Art in Second Life 2021 (121) The Incal and the 4 Mazes by Betty Tureaud

19 Dec 2021 Leave a comment

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

Akiko Kinoshi (Akiko Kiyori) invited me to another art installation: “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud. It is shown at Akikaze, which is a member of the Akipelago group of sims dedicated to artistic and natural beauty in its many forms.
“The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud opens today with a Grand Opening party at 2 pm (SL time) with the music of Ultraviolet Alter.

Impressions of “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud (1) – “Offical” picture of the installation (upper left) / first impressions at the landing.

When you visit, please make sure that your use shared environment and have your draw distance above 250m. The landing is in an endless desert, on the horizont you see some mountains. If you turn you see a block of four large buildings. They look like huge storage halls. In the front of the buildings are 6 objects. The most left is a cube and when you click it you get a notecard with a biography of Betty Tureaud. The most right is a rezzer for a huge bug with which you can fly around. More about that bug later. And inbetween are 4 objects and each of them will teleport you into one of the 4 buildings. And each building contains a maze with another theme.

Impressions of “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud (2) – The Space maze

The spaceship stands for the space, the eye for the mind, the bug for the earth and the cube for the tecno maze. I started on the left and visited the Space maze first. Inside the maze you can get easily lost. The textures on the walls of the maze are permanently changing, sphere, coloured spheres like planets block your way as you try to find the center of the maze. In the center you find our planet Earth with it’s moon. You can “sit” on the moon and mediate. And you find a box with a gift giver. I won’t reveal what you get and won’t spoil your fun.

Impressions of “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud (3) – The Mind maze

The Mind maze has soemthing of “Big brother is watching you” as there are many huge eyes that follow you when you walk by and that’s a bit scary. Close to the center of this maze a brian flies around and when you walk into a dead end, then you see a mouth with a tongue sticking out … ha ha wrong way. In the center room are eyes and ears and the mouth with the tongue sticked out and they form a face – and once again you can grab a gift.

Impressions of “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud (4) – The Earth maze

The Earth maze is held in warm tones blue, green, yellow and brown. As in all mazes, the textures changes. In this maze you are blocked by huge bugs and creatures that either crawl throught he hallways or simple wait in a corner and watch you with their aritcicial eyes. In the center they circle around a spaceship. Is there a gift – yes, there is.

The Tecno maze is all about bits and bytes, curtains of 0 and 1 block your way as you search the center, the walls are covered with electric circuits. At some walls are just coloured squares in a pattern. And in its center is a pair of jumping doplhins. I won’t try to interpret that.

Impressions of “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud (5) – The Tecno maze

I ended the exploration of the mazes and tried out the most right object, the bug rezzer and I used to to fly around and explore the installaion from higher up. It’s fun to fly with the bug. I circled one time around the space ship that hoovers over the block of the 4 buildings. And I flew through the small lanes between the buildings. In the center is a glowing small pyramid, the “INCAL”? On one side is a crystal and on the other side a “Dark Light”. I ended my flight with the bug and returned to the INCAL. If you sit on it you get teleported to the space ship above the buildings. Yo find yourself standing on the ship and there are poseballs. I tried out one and it made me hoover circiling around the spacehip, like the 2 people in the “offical” picture of the installation shown above. That is fun!

And what is the “INCAL”? I looked it on the internet: “The Incal is a comic masterpiece illustrated by acclaimed artist Moebius and written by Alejandro Jodorowsky. Together they present a classic sci-fi adventure featuring John Difool, a private detective. With the great darkness attacking the galaxy, Difool races through the cosmos with his pet concrete bird, Deepo, and the Universe’s greatest warrior, the Metabaron, on a quest to face the great evil.“

Impressions of “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud (6) – Flying around, the INCAL and hoovering in the air (the arrow points to me)

Betty Tureaud is from Denmark, she’s a builder and light and space artist in Second Life. I came across her art already a few times and it was always impressing and something outstanding – just like this interactive installation, that combines art, space and fun. Betty has a flickr page where you can see more of her art.

Betty wrote in her biography notecard about herself: “I love to put some scripting to my art and bright colors are my favorite.
I love artwork who is coming from Mexicans Indians. The colors is so bright and sometimes chocking for your eyes. It makes me also think about Frida Carlo who make some wonderful paintings where she express her own pain. My art is a more happy happy style, but i also get my inspiration from real world.”

Thank you Betty. Thank you also to Akiko Kinoshi (Akiko Kiyori) for the invitation and for providing the space for the art. I enjoyed my pre-opening tour.

Landmark to “The Incal and the 4 Mazes” by Betty Tureaud @ Akikaze
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akikaze/122/248/3024
Betty Tureaud’s flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/betty-tureaud/

Art in Second Life 2021 (70) The Borderless Project – Part I: Delain Canucci’s scenes

04 Aug 2021 2 Comments

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

Friday, July 9th, I got a private message from Akiko Kinoshi (Akiko Kiyori). She told me about “The Borderless Project” that she and others had put together. And she sent me a notecard about it together with a landmark.

“The Borderless Project is a multi-level, interactive digital art exhibition wherein we play with light: reflections, structures, movement, creation and evolution. With sounds and music to match the emotions brought to life by the multi-talented team of artists and scripters. The Borderless Project derives much of its inspiration from teamLAB founded in Japan in 2001 by Toshiyuki Inoko, and now a series of multinational installations throughout the world. For more on teamLab please visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/TEAMLABNET

The Borderless Project, in Second Life, explores what we can do within this world where gravity is unimportant, physics is negotiable, and magic is possible! The Borderless Team of Magicians are: Betty Tureaud, Gem Preiz, Delain Canucci, Djehuti-Anpu (Thoth Jantzen), Mitsuko Kytori, Blaise Timtam and Akiko Kinoshi (Akiko Kiyori).“

I went there on Saturday, July 10th, and I was overwhelmed by the many different installations. Each of them would easily be enough and worth an extra visit and a seperate blog entry!

The provided landmark leads you to the installation of Akiko Kinoshi (Akiko Kiyori). You land in a circle with 8 boards. Each of the 8 boards brings you to another level and another installation. It is recommended to accept experiences – then just walking into one of the boards will teleport you. In addition in some of the installations you get teleported at destinct spots. For all installations of “The Borderless Project” you are asked to use Shared Environment, Advanced lighting model, High to Ultra Graphics, particles set to maximum (8192) and to activate the Media button and switch it on and off frequently. Turn on in-sim music. If you aren’t familiar with that, there are instructions at the entrances of some of the installations.
At each installation you land in exact the same circle of boards, from there you can continue your visit to the next installation.

I split my report into several parts so that I can publish a bit more pictures and give the artists some room.

The Borderless Project – Part I: Delain Canucci’s scenes (this post)
The Borderless Project – Part II: Gem Preiz’ installations
The Borderless Project – Part III: Betty Tureaud’s cubes and Djehuti-Anpu’s installation
The Borderless Project – Part IV (final): Akiko Kinoshi garden and Japanese village / Mitsuko Kytori art park

Landmark to Borderless
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akimitsu/128/128/2481

The Borderless Project – Part I: Delain Canucci’s scenes

Delain Canucci’s scenes are in several separate rooms. