In January 2022 I visited the SecundaVida Body&Art Store, the newest project of Akim Alonzo (read here). I had visited Akim’s Itakos Art Gallery quite often and had reported regularly about it. The gallery itself was closed as Akim focused on a store tor tattoos, the “SecundaVida Body&Art Store“.
Now Akim has renovated his SecundaVida Body&Art Store and added his new Akim Studio Gallery. Both are located at the same place (but on another height level) in one building that extends over 3 floors, the 4th floor is used by Akim as a laboratory and is not publicly accessible.
The SecundaVida Body&Art Store is on the ground floor. It is not as cosy as the first store, but way more spacious and it is easier to find the products you may look for. With an elevator you can visit the Studio Gallery and the Gallery 2, which shows Akim Alonzo’s exhibtion “The Matrix”. I visited the Studio Gallery first. Akim showcases his portrait pictures there. Making portraits is one of Akim’s passions and he’s really good at it. Most people in Second Life want to express themself with their avatar and in particular with their face, as it makes them unique like in Real Life. And Akim Alonzo is very good and professional in capturing the face and adding the right background and and atmosphere to reflect the virtual person, which is often just an extended existence of the real person.
Impressions of Akim Alonzo’s Studio Gallery
The Gallery 2 presents Akim Alonzo’s exhibtion “The Matrix”. I have seen this exhibition already a few times, the first time in 2020 at the Itakos Project and Art Gallery (read here). “The Matrix” is a metaphor for a world of people trapped in a simulated, virtual reality that has many aspects in common with the Secondlife world.
Impressions of “The Matriy” by Akim Alonzo at Gallery 2
Akim Alonzo is in Second Life for 15 years now. Actually his SecundaVida Body&Art Store was opened on his 15th rezzing anniversary. He describes himself as a traveller and photographer in Second Life. With the opening of the SecundaVida Body&Art Store Akim gave up his Itakos Art gallery. The website of the Itakos project and art gallery still exists yet hasn’t been updated since the last exhibition at the gallery. Now Akim has added 2 large exhibition rooms just above the renovated store.
You can see more of Akim Alonzo’s art on his flickr page.
Products of SecondaVida Body&Art Store can also be purchased on the marketplace and Akim made an own flickr account for the store.
I look forward to see more exhibitions in the new rooms.
Landmark to SecundaVida Body&Art Store
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Smeraldina/154/64/580
SecundaVida Body&Art Store on the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/243764
SecundaVida Body&Art Store on flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/194371193@N06
Akim Alonzo’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/akimalonzo/
Akim Alonzo’s website
http://www.itakos.it
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