Imagine visions of “beatnik” poetry being read to the rhythm of jazz.

This afternoon the Brunnier Gallery will be transformed into a beat club for an FAC celebration, part of the Art Beats series.

The FAC will feature the fusion of poetry and jazz of The Bone People.

Deb Marquart, vocalist/poet, will be reading poetry from the group’s latest CD, A Regular Dervish.

The poetry, delivered in a riffed style, will be accompanied by a mosaic of interactive percussion and string instruments, creating an experience that lies somewhere in the border of alternative rock and the spoken word.

“We try to write a landscape of music to go behind the poems,” Marquart said. “We are challenging the boundaries that exist in the arts.”

Marquart sees a relationship between poetry and music that the group tries to bring out in its work.

“When you break words down they are acoustic -like music,” she said. “Because of all the written forms, poetry is the closest to music.”

Marquart’s poetry will be accompanied by the sounds of Peter Manesis and Anthony Stevens.

Manesis will be playing a variety of string instruments: bass guitar, acoustic and electric six string, mandolin and Greek bouzouki.

Stevens is a percussionist who plays in an Afro-Cuban style, utilizing exotic drums such as the djembe, udu, tablas, as well as traditional congas.

Marquart, an assistant professor in English, was original drawn to poetry in a unique way.

“I’m an old rock ‘n’ roll musician and ran into poetry through the lyrics,” she said. “Bob Dylan was also linked to ‘beat’ generation poets.”

In an afternoon dedicated to challenging boundaries in the arts, the Brunnier Museum will also be challenging the stereotypes of art museums by hosting this series.

“The Brunnier is trying to change the idea of being quiet in a gallery,” Marquart said. “Why can’t you have music?”

In addition to the jazz-poetry of the Bone People, a portion of the museum has been turned into an artist’s studio for “The Mural Project.”

Artist-in-residence Doug Shelton and a team of Iowa State painters are in the process of creating a new mural for Iowa State.

“The artists will continue to work during the music,” Stacy Brothers, public relations director for University Museums said. “Our goal is to highlight Iowa artists, last month we had Larry Meyer.”

Doors to the FAC will open at 5 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge, hors d’oeuvres will be provided and there will be a cash bar.

The Brunnier Art Museum is located on the second floor of the Scheman building in the Iowa State Center. For more information, call 294-3342