By Arlene McKanic
The exhibit itself featured graphic design by the college's alumni. Most were eye-catching and tasteful – one wouldn't expect the grads of a college founded by the Vincentian Brothers to get wild and crazy. The works ranged from designs for packages that held muscle-bound action figures to soda cans to sedate brochures to a video installation for the World Health Organization. A few were just for fun, like George McCalman's “Good Dog” series, which was a frisbee and place mats filled with dog motifs. Nick Molina presented with designs for Brain Twist Beverages whose containers look uncomfortably like those projectiles launched from shoulder mounted bazookas, and cans for something called Liquid Cereal. Sandy Yoo-Vallo designed packaging for the World Wrestling International and, in the back of the gallery, shiny little WWI decals. It's interesting since Yoo-Vallo is a woman and this is irredeemably boy stuff. There are Mary McCoy designs for Polo and Ray Reynoso's designs for the Science Fiction Book club, as well as Jim Sheeran's work for Baby Phat and the Cartoon Network.”It's a great showcase of what our alums are capable of,” said Assistant Director of Media Relations Christine Dolan.Victor Williams showcased his own sense of humor with magazine work. His layouts show Ronald McDonald down for the count, or as an exhausted pugilist, his fire engine red gloves matching his outsized clown shoes. There's Kevin DeMaris' understated layouts for Gourmet magazine and Trudy Laltoo's dynamic photos for Sports Illustrated – again, another girl in a boy milieu. Her camera shows hair and sweat flying and straining muscles that make you nearly wince in empathy. Jason Tinacci's work for Ana Whitmore jewelry is as subtle and delicious as the names of her jewelry line: Serenity, Tranquil, Luminous, Afterglow. Indeed. Alex Morel has a video installation for the WHO showing shots of Haiti in all its beauty and squalor, but the photos of mostly women and children were shot to highlight the island nation's pressing health needs.Nearby is Jacqueline Schoeffel's design for deluxe chronometers. One ad lovingly uses a close up of Audrey Hepburn at the height of her sophisticated beauty next to an equally sexy wristwatch. Mary McCoy returns with elegant and understated ads for Polo/Ralph Lauren while George Casale has nearly an entire wall full of designs done for all manner of clients.Victor De Leon has his own corner at the gallery – he's not only a graphic designer but a fashion designer for Niformis. He designed everything from the lookbooks to the lush, Gatsbyesque shirts and ties to the labels that go with them. Mary Anne Biehl designed a poster for Edwin Schlossberg, Caroline Kennedy's husband, and who's an interactive media designer, The poster seemed to be advertising some kind of futuristic exhibit.”Art in the Market Place” is open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday noon to 5 p.m. The show is open through March 4.I would tell you to go to east on Union Turnpike till you found Gate 5, but Gate 5 is closed for construction. I would also tell you to look for a Chinese temple guarded by white washed lion dogs at the top of a great hill, but the view is blocked by old and new construction. Therefore, I have no idea how I found the place. But take some time and try to find it anyway.
