Art in Seocnd Life 2020 (40) “Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang

11 Jul 2020 1 Comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

When I scrolled over scoop.it SL Destinations on Tuesday, June 16th, I came across a new installation of JadeYu Fhang. The entry led to a post on the The Sim Quarterly blog “Welcome to “Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang“.

“Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang at The Sim Quarterly (1) – arrival

Sim Quarterly is a sim and initiative of Electric Monday:
“Art and the virtual world, Second Life© are very similar — you are able to both find yourself and immerse yourself (and maybe even lose yourself) in something totally unlike what you already know. The experiences you gain help you grow and form new opinions about the world. That is what I hope this sim can provide over time. I am very excited to bring to you a quarterly art project by way of The Sim Quarterly.
The project features one creator every 3 months (every quarter) as an artist in residence. The purpose of the sim is so that residents can experience something new and even create a community.”
The current installation “Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang will stay opened until until Sept 14, 2020.”
Learn more about Sim Quarterly at their website.

“Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang at The Sim Quarterly (2) – a broader view at the installation

The above mentioned blogpost “Welcome to “Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang” provides a perfect start for a visit to this installation:
“Upon arriving at Le Déraciné you will notice a village with sounds, lights, and dancing animesh characters. The ritualistic dance is only the beginning of your journey here. Just beyond these dancers is where you will discover a door or portal to transport you to JadeYu’s full creation.
Once you arrive at the main landing spot, you will immediately notice JadeYu’s use of light and sound. You will discover many ways to wander this vast, sim-wide installation from walking, flying, and discovering “paths” made simply from light and transparent mesh.
There are many ways to interact with the works, and since it is still so very early in the time of the residency I do not wish to spoil the treasures you should discover with your own experience there. Just make sure you click on objects to find out what is in store for you!“

“Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang at The Sim Quarterly (3) – at the beach and in the “forest”

And I had this experience! “Le Déraciné” is French and means something like uprooting. In the center of the installation is a huge tree that has a human body in itself, particularly an head. From the tree ligths and branches reaches down to the ground. Right where you land an human lays on the beach and animesh figures dance around the human. Also this human is surrounded by branches and lights.
Looking up to the big center tree you see two platforms (I think it is one platform) with buildings that look like the village at the landing point from where I came. Lights rise from there into the sky, lights reach over to the center tree.

I went to what I would call a forest first. It is on the ground and you can really get lost in it. The forest might stand for the young trees, it might also have no meaning at all – it is a very artful background for sure.

“Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang at The Sim Quarterly (4) – some poses at the center “tree”

It is possible to fly at “Le Déraciné”. It is also possible to walk on the lights but not on all and you may fall down (I did several times). I sat on the center tree and got several poses offered. One is holding an apple – did I steal the apple? Other poses take you to sit on a branch or to almost hug the tree trunk. Other poses bring you close to the head.

I went over the the two (or one) platforms and from there you have another great view on the installation. You also find more animesh figures dancing around another human figure and you can join their dance.

“Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang at The Sim Quarterly (5) – on the platform

I do not dare to interpret what I saw, I just enjoyed the art and the lights, I had my own thoughts about roots and uprooting, about the human body and head integrated into the tree. Trees have many symbolic meanings to mankind, starting from the story of Adam and Eve. Trees are the symbol of life, they provide homes and heat, and nowadays we know about their function for our climate. Art and what it means is in the eyes of the beholder. I can just say: A great piece of virtual art, JadeYu!

“Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang at The Sim Quarterly (6) – Diomita posing / another zoom out / close to the head

JadeYu Fhang writes about herself:
“Living in Paris, France, i followed the evening classes in academic drawing at Fine Arts School of Paris and was trained at the Applied Arts School of this city.
After these studies I completely stopped all artistic work. My journey is atypical made of multiple experiences. I returned to artistic work when I was able to get rid of all the academic rigidity that had been taught me.
My experience on Second Life since 12 years allows me to continue and improve my work and extend it to 3D.”

It is not the first time that I came across JadeYu Fhang and her art and I hope it won’t be the last time either. I enjoyed visiting “Le Déraciné” at The Sim Quarterly. Many thanks also to Electric Monday, who provides the space for the art.

Landmark to The Sim Quarterly and “Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Sim%20Quarterly/7/10/1403
Post on The Sim Quarterly blog “Welcome to “Le Déraciné” by JadeYu Fhang”
http://thesimquarterly.com/2020/06/14/welcome-to-le-deracine-by-jadeyu-fhang/
Sim Quarterly website
http://thesimquarterly.com/
Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/thesimquarterly/

Art in Second Life 2020 (39) A tribute to Second Life lighthouses

10 Jul 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

On Thursday, July 9th, I got some time inbetween during a busy day. I visited “A tribute to Second Life lighthouses” by Ferugina Luna at “Hannington Endowment for the Arts at Xeltentat Enterprises” (HEA). And I didn’t regret it.

The exhibition is at the Queen Bee Gallery of HEA. You get there by teleporting from landing at HEA. Of course the exhibit is about lighthouses.

I like the way the pictures are presented. The room is round, in the center is a lighthouse and the walls are full with pictures take in in SLecond Life and showing lighthouses. The room has furtheron 4 water basins and some typical animals are around: penguins and seagulls. The pictures are great and you can see how different one and the same lighthouse can look in just another environment.

Impressions of “A tribute to Second Life lighthouses” by Ferugina Luna at HEA Gallery (1)

I never came across Ferugina Luna so far. She’s almost 14 years in Second Life and we seem to share the passion for taking pictures. By the way, you can get the lighthouse in the center of the exhibition as a free gift. But you need to hurry a bit, the exhibition shall be available until end of July, 2020.

Impressions of “A tribute to Second Life lighthouses” by Ferugina Luna at HEA Gallery (2)

“Hannington Endowment  for the Arts” (HEA) is owned by Hannington Xeltentat. HEA was built by Tansee, who also runs the gallery. Thank you Hannington for providing the space and thank you Tansee from enabling the exhibition “A tribute to Second Life lighthouses”. I enjoyed my visit.

Landmark to Hannington Endowment for the Arts at Xeltentat Enterprises
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Xeltentat%20Enterprises/132/124/3525

Art in Second Life 2020 (38) Bouquets and Flowers by Colm Midnight

29 Jun 2020 2 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , ,

For Sunday, May 31st, I got an invitation to the opening of “Bouquets and Flowers”, an exhibtion by Colm Midnight at Noir’Wen City Gallery. I couldn’t attend the opening but I went to the exhibtion on Tuesday, June 2nd.

“Bouquets and Flowers” by Colm Midnight at Noir’Wen City Gallery

The Noir’Wen City Gallery is accommodated in an interesting building. Build on poles, the building has an open 1st floor. The gallery itself is on the 2nd and 3rd floor.
The open 1st floor is used as an event area, for example for openings. It has a bar, seating accomodations and a dancefloor. According to the exhibition the 1st floor is decorated with some wild flowers on the floor and with 2 pcitures from the exhibtion.

Event area at Noir’Wen City Gallery 1st floor

The landmark leads directly to the 2nd floor, one of the 2 floors that are fully used for the exhibtion. You’re surrounded by colourful abstract pictures of flowers and flower arrangements. I can only guess, but I think the pictures are created digitally and are not digitalized images of RL art. They are expressive and convince through the composition of colours. I was in particular intrigued by the 2 large pictures between the 3 large windows. For me, they show how colour and art can make a difference for a room.

Impressions of “Bouquets and Flowers” by Colm Midnight at Noir’Wen City Gallery (1)

Colm Midnight (colmmidnight) is an artist, creator, and admirer of all that is beautiful in SL. He is in Second Life for over 3 years. It is the first time that I came across his art. I can imagine that each of the pictures shown at “Bouquets and Flowers” could dominate a room and be an eye catcher. I’m a great fan of colour anyway.

Impressions of “Bouquets and Flowers” by Colm Midnight at Noir’Wen City Gallery (2)

The exhibtion “Bouquets and Flowers” will stay open until August 31st. All pictures are available for purchse. Thank you Colm for your art and thank you Belice Benoir and Nieu (NieuwenHove) for providing the Noir’Wen City Gallery.

Landmark to Noir’Wen City Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Noir%20Wen/49/153/43

Art in Second Life 2020 (37) Parapina by Theda Tammas and Iono Allen

26 Jun 2020 2 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

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

Art in Second Life 2020 (36) Michiel Bechir’s Art Gallery in June/July exhibitions

22 Jun 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

I got an invitation for an opening party for a new exhibtion at Michiel Bechir’s Art Gallery for Saturday, June 20th. As I had other activities at night in Second Life, I peeked in already on Thursday, June 18th.

The new exhibtion features the art of Pavel Stransky and Hazel Foxtrot on the ground level and the pictures of Jaz (Jessamine2108) on the 2nd floor.

Right at the entrance you see Michiel Bechir’s on work. Michiel has started his long virtual journey into Second Life as a photographer in 2009. Michiel enjoys seeing new places, meeting new people from all over the world and expierencing the creativity in Second Life (just like I do!). Michiel discovered the possiblities of different tools to improve his pictures. By editing them he also tries to add a personal touch and feeling. Experiments with the effect of colors are often done, and more recently he is trying to show the details by working with high resolution photos.

Michiel Bechir’s Gallery in June/July – Michiel Bechir’s own pictures

To the right from the entrance is the room with the pictures of Pavel Stransky, who joined Second Life almost 13 years ago. Pavel Stransky’s motivation to visit sims in Second Life are quite the same as Michiel’s and like Michiel he takes pictures inworld and as far as I could see, Pavel also processes his pictures. But his style is quite comparable with Michiel’s – at least from what I saw. Pavel Stransky has also a flickr account.

Michiel Bechir’s Gallery in June/July – Pavel Stransky

To the left from the entrance is the room with the pictures of Hazel Foxtrot, who is active in Second Live since 2008 and she shares the passion of taking pictures. Her motives are a bit different to those of Michiel and Pavel. 3 of her pictures reminded me of Melusina Parkin’s Roadside pictures (read here), an exhibition that I visited in May. Other picture capture the atmosphere of towns. Hazel has also a flickr account.

Michiel Bechir’s Gallery in June/July – Hazel Foxtrot

All three Michiel, Pavel and Hazel make pictures while traveling through Second Life. They find great motives and the right viewing angle to creat their art.

The exhibtion on the 2nd floor of Michiel Bechir’s Art Gallery, named Balance, is different. It combines pictures from Jaz (Jessamine2108) with poems from Zoe Ocelot. Balance is an exhibtion about the current pandemic and its effect on humans and animals as well as on nature due to the lack of pollution and cleaner air and water.
Before you enter the room you’re asked to wear a face mask, which is provided, The exhibtion has two parts, that are divided by a fence. One side shows pictures and texts from the physcial world. Very impressive is a picture from India showing the vers same place before and during the lockdown and how the air got clean. A 3D model of the earth is in the center of the room and circled by dark polluted clouds as well as be clean clouds.
On the other side of the fence you see pictures from Jaz, taken in Second Life but clearly referring to the corona pandemic.

Michiel Bechir’s Gallery in June/July – Balance by Jaz and Zoetrope Ocelot

Jaz has been doing photography in SL since 2018: “It would be more than appropriate to say that Milla (Ladmilla) introduced me to the nuances in the art. While I still have much to learn, I am enjoying every minute of it. Special thanks to Eta (Etamae Resident) for making me look at the amazing possibilities of SL and to Harry Cover (impossibleisnotfrench Resident) for giving me an opportunity and courage to branch out on my own and to be able to collaborate and experiment with mesh with him.”
Jaz exhibits some of her work at her homeplace Third Eye and has an own little gallery Bohemian Imaginarium@ – two places to add to my list.

Thank you Michiel for enabling this joined exhibition, thanks to the artists for their work. I enjoyed my visit!

Landmark to Michiel Bechir’s Art Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Embrace/26/226/2502
Pavel Stransky’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pavelstransky
Hazel Foxtrot’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/166901264@N04/
Jaz (Jessamine2108)’s homeplace “Third Eye”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Midnight%20Sanctum/145/226/1101
Jaz (Jessamine2108)’s gallery Bohemian Imaginarium@
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Blue%20Moon/78/120/25

Art in Second Life 2020 (35) “Devoted – to the invisible touch” by Barbara Reiter

19 Jun 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , ,

Our friend Barbara Reiter-Jewell (Barbara Reiter) has her own little gallery called “20][21 gallery“, where she exhibits her own work every once in a while. On May 22nd she opened a new exhibition “Devoted – to the invisible touch”.

Barbara presents very erotic pictures all taken professionally in RL and the pictures were only very little post processed. I walked through the small gallery and watched quite long at almost each picture. You sense the mood of the models, you sense the erotic tension. Some of the pictures are related to D/s but only express the emotions and the erotic part of it.

“Devoted – to the invisible touch” by Barbara Reiter (1)

The 20][21 gallery is small, the exhibtion consists of about 20 black and white pictures. You should stay a while in the entrance. There is a slideshow with another about 20 pictures.

“Devoted – to the invisible touch” by Barbara Reiter (2)

Barbara Reiter (in SL since 2006) is the SL character for a swiss based meanwhile retired international pro photographer (born 1962) specialized mostly into fashion and beauty photography for advertising and editorial. In her free works she does as well fine art in portrait, glamour, lifestyle and nude. Barbara was leading a team of young and ambitious international female freelance creatives, working close together in a family like structure to produce the perfection she likes to offer to her clients at her former studio near Zurich. Her RL work is still represented and sold by her international fine art representative located at Barcelona with whom she was at several international RL art exhibition and even won awards with.
Barbara was a dominatrix in RL for many decades and is still active in Second Life, where she is Matriarch and Head-Mistress of one of the oldest matriarchal D/s Houses on the grid, established in May 2007, the BHoL. (excerpt from the accompanying notecard of the exhibition)

“Devoted – to the invisible touch” by Barbara Reiter (3)

Thank you Barbara for this very erotic exhibtion. I enjoyed my visit a lot! “Devoted – to the invisible touch” will stay open for the public until fall 2020. At least I think, you shouldn’t miss it if you like erotic photography.

Landmark to the 20][21 gallery for contemporary art
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Enchanted%20Love/18/20/2500

Art in Second Life (34) Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park

15 Jun 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , ,

A few days ago I got an invitation to attend the opening party of “Non-Perishable by Marina Münter” at Art in the Park. The opening was on June, 7th. I visited a few days later.

Non-Perishable was Marina Münter (vivresavie)’s first exhibtion back in September 2017 and it is now presented again at Art in the Park. Art in the park is a public area next to Valium Creek, a sim with rental homes and a public area that I visited in January 2020 (read here).

Non Perishable consists of 6 containers. Opposed to these 6 containers is an event area fitting to the exhibtion with 3 more containers.

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – exhibition poster and overview

Each container holds distinct groups of objects, objects Marina can relate to. And each container is given a title, a description that can be found at the entrance. Each container is in a different main colour: White, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red and Blue.
Marina has a connection to containers as she was born in a port city and grew up with seeing this boxes, innumerously piled up at the port. Marina writes in the accompanying notecard that she always asked herself, if she could live inside of a container.

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – White container

Next to each container you find a picture of the inside of it and always a woman is in the container admist of all the stuff inside. “The same woman is portrayed under different personas; from trauma (birth) until the unavoidable (death). The visitor is invited to enter, inspect and interact with what, for some, can be seen as a “neat way to organize your inventory”, and for others, an obsessed way of coordinating non-perishable objects in monochromatic containers.” (taken from the accompanying notecard)

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – Green container

Each of the containers also contains at least one opportunity to sit and I tried that in all six containers (and took a picture). But getting out can be tricky as you’re stuck behind other stuff when you stand up (I used the seat in the white container to “escape”).

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – Yellow container

Marina Münter (vivresavie) is almost 8 years in Second life. She’s an artist, curator and photographer. As mentioned above “Non-perishable” was her first exhibtion in Second Life and soon after she founded the GBTH project, which I came across this year the first time (read here). GBTH means Grab By The Horns, the GBTH Project is an urban sim dedicated to contemporary art. It is Marina’s main interest on the grid nowadays. You find more information at www.thegbthproject.com.

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – Orange container

The containers at Art in the Park are stuffed with objects, silly objects, useless objects, bizarre objects like the penis candelabra in the green container or the collection of dildos of all sizes in the blue container. There are seats, a record player, beach toys, all kind of illuminated signs, pictures, candles, flowers, cooling boxes, a piano, a chess game, a paddling pool, a television, cooking pots, a bicycle, a fridge, a coffee can …… I could extend this list endlessly. Nonetheless the objects are sorted by the theme, not just by the colour itself (which fits mostly) but also by the overall theme of the container.

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – Red container

I bet if I look at all of my RL stuff, it must look like a whole mess for all others, but not for me! Every item tells its story – but only to me. And I couldn’t tell anyone every story as they’re not of any interest for outsiders. Nonetheless looking at other people’s stuff does tell a lot about them, at least we tend to interpret what we see and the objects might tell a story, but not the true story, just another story, a story that fits to our life and prejudices.

I had fun looking at each container and at all the stuff – and the stuff told me a story *winks*.

Non-Perishable by Marina Münter at Art in the Park – Blue container

Thank you Marina for the exhibition. Thank you Vally Prodigy (Valium Lavender) for providing Art in the park. I enjoyed my visit a lot!

Landmark to Art In The Park
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Broken%20Vessels/141/53/21
The GBTH Project website
http://www.thegbthproject.com
flick-group Art in the Park
https://www.flickr.com/groups/valium/pool

Art in Second Life 2020 (33) Roadside by Melusina Parkin

12 Jun 2020 1 Comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , , , ,

For my simploring tour on Sunday, May 24th, I picked “Roadside” an exhibition of Melusina Parkin from scoop.it SL Destinations. The entry referred to a blog post from Inara Pey “Melu’s Roadside images in Second Life“. I came across Melusina just once so far. I saw an exhibtion of her at “The Last Forever – Marfa” (read here) back in 2017. Inara Pey’s blogpost made me curious to see her newer work under the title “Roadside“

Roadside by Melusina Parkin at Melusina Photo Gallery

The exhibition is on a one room gallery above Melusina Parkin’s store for Art Deco furniture called Melu Deco. All the 4 walls are used to display the roughly 25 pictures. Melusina 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 the one back in 2017. Melusina has a flickr account which counts more than 12,000 (!) photographs. I know myself how SL pictures add up over time – my hard drive contains 45,000 pictures, but of course there’s a lot garbage amoung them.

Roadside by Melusina Parkin – Impressions (1)

Melusina wrote about her exhibtion “Roadside“:
Diners, motels, pump stations, garages are elements of a “road popular culture” developed in wide spaces crossed by monotone and endless roads. We can’t imagine a motorway without them. (Remark: that is clearly related to the US *winks*)
Like mountains, hills, fields, lawns and rivers, they are part of any landscape we see when traveling through the country. They can be simple wooden buidings or kitsch painted ones, and their neon signs light up the sides of the road we’re traveling, promising food and drink, bed and rest, warm fireplaces or refreshing airconditioned rooms. Smell of fuel and of fried eggs mix up in their surroundings, announcing a close stop.
They take care of our bodies and of our minds, but even of our mechanical horses.
But they’re even more: they tell us that we’re at home, that we’re not alone in the intimidating natural landscape, in the desert, in the snowy land.
From Jack Kerouac to Easy Rider, road novels and movies made their sets of them, so they settled in our minds as obvious elements of our way of life.
The mirrored world of Second Life couldn’t renounce to sprinkle them all around, and this exhibit has the aim to show how fascinating can be this roadside world.
Enjoy it!

Roadside by Melusina Parkin – Impressions (2)

The above text is from a notecard that you can grab at the exhibtion. In the notecard Melusina also writes about her style as a photographer: “Many of my photos tend towards minimalism, that’s my main inclination: catching a simple detail from daily life or usual landscapes, enhancing it, making it protagonist of mostly empty scenes. This reveals its meaning or can push the observer to give it her/his own. Minimalism stresses void, space, geometries: you can be confused by that, but you can also been led to meditate about what things are when they are out of the crowd. Finally, I take and edit some of my photos in a vintage mood. Second Life makes old times live again and it pushes me to enhance my passion for reflections about past and present, absences and losses, nostalgia, love or hate for the past. But the main feature of my works is the lack of human beings: usually, you can’t see people in my pictures, although they are. Since a virtual world is made by its users, not only objects and buildings, but even nature, landscapes, skyes and clouds are made by them; they express people’s bias and souls.“

Roadside by Melusina Parkin

I couldn’t describe Melusina Parkin’s pictures any better than she did herself. Looking at them is intriguing and like Inara wrote in her post, you begin to make up your own story when you dive into the pictures. You can also see Melusina’s focus on small details. Finally, her pictures did remind me of my many visits to the US and the wides spaces as well as what I saw at the roadside.

I enjoyed my visit. The exhibtion “Roadside” shall stay open at least until End of June 2020.
I finally had a look at Melusina’s store “Melu Deco”. It offers Art Deco furniture, lamps, rugs and home accessories. Many of the items are copies of famous 1920-40s designers’ objects.

Roadside by Melusina Parkin – Impressions (3) / a view into “Melu’s Deco”-stire

There’s a lot more about Melusina Parker and her photographs not only on her flickr page. Melusina has an own blog for her work, there’s an online book with pictures of some of her exhibitions in Second life from 2011 – 2019 and you canwatch some slideshows on Melusina’s youtube channel. Quite impressive! Thank you Melusina.

Landmark to Melusina Photo Gallery
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Time%20Portal/248/101/1940
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’s blog:
http://meluphoto.blogspot.it/p/home.html
On line book Second Life exhibits 2011-2019
https://www.calameo.com/books/005997622f28dd58ca75d
Melusina Parkin’s youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVzglBiqhrOLXnAp3Qt3Zjw
Inara Pey’s blogpost “Melu’s Roadside images in Second Life”
https://modemworld.me/2020/05/20/melus-roadside-images-in-second-life/

Art in Second Life 2020 (32) ROOMS by Betty Tureaud

06 Jun 2020 Leave a comment

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , , , ,

I got an invitation from Aki (akikokinoshi) to visit and see “ROOMS by Betty Tureaud“, an installation realized in Aki’s sim. And I didn’t regret my visit at all. Upon landing you can grab a notecard in many different languages that provides some background for what you are going to see. You also get a free avatar and it is recommended to wear it during your visit – I did that.

ROOMS by Betty Tureaud – upper right is at the landing point / other pictures show the hallways and the rooms

ROOMS is an art installation by Betty Tureaud inspired of a dream.

Dreaming Rooms…
“… at drømme om rum er en adgang til din underbevidsthed om dig selv. ”
(Dreaming of rooms is an access to your subconscious of yourself.)  — Betty Tureaud

“If you dream of a room or find yourself alone in a room this represents different factors of your personality within the waking world. One of the most intriguing of dreams to have is of being in a house, and suddenly discovering new rooms in it that you did not know were there. In the dream, these rooms may be a very pleasant and even exciting surprise, they may be unusually decorated or full of interesting things. But most commonly, you will have a sense of surprise, because you thought you knew this house well, and never would have suspected that rooms such as these were here. To dream of discovering new rooms is often a symbol of releasing new aspects of your own personality.
The analogy is that you thought you knew yourself so well, but suddenly circumstances have arisen that have revealed there is far more to you than you previously thought.These kinds of dreams are a great gift, they challenge you to outgrow previous limited perceptions, and to embrace growth and change in your life.”

