The Cleveland Institute of Art’s Faculty Exhibition is an annual favorite among Northeast Ohio art enthusiasts that, year after year, remains a fresh experience.

That’s due in part to longtime faculty who evolve and experiment within their practices. But, CIA’s new faculty also deserve credit. Illustrator and folk artist Dinara Mirtalipova joined CIA’s Illustration Department as an assistant professor—and participated in her first Faculty Exhibition—in 2022.

“In 2022, I entered my painting, Flight, which illustrates a fictional character flying away on a large bird. It’s a gouache on cotton paper and I had it custom framed in a floating frame specifically for the show,” Mirtalipova says. “Seeing it on display in Reinberger Gallery among incredibly talented fellow faculty members made me feel like part of the CIA family and community.”

The 2023 Faculty Exhibition will be on view from August 31 to October 8 in Reinberger Gallery. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 pm on Thursday, August 31.

Mirtalipova will have work in this year’s show, too. Born and raised in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and raised in Soviet Uzbek culture, she inhabited Uzbek/Russian folklore that still influences her work. She uses a wide range of materials and tools, like linoleum carving blocks, gouache, acrylics and others. Before joining CIA, she’d been invited to deliver presentations to CIA students.

“I loved the experience so much,” Mirtalipova says. “The students were so bright, creative and curious, and the faculty were so welcoming, friendly and nice! I knew teaching here would be a dream.”

Reinberger Gallery Director Nikki Woods says work submitted by new faculty like Mirtalipova adds to the wealth of perspectives from faculty who specialize in a range of media and practices.

“We have a number of new faculty who have recently started at CIA and I’m excited to see how their work adds to the breadth of the 2023 Faculty Exhibition’s focus,” Woods says. “There’s always something new, fresh and challenging to engage viewers when visiting this show.”

Mirtalipova has been impressed by Reinberger Gallery, which she says is “a gem in University Circle.”

“The art shown in the gallery is always unique and one-of-a-kind, anything from traditional paintings, to collages and sculptures,” she says. “I am also a fan of little nuances, but what’s most important is the diversity of artists on display and the constant strive for inclusion.”

CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART
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Cleveland, Ohio 44106

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EVENTS:

2023 Faculty Exhibition, August 31 to October 8 in Reinberger Gallery. Opening reception 6 to 8pm Thursday, August 31

2023 Studio Operations Exhibition, August 31

CARTA Exhibition, October 20