms. And Zopp presents lyrical sequences in which images act as poetic form and structure.

The show, free and open to the public, runs from Sept. 3 to Sept. 24. A reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, with readings and artist talks beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The gallery is at 246 Main St. It is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday during the academic year and by appointment.