Diomita Maurer’s Blog

I got an invitation of Melusina Parkin to see her newest exhibtion “Greyscale Magic” at Artsville.

I am a fan of Melusina Parkin’s art and have seen quite some of her exhibitions. Melu’s style is minimalistic. She takes her pictures in Second Life. The minimalism forces the spectator to focus on details, that might stay unseen when too much distracts the view.
For Greyscale Magic Melu tried out something different again. As the title implies the pictures of this exhibition are monochrome. There’s an accompanying text at a board right where you land when you visit. In the text Melu gives an historic abstract about photography and films in black and white and later in colour. And while films are all produced in colour nowadays, black and white photography is still widely spread in art photography. Thinking of it, one reason is that the spectators have to add the colours in their mind and thus translate the greyscales into colours.

Impressions of “Greyscale Magic” by Melusina Parkin @ Artsville (1)

Processing pictures taken in Second Life into monochrome pictures make them look very real, in particular if the pictures are a bit blurred. As the spectator compares the picture with known patterns, a picture of a “real” situation or view appears. It’s quite facinating. For example cars do look always a bit unnatural in Second Life photography. Maybe we miss the dirt, the traces of usage. In black and white picture we add that in our mind – and they look real!

Impressions of “Greyscale Magic” by Melusina Parkin @ Artsville (2)

The exhibition is shown in one large exhibition room with two smaller rooms. I didn’t count the pictures, it might be roughly 20. And every picture is a piece of art. I was quite intrigued.

Next to the board with the accompanying text you find a table where you can purchase a a photobook about “Greyscale Magic”. Those who are regular visitors to Melusina Parkin’s exhibitions know these books already. Melusina makes one of every exhibition. The book about “Greyscale Magic” is sold at the exhibition, all others are sold under her brand “Melubooks” in a seperate book store: Melubooks shop.

Melusina Parkin is in Second Life since September 2008. She has been a fashion manager, a journalist, a furniture creator, a builder, a decorator and a photographer. Her work as a photographer has been showcased in more than 50 exhibitions – from which I saw just a few. Melusina has a flickr account which counts more than 13,000 (!) photographs. Extensive collections of her photos can be seen also on her blog Virtual Exhibits and on some slideshows on Youtube (links also under this post).
There’s also an online book with her Second Life exhibits 2011-2019 here.
Melusina Parkin has an own gallery at Time Portal, “Melu’s Photo Gallery” and an own store for Art Deco furniture called “Melu Deco“. Melusina also owns a second place (Melu Space) with another gallery (Minimum Gallery), a bookstore and another “Melu Deco” inworld store.

Impressions of “Greyscale Magic” by Melusina Parkin @ Artsville (3)

Artsville was created in collaboration the Art Korner blog, owned and founded by Frank Atisso. Frank is also the curator of exhibitions at Artsville.
Thank you for another great exhibition, Melusina. I enjoyed my visit and seeing again something different from you.

Landmark to Greyscale Magic by Melusina Parkin @ Artsville
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caribbean%20Ocean/49/59/2251
Art Korner blog
https://www.artkornersl.com/
Melusina Photo Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Time%20Portal/248/101/1940
Landmark to Minimum Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lunula/130/107/621
Landmark to Melu Space (Minimum Gallery, Melubooks, Melu Deco)
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lunula/173/25/22
Landmark to Melusina Parkin’s store for Art Deco furniture “Melu Deco”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Time%20Portal/243/99/1930
Melusina Parker’s flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melusina_parkin/
Melusina Parkin’s Virtual Exhibit blog
http://meluphoto.blogspot.it/p/home.html
Melusina Parkin’s youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVzglBiqhrOLXnAp3Qt3Zjw
On line book Second Life exhibits 2011-2019
https://www.calameo.com/books/005997622f28dd58ca75d