Ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages, step right up to the Candy-Coated Carnival of Controversy! We’ve got bigger prizes and bigger problems! This exhibition, presented by the School of Visual Arts MFA DESIGNER AS AUTHOR PROGRAM serves up current social and political issues through the SPECIAL lens of a carnival midway.

SEE Rosina Bosco’s “Dump Tank,” where you’ll get trashy as garage is dumped all over you at the carnival’s own landfill-inspired dunking booth.

PEER into the dressing room of The Hot and Cold Lady and LEARN WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT IN LYDIA REYNOLDS’S “Who’s Hotter?” booth.

DON’T MISS the chance to play Jennie Glaser’s “Hit or Miss,” which simulates the haphazard coverage of the U.S. health care system with a balloon dart toss.

Not challenging enough for you?

TAKE A WHACK at Andy Sir’s “Cut ’Em Down!”, a whack-a-tree game that helps participants realize the implications that deforestation has on the environment.

Not tempted yet?

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN Tipchat Arthasarnprasit’s “Freaky Freaky Animal Testing Freak Show,” which depicts the inhumane experiments that animal testing labs use on innocent creatures.

SNEAK INTO Karin Soukup’s “Top Secret Sideshow,” which illustrates the hypocrisy of the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy by exposing the need for gay soldiers to hide their true identity — yet offer their life — within an organization founded on principles of pride and freedom.

AND THERE’S SO MUCH MORE fun and games, amusement and amazement packed into the gallery. . .

SVA MFA DESIGNER AS AUTHOR’s 3D WIZARD Kevin O’Callaghan is curating this spectacle featuring products created by first-year graduate students in the school’s MFA Design department.

That’s right, folks, there will be games of skill and chance, feats of strength and design marvels! You won’t want to miss a minute of it!

YOU CAN SEE, HEAR, PEER AND EXPERIENCE the Candy-Coated Carnival of Controversy for 29 days, and 29 days only, from May 3 to May 31, 2010, while the show’s in town at the SVA