We see the brightness of a new page where everything yet can happen.
— Rainer Maria Rilke…Book of Hours

From Here to Infinity, an exhibition featuring the work of 18 prominent alumni, uses a series of concentric circles rather than a strict linear chronology to examine The Cleveland Institute of Art’s influence on international art and design. Yet the show is not meant to be a definitive overview of our institution’s prodigious output; instead, we present the work of these graduates in Reinberger Galleries — as well as in this virtual catalog — as a layering of history.

For example, visitors may discover an interesting link between Charles E. Burchfield’s moody landscapes and those of April Gornik’s. Or they might compare Shelby Lee Adams’ portrait photographs taken in Appalachia with Clarence Holbrook Carter’s regionalist paintings or Hughie Lee-Smith’s surreal landscapes.

Look further. Viktor Schreckengost influenced industrial design on a legendary scale, while Bruce Claxton follows in the tradition of form and function. William Harper’s unique use of metals, combined with the exceptional craftsmanship of his mentor and teacher John Paul Miller, have defined the field of enameling for most of the twentieth century.

David Deming’s iconic sculpture and Alberta Cifolelli’s sensible landscape paintings share a common interest in the observation of natural forms. Marc Brown’s joyful animation creation Arthur the Aardvark has graced television and film and has provided years of delightful entertainment and education for children (and adults).

Julian Stanczak’s 1964 solo show at the seminal Martha Jackson Gallery may very well be the first time the word “optical” was used in reference to a painting style. The following year MoMA mounted The Responsive Eye, the first major exhibition of Op Art in the twentieth century. The MoMA show included Richard Anuszkiewicz, who roomed with Stanczak while studying under Josef Albers at Yale, and a splinter group called Anonima composed of Ernst Benkert and CIA faculty members Frank Hewitt and Ed Mieczkowski.

Robert Mangold and Dana Schutz share a common interest in the aesthetics of paint and surface texture, while Winifred Lutz seemingly defies three-dimensional space with her suspense-inspired installations. Also within the pages of this virtual catalog, David Carrier looks at the question “Do we need art schools?” and provides an insightful essay in response.

Julie Langsam, Head of the Painting Department at CIA and Kacalieff Visiting Artists and Scholars Program Chair, curates The Big Bang, a parallel exhibition of CIA alumni from the past 10 years. That exhibition takes place at SPACES Gallery in Cleveland at the same time as From Here to Infinity graces the Reinberger Galleries. The Big Bang is an exciting look at our youngest alumni and provides an intriguing glimpse of the future of art.

The Cleveland Institute of Art will always be at the forefront of art and design. Our faculty and students will influence the twenty-first century, just as they have helped shape the past century. This exhibition is dedicated to all CIA alumni.

— Bruce Checefsky
Director, Reinberger Galleries

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to thank Gary Johnson, CIA Board President, and David Deming, CEO and CIA President, for their support and encouragement. I also appreciate the help given by Nancy Stuart, Michael Cole and Almut Zvosec.

Thanks also to Matthew Hollern, Dean of Faculty, and the Institute Environment Chairs and faculty for their invaluable input; Maria Ecks, Linda Zeck, Kesha Boyce Williams, Susan Kandzer, Diann Mistelske ’97, Ann McGuire, Amy Bartter, Kelly Bird, Maura Nagel, Richard Konisziewicz, Mary Laughlin, Julie Langsam, Saul Ostrow and David Carrier. Amy Casey ’99 deserves a special thank you for her diligence in keeping us on track.