(taken from the notecard)

There are 15 rooms. I think I didn’t see all of them because after a while you get lost in the hallways and rooms. But I might have seen most of the rooms. It doesn’t matter where you start. Important is that you look in the main chat when you enter a room to get a quick thought about the room. You often have to fully enter the room and to go to the center to see the installation of the room. The colourful hallways, the avatar that melts into the walls, ceilings and floor, the dancing figures at hallway crossings, it all does feel like a dream after a hile and when you get lost in the hallways and rooms. I’ll present the rooms in the order I saw them.

Impressions of ROOMS by Betty Tureaud (1)

In the picture above are three rooms.
Betty whispers: Get some new brain cells Diomita Maurer (upper left)
Betty whispers: Stay in the center and get caught in colors Diomita Maurer (lower left)
Betty whispers: Click on the floor Diomita Maurer (upper and lower right)

The pictures are just catching a moment and give just a tiny impressions of what you see in the rooms. For example, the room with the brain cells fills slowly with the cells until they form a net around the avatar’s head. Everything is steadily moving and you get different impressions depending on viewing angle and zooming. On the other hand my captured 2D pictures are quite artful (in my opinion) and can’t be reproduced again, they are temporary like thoughts, that come and go.

Impressions of ROOMS by Betty Tureaud (2)

Betty whispers: Now you see them now you don’t Diomita Maurer (left pictures)
Betty whispers: Tribute to Yayoi Kusama Diomita Maurer (right pictures)

The whales in the left picture appear and disappear, yet they are moving and they don’t show up in the same position, and strangely they are not intimidating at all.
The room in the left picture was filled with imaginary walls in colourful textures with circles. I admit, that I never heard, read or saw anything about Yayoi Kusama but I do know a bit of her now looking her up in wikipedia: “Yayoi Kusama (born 22 March 1929) is a Japanese contemporary artist who works primarily in sculpture and installation, but is also active in painting, performance, film, fashion, poetry, fiction, and other arts. Her work is based in conceptual art and shows some attributes of feminism, minimalism, surrealism, Art Brut, pop art, and abstract expressionism, and is infused with autobiographical, psychological, and sexual content. She has been acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan” (source wikipedia)

Impressions of ROOMS by Betty Tureaud (3)

Betty whispers: Don’t be afraid of the dark! Click the box and sit on the doll then click again Diomita Maurer

The dark room is quite funny and playful. When you click the box a uni coloured (lego-like) figure appears, when you sit on it you become one with it and your avatar vanishes and when you stand up the figure falls from the box and jumps around on the floor before it vanishes … and you can do that with all boxes …

Impressions of ROOMS by Betty Tureaud (4)

Betty whispers: Sit and enjoy Diomita Maurer (upper left)
Betty whispers: Relax Diomita Maurer (lower left)
Betty whispers: Welcome to the crazy circus Diomita Maurer (upper right)
Betty whispers: walk around and be a griffer for a day Diomita Maurer (lower right)

Sitting down in the gallery room makes your avatar disappear. You can sit in the boat in the relax room and there are mayn poses offered, including coupleposes. The crazy circus reminded me a bit of pole dancing, set the stools are way to umcomfortable for the spectators. The colourful boxes did offer a lot of different perspectives for taking pictures.

