I got an invitation from Michiel Bechir to see the latest exhibition at his “Michiel Bechir Gallery“, that had been opened on September 3rd, 2022. It features the art of Raisa Reimse (raisareimse), Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) and Scylla Rhiadra. I hadn’t yet came across any of these three artists so far.
The gallery itself has been renewed. Michiel wrote: “The outside gallery, lobby and rooms have been redesigned by Maggie Runo, who has been recently added to our team (which consists of Tresore Prada (tresore), MsToya (Mstoya Bailey) and me)“
The main gallery building hasnt’ changed. On the ground floor are two exhibitions rooms, a third exhibition space is on the 2nd floor. I first visited Raisa Reimse’s exhibition.
Raisa takes her pictures in Second Life. I think that the pictures are a little bit processed to achieve perfectness. Raisa has an eye for the right view, for capturing the beauty of landscapes and nature in Second Life. She’s not restricted on landscape only though but also takes pictures of animals, art, portraits and even objects like a small plane in the skies.
Raisa is in Second Life since 2018. She has a flickr account, a store on the marketplace and she has her personal gallery “Raisa Reimse Photography“.
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) takes her raw pictures also in Second Life, yet she’s focused more on objects or strange buildings or fantasy places. Her artwork is broad and she also has beautiful landscapes as a motif. Vanessa also processes her pictures to give them the touch, the light and the expression she desires to see. Right along the window are 3 pictures in almost black and white, where colour is only used to hightlight an element.
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) is in Second Life since 2014, but she joined Sl with another avatar already in 2009. You can grab a biography in her exhibition room at the Michiel Bechir Gallery. Vanessa wrote about herself:
“2D and 3D Artist in SL. I have done various forms of Art and Crafts for many years in RL and have an Art degree.
In my SL 2D Art I strive for ‘painterly realism’ and have a passion for capturing the elusive light and life in a scene, which brings a unique atmosphere. I bring my real life training as an artist to my aesthetic sensibility in the images I create in SL. When I get the chance I also enjoy opportunities to do 3D art using tortured prims.
After a break from SL Art I am back mixing my SL photography with creating in a new medium, Digital Paintings using Rebelle 5 Pro. This is enabling me to paint as I would using real life media but also to play using the best that digital art packages can offer.“
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) has also a flickr acoout.
She has exhibited her artwork at many places and galleries already. A list of exhibitions can be found in the biography notecard as well as published reviews of them. In the Kultivate Magazine June 21 she gave an interview.
Scylla Rhiadra’s exhibition is on the second floor of Michiel Bechir Gallery. Her exhibition deals with shadows. Shadows can attract the eye of the spectator, it can lead the view to a certain detail or a shadow can hide a detail so that the spectator has to add it in mind according to imagination. The text at the entrance of the sxhibition expresses this perfectly: “No mystery so ompelling as that obscured by the dark”
All pictures are from 2022 and they are all titled. You find the title next to the pictures. The title gives you a hint about the artists thoughts.
Scylla Rhiadra is in Second Life since 2008. She’s from Canada and decribes ehrself in her profile as “Reborn oldster. Feminist activist, leftist, reasonably active forumite, retired SL bookseller, interested in literature, history, art, and people”
Scylla also has a flickr account.
Another great exhibition. Thank you Michiel and the whole team (Maggie Runo, Tresore Prada (tresore) and MsToya (Mstoya Bailey) for providing the space for the arts and many thanks to the artists of course. I enjoyed my visit.
Landmark to Michiel Bechir Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Embrace/30/228/2502
Raisa Reimse (raisareimse)’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/193534621@N03/
Raisa Reimse (raisareimse)’s store on the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/241744
Raisa Reimse (raisareimse)’s gallery “Raisa Reimse Photography”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Triumphal/126/132/3401
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66)’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188095651@N07/?
Vanessa Jane (vanessajane66) Interview about her work in Kultivate Magazine June 21
https://issuu.com/kultivatemagazine/docs/kultivate_magazine_-_june2021
Scylla Rhiadra’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/gp/144085527@N07/939jJ1
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