Diomita Maurer’s Blog

On Wednesday, June 24th, the installation “Parapina” by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen was opened at La Maison d’Aneli. I visited a bit ahead of the opening on Sunday, June 21st.

Before you enter the installation itself it is important to set you viewer preferences to Advanded Lighting Model (Graphics), the sky to “Phototools – No Light” and to enable auto-play for media. The correct settings are also explained at the entrance. From here you have to walk behind the board explaining the settings to get to the installation itself.

Impressions of Parapina by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen (1)

It is hard to describe with words what you see but I’ll try. In the far background you see a grey, blue and red wall with many red stripes remembering of blood. The wall is illuminated by a spotlight. In front of the wall, that looks like a stage, several figures are dancing to the music – honestly I don’t know how this style of music is called, very rhythmic, with some instruments and voices, definitively fitting to the dancing figures.

Impressions of Parapina by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen (2)

What you also notice is a big hole in the wall amd through it you see figures dancing. While the figures in front ot the wall are coloured in blue those you see through the hole are shiny black and white and the light causes shadows on the dancing figures in front of the wall. When you get closer you notice that you don’t look through the hole to a scene behind, no you see a video.

You can see more figures when further exploring the installation. The floor is kept in blue but it is not totally plain and there are more holes … I saw two of them and through these holes you also watch dancing figure, yet in other colours. These other colours stand out admist of all the dark blue and black.

Impressions of Parapina by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen (3)

A bit aside of the wall and stage you find a round room, opened to the stage, and inside a couple is dancing to the music. The whole scenery has a strange mystical atmosphere, a bit scary at first, a bit religious. The black and white dancer that you see through the hole have scary faces, like the other figures but in the blue light it is not that noticable. Some of the dancing figures stay always apart from the larger group in front of the wall.

Impressions of Parapina by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen (4)

What does it all express? I have no idea and you get no hint – also not from me. I tried to find out the meaning of “Parapina” but I failed.
I have come across Theday Tammas art already several times, latest visiting “Lalawood”, the centerpiece of the holiday exhibition 2019/2020 at La Maison d’Aneli (read here)

Theda Tammas is in SL for more than 12 years. She has had already some exhibtions of her work. I couldn’t find out a lot more about her. If I interpreted it right, then she’s from Brasil (I might be wrong though). Theda has an own website where you can see a lot of her former installations. In the accompanying notecard you also find a teaser video of “Parapina”

Iono Allen is also almost 13 years in SL and from his profile I conclude that his passion is making films, so called machimas. Iono provides the link to his vimeo channel in the accompanying notecard. I suspect that like in former installations by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen, Theda made the figures and background, Iono made the machimas. In Iono Allen’s vimeo channel I found another teaser for “Parapina”

La Maison d’Aneli is owned by Aneli Abeyante. Through her gallery she brings together all forms of creativity in RL and SL and the featured artists come from around the globe. Aneli’s intention is to “put her gallery in the service of artists, so that the world can be better, exchanges and meetings probably contribute even though it seems to be particles.”

Parapina by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen will be available for a visit throughout the Summer, at least until End of August. Thank you Theda and Iono for the art and the experience, thank you Aneli for enabling the installation.

Landmark to La Masion d’Anelie and “Parapina” by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Holland/142/23/3502
Theda Tammas website
http://bytheda.weebly.com/
Theda’s video teaser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGRjTwfyCS8&feature=emb_logo
Iono Allen’s vimeo channel
http://vimeo.com/user2558273
Iono Allen’s video teaser
https://vimeo.com/417294631