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Capsule Review of current area art exhibitions

Student Independent Exhibition 62

Published: February 20, 2008

The Cleveland Institute of Art's annual student-run show, which started when Truman was in the White House, features a contrast of traditional and new-media work from a range of different academic programs — from age-old majors like drawing to such up-to-the-minute offerings as T.I.M.E. (Technology and Integrated Media Environment). The work on display reflects the multidisciplinary approach taken by today's working artists, who shift media depending on their message. For instance, one of the standouts is a video made by a third-year enameling major. In Jon Sommer's "1,000,000 Tears," a small, pixelated video of a house fire plays while offscreen voices break into sobs. It's obvious these unseen criers are mourning the loss of their home, but as the weeping continues, the emotion becomes more and more ambiguous; this soundtrack may actually be a laugh track. CIA's requirement that students be versed in the liberal arts shows through in fifth-year painting major Melissa Spainhound's series of delicate gouache paintings on translucent mylar, called "My Private Collection." With some background in art history, the wordplay in Spainhound's title becomes apparent: Her collection includes representations of high-dollar works by such big-name artists as Robert Rauschenberg and Jeff Koons. However, the charming, idiosyncratic nature of Spainhound's renderings allows her to claim these iconic works as her own. Through March 15 at CIA Reinberger Gallery, 11141 East Blvd., Cleveland, 216-421-7407. — Theresa Bembnister

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