Impressions of ROOMS by Betty Tureaud (5)

Betty whispers: Take my hand and stay in the center Diomita Maurer (upper left)
Betty whispers: Stay in the center of the room Diomita Maurer (lower left)
I either missed the text for the upper right room or it was also “Stay in the center of the room Diomita Maurer” (upper right)
Betty whispers: Say hello to mister AI Diomita Maurer (lower right)

While I was with many other peopler in the room shown in the upper left picture, I was alone with colours and colourful particles in the next two rooms. In the last room I visited I met mister Artitical Intelligance – at least now it has a face … and it springs out of the human brain.

Betty Tureaud is from Denmark, she’s a builder and light and space artist in Second Life. I came across her art before at ArtSpace UTSA in 2016 (read here), in August 2018 when I visited her installation “The Art Game” (read here), in January 2019 when her work was shown at La Maison d’Aneli (read here), and in April 2020 when I visited “swim with elephants” which was also hosted in a sim owned by Aki (akikokinoshi) (read here).

ROOMS by Betty Tureaud is a well made journey into your dreams and inspries to let your mind wander, to play around, to dream and to get away from everyday life and maybe as Betty wrote to find new sides of yourself or new rooms in your “house”.
Thank you for this artful istallation, Betty and thank you Aki for hosting it. I enjoyed my visit!

Landmark to ROOMS
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akimori/102/92/3257

Art in Second Life 2020 (31) Elephants by Cica Ghost

01 Jun 2020 3 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Art in Second Life Tags: , ,

Sunday, May 31st, I got an invitation to visit Cica Ghost’s newest installation “Elephants by Cica Ghost“. I went over there on the spot and met Cica at the landing point. While talking with her I already saw the elephants. Of course, huge elephants. Animals in Cica’s worlds are always very big and they all have big eyes – so do her elephants.

The scenery is bathed in black and green tones, the ground is dark and looks a bit like water at night, inbetween are many hills and islands. You see forests but there’re no leaves, no branches, just trunks. And that fits to Cica’s funny landmark description:
Q. What do a tree and an elephant have in common?
A. A trunk.

Impressions of “Elephants by Cica Ghost” (1) – overviews (left) / Dio meets Cica at the Landing Point / Diomita on the trunk of an elephants

It was not easy to take an overview picture of “Elephants by Cica Ghost” as changing the windlight did not have the desired effect and just zooming out was way to dark. Finally I succeeded with two overview pictures and then I started my tour. And I had fun! You will find 3 “Cica-ish” huts, way to small for an elephant to live in. You can use a swing in one hut, sit with two people in another hut and the third hut is Cica’s “Elephant Store”. There are nine different elephants that you can purchase as your personal souvenir.

Next to the store is a tall trunk and you can walk up to the top. From there you have a nice look over “Elephants by Cica Ghost” and you don’t need to use any tricks to get the overiew another way *winks”.

Impressions of “Elephants by Cica Ghost” (2) – the view from the tall trunk / Cica’s elephant store

On my way to the above mentioned tall trunk I walked into a field of high grass or plants, higher than a normal avatar and I can tell that I almost lost the orientation in it. Don’t miss to have a more detailed look at the grass-like plants. You can discover other elements like stars, snails, spirals and snakes. Of course I also tried to find Cica’s cat. And this time Cica has smuggeled in a cat again. You find in the hut where two people can sit in.

Impressions of “Elephants by Cica Ghost” (3) – admist the tall green plants / Cica’s cat

Don’t miss having a close look at all the elephants. They are really the stars in Cica’s installation. You can sit on them and those who I tried to sit on have 2 poses, one on the elephants schoulder and one on their trunk. In the middle of the installation is a hill with two trunks to sit on. These over 3 poses: one sit, one lay and one dance pose… and there’s another animal that found it’s way into “Elephants by Cica Ghost” – a parrot.

Impressions of “Elephants by Cica Ghost” (4) – Diomita enjoying Cica’s world

Cica did conjure a smile on my face with her newest installation, she always succeeds to make me smile. Thank you Cica! I just love your elephants (and the cat of course!).
Don’t miss riding Cica’s elephants!

Landmark to Elephants by Cica Ghost
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Egzotica/66/111/75

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