The Associated Artists of Pittsburgh 99th Annual Exhibition at Carnegie Museum of Art is a polished show that does its membership proud, combining thoughtful reflection upon today's world and technical proficiency in a variety of mediums.

Three pieces that stand out have in common the book, an item some have declared passe in a bytes and sound bite world. Sun Young Kang presents book as metaphor in her impeccable "In Between Presence and Absence," I and II, with shapes sculpted into layers of handmade paper that become voluminous through their emptiness.

Karen Kaighin's photographed books, "Mysteries" and "Stories," become aesthetic objects, rendered with masterful detail and harmonious palette.

And Daniel Burke's "No Book Ends," a wall installation that begins with a shelf of children's books that transfigure into a flock of colorful birds in flight, suggests the intrinsic influence books have on shaping individuals and cultures.

Constance Merriman's unassuming "The Field" is also exceptional. Through a projected series of snapshots of a woodsy field, each marked with date and time, Merriman presents the biodiversity and wonder of even the smallest space, as animals pass through the frame and plants grow and wither. This environmental statement is compounded by the overlay of mortality always conjured by contemplating the seasons.

Juror Doryun Chong, assistant curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, selected 102 works by 74 artists from 516 entries by 277 artists.

In his juror's statement, he writes, "I like to think that my aesthetics is not doctrinaire but rather pliable so that it is easily intrigued, swayed and reshaped."

It's refreshing to find such a prestigious contemporary curator open to a true diversity of expression. Included are the likes of George Roland's mesmerizing video exploration of form and color, "Brixtone 1," and Wade Kramm's clever reminder of visual deception, "25 Enlarged Periods From Newspaper."

But there is also respect for a traditional medium like painting, including Bud Gibbons' astute and masterful 58-by-96-inch reordering of the traditional subject "Three Graces" as male street teens.

Illustrative of the care given to the selection of works, and to their presentation, on the back of the wall that holds the Gibbons hangs Carole Werder's "The Three Graces Today (Franny, Pearl, Dore)," which delivers a feminist message with humor and pop sensibility.

Other paintings include Dorothy Forman's raw and visually powerful "Ejecting" and "Erupting," and A.M. Schnur's evocative "Away" that draws through solitude's emotional remove. Diane White pointedly updates still life to the 21st century using paper cups in "Caffeine Buzz."

Among photographers, Dietrich Wegner makes an effective if jarring comment on consumerism in "Cumulous Brand, Sebastian in the Park," a logo-covered baby, and Madelyn Roehrig expands her probing of the "Darksides" of media.

Fiber artists admirably surpass log cabin patterns, commenting on national politics (Penny Mateer's outraged "Damn Good Whacking #5 Protest Series"), community (Kitty Spangler's optimistic "Pittsburgh Neighborhoods, Tied Together") and culture (Shawn Quinlan's incendiary "No Escape").

Rising from and transcending personal memories are Fumino Hora's reflective "My Grandmother's Secret Garden" (don gloves to peer into the small boxes); James Guentner's nostalgic paintings of closed Pittsburgh landmarks, "Candy Fantasy" and "234 Forbes Avenue;" and Kathleen Zimbicki's "Max's Children, Calendar & Classmates," a touching tribute to her late son.

Continuing an AAP tradition, recently deceased members recognized by the inclusion of an artwork are Miriam Bates Bisdee, Virgil Cantini, Roberta Davis, Steve Emmett, Fonda Kurtz and Helen Lindsay Lee. Also acknowledged are JoAnn Ferrell Pratt and Janice Seiner Colker, who died in August and whose "Palm Springs Shadows II" had been juried in.

Their short biographies are included in the catalog, which AAP commendably continues to publish and offer free to visitors. The expanding "ad pages" not only support publication, but reflect the membership community, including some not included in this show.

Chong calls attention to the lustrous roster of jurors who have shaped past exhibitions, and writes "there is a larger story here," pointing out that the AAP is the oldest continuously existing local artists' organization in the country, and that the annual presents in the museum that hosts the Carnegie International "still the only truly international, regularly held exhibition of contemporary art in this country."

It is its heritage that most contributes to AAP's strength. As the organization gears up for its centennial exhibition next year, it's important that it continues to weave its history into its future.

The exhibition continues through Nov. 8. Gallery talks will be given by exhibiting artists at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 11 (Vanessa German and Penny Mateer) and Nov. 8 (Deanna Mance and Hisham Youssef). Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, and until 8 p.m. Thursday (closed Sept. 24-25 due to G-20; extended hours with free admission, 5-8 p.m. Sept. 22). Admission is $15; seniors $12; students and ages 3-18, $11; under age 3 and members free. For information, call 412-622-3131 or visit www.cmoa.org.

The activist performance group The Yes Men has an event planned for Sept. 21 in New York City in conjunction with Climate Action Week. Register to participate at http://newyorkbigevent.com.