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CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART EXHIBITION EXPLORES CONTEMPORARY DESIGN PROCESS FOR CARS AND PRODUCTS

Show Opens June 1 and will feature designs by recent CIA graduates

Cleveland - An exhibit on view this summer at The Cleveland Institute of Art will explore the creative processes and problem solving behind the design of contemporary consumer goods. "Design Values 2" features the work of seven Institute alumni whose designs - ranging from cell phones to sports cars - collectively touch millions of American consumers.

The show opens June 1 with a public reception from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Institute's FUTURE: Center for Design and Technology Transfer, which is in the school's Joseph McCullough Center for the Visual Arts at 11610 Euclid Avenue. "Design Values 2" will be on view in the FUTURE Center through August 3, 2007.

"We have so many Institute alumni out in the creative workforce designing products that are changing the way people live, work and play," said David Allen Moss, FUTURE Center director. "We wanted to raise awareness about what they do, as creative professionals, and show that a lot of thought and a long process go into designing each of the goods we rely on and enjoy every day."

The exhibition will present the stages of design, from rough concepts to the refinement of a final product. Dan Cuffaro, head of the Institute's Industrial Design Department, will present a keynote address at the exhibit opening. He said the process of concept development is strongly emphasized in the industrial design curriculum.

"This exhibit will help illustrate what we mean when we say that design can influence commerce and culture," Cuffaro said. "The alumni featured in this show have excelled in creating innovative solutions that result in business success and establishing cultural icons that resonate with individuals and influence decision making."

"Design Values 2" will feature work from Chris Lenart, a 1991 graduate and principal, LenartStudios; Frank Tyneski, a 1992 graduate and senior director of design & human factors at Kyocera Corporation; Eric Stoddard, a 1998 graduate and senior designer at Hyundai Motor Company; Aaron Pizzuti, a 1999 graduate and senior designer at Daimler Chrysler Corporation; Ryan Nagode, a 2003 graduate and senior designer at Daimler Chrysler Corporation; Grady Hayes, a 2004 graduate and designer at Hasbro, Inc.; and Mike Tracz, a 2004 graduate and designer at Design Continuum, Inc.

The exhibition will also provide a public overview of the proposed District of Design Cleveland, a plan for economic development and downtown revival based on the region's strengths in product design. Further information about the Design District, which is being spearheaded by Cuffaro and Cleveland State University Professor Ned Hill, is available at http://www.districtofdesign.com/.

FUTURE Center hours are 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For directions or other information, please visit future.cia.edu or call 216-421-8071.