Art Capsule Reviews

KCAI Senior Show The future is now at the H&R Block Artspace, where more than 100 of the Kansas City Art Institute's graduating seniors display their work. Assistant Curator Heather Lustfeldt put together this invitational, which assembles paintings, sculptures, films, interactive pieces, prints, mobiles and sound installations. Among the best: Heather Bell's colorful portrayal of two dreamers staring up at the sky in the acrylic painting "Only Assumptions"; Celia Butler's abstract, double-weave fiber work "Orange and Grey," which balances large planes of red, orange and blue; and Graham Akins' two abstract prints "Carl Sagan: It Would Really Look Like This" and "Philip K. Dick: Does Anything Really Look Like Something?" Akins' titles will pique the interest of sci-fi geeks. Through May 19 at the H&R Block Artspace, 16 E. 43rd St., 816-561-5563. (Santiago Ramos)

Jennifer Vanderpoole: Yum! Yum! A small slide show, featuring selected pages from a cookbook, and a few tasty cupcakes indicate that this show celebrates food and eating. Los Angeles installation artist Jennifer Vanderpoole uses various "domestic landscaping materials" to create a half-edible landscape within the small Project Space gallery. Cut-outs of Jell-O boxes, color-enhanced candies and beauty products are strewn amid the garden of colors and shapes scattered across the floor. More than 30 colorful ropes hang from the ceiling, adding a vertical dimension to an installation that takes place mostly on the floor, boxed in by walls bearing painted green leaves. For all its flair, however, there's little to sink one's teeth into. Through June 2 at the Project Space of the Urban Culture Project, 21 E. 12th St. 816-221-5115. (Santiago Ramos)