Ceramic, video, prints, interactive and digital media, watercolor, books, textile—this year’s Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition, which runs through May 15 at the SF State Fine Arts Gallery, features seven artists whose work explores diverse themes, such as the futility of war, the relationship between self and society and identity in the digital world.

Visitors’ eyes are first greeted with Dawn Marie Forsyth’s oversized straightjackets hanging from the ceiling on the right side of the gallery. Among other works are Ian Everard’s watercolor and graphite copies of books, texts and images, Jessica Walker’s visual experiments using digital prints, video and animation, Cyane Tornatzky’s interactive media installation and Anthony Ryan’s colorful patterns created using the technique of printmaking.

“I like all the colors,” said 22-year-old art major Holy Del-Rosso, mentioning the almost pop art quality of Ryan’s work.

Steven Allen’s “War Pendulum,” which occupies the center of the room, is one of three ceramic pieces representing the futility of war: a shell-like explosive device swings threateningly above a group of soldiers.

“It puts you in a reflective mood,” Gloria Morales said. “It gives you elements to question yourself.” Morales works at the Art Center for Adults with Developmental Disabilities in the Mission district.

Hanging on the wall in the far right are three portraits in thick wooden frames. Although they look traditional from a distance, from up close you can see the subjects blinking, moving their heads, frowning. They almost look alive, said 27-year-old art major Maysha Mohamedi.

These are digital self-portraits that artist Marque Cornblatt created using Xbox 360 video games “The Godfather,” “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas” and “Tiger Woods PGA Tour ‘08.” Each represents one of the many identities Cornblatt assumes as a video game player.

Cynthia Dragon is a former SF State art student who stopped by the gallery while accompanying her son and niece, both incoming freshmen, on a tour of the campus.

“I love it! It’s easy to look at,” she said about Cornblatt’s self-portraits. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

Maryland-born Cornblatt focuses on identity in the virtual world. His work examines how digital technologies allow people to craft identities at will, to create profiles, and be identified through icons or avatars, leading to the question, “Who am I?”

The answer is provided in a short paragraph explaining the gist of Cornblatt’s thesis work to gallery visitors: “I am a gangster, counter-terrorist […] and professional golfer. My reputation precedes me, yet I’ve never met my peers face-to-face. I exist in a grey area between photons and matter, between real and hyper-real, between human and transhuman. I am MediaSapien.”

The term “MediaSapien,” which Cornblatt coined, describes people, especially the younger generation, and their unique relationship with the digital world. They are as comfortable blogging about what they ate for breakfast as they are texting or playing video games, he explained.

“They grow up in environ-ments that are so saturated with media that their identity is freely part of the digital world,” he said.

With his fourth piece, a video installation featuring a performance he created and captured from the video game “Saints Row,” he demon-strates how identity can be deconstructed, manipulated, toyed with, altered and redefined using only the tools provided by the game.

Some works in the show are more visual; others more experimental using videos and high technologies. For visitor Morales, this is what constitutes a major draw.

“[The MFA Thesis exhibition] is a well balanced exhibition,” Morales said.

Gallery director Mark Johnson said he thinks this year the Fine Arts Gallery is showcasing spectacular works.

“And because there are only seven students, every installation has some breathing room—which helps one appreciate the elegance and power of the work,” he added.

Visit the gallery Web site for gallery hours and additional information about the exhibition.