CLEVELAND, OH.- The Cleveland Museum of Art announces the release of its first special exhibition mobile application, “CMA Senufo,” designed for the upcoming Senufo: Art and Identity in West Africa, opening Feb.22. The app is free and now available for iPhones through the Apple iTunes App Store. Through the presentation of insightful commentary, high-resolution imagery and video, “CMA Senufo” encourages a closer look at some of the exhibition’s individual objects and the story behind Senufo-speaking artists and patrons.

“The Cleveland Museum of Art takes the development of cutting-edge technologies and interpretive materials to the next level with this exhibition app,” said William M. Griswold, museum director. “The new technology behind our ‘CMA Senufo’ app provides visitors exclusive content, and allows visitors to experience this exhibition in ways not possible before.”

Immediately available on “CMA Senufo” is an exhibition preview video with the museum’s Curator of African Art, Constantine Petridis, and information for planning a museum visit. Once a visitor arrives to the museum to tour Senufo: Art and Identity in West Africa, and joins the museum’s “Art Lens” wifi, the app will unlock unique and exclusive content on a selection of artworks from the CMA’s own collection, and on loan from other museums and private collections. Through exhibition labels, the visitor will be able to identify objects with contextual, interpretive content like, a multimedia tour featuring interviews with the curator, African art scholars and artists. The app also provides an interactive list of related events, gallery tours and information about the Cleveland Museum of Art including: parking, dining, membership opportunities and more.

Building upon the success of the museum’s award winning permanent collection app, "ArtLens,” the Cleveland Museum of Art has partnered with DXY Solutions, LLC, a prominent creative technology agency based in Cleveland, to develop the next generation of exhibition art apps for the museum. With the museum continuing to incorporate technology and innovation to enhance visitor interaction with art and learning, Dan Young, CEO of DXY Solutions, LLC, states, "CMA has a unique vision for using technology to compliment its exceptional collection; it's great to partner with such a forward-thinking institution,” Young said.

Featuring nearly 160 loans from museums and private collections in Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States, Senufo: Art and Identity in West Africa examines the shifting meanings of the term Senufo since the late nineteenth century and investigates assumptions underlying the labeling of art as Senufo. Revealing the shortcomings of labels tied to limited cultural or ethnic groups, the exhibition encourages a closer look at individual objects and their particular histories. Come and discover the arts of Senufo-speaking artists and patrons with the Cleveland Museum of Art’s app and the exhibition Senufo: Art and Identity in West Africa February 22 through May 31, 2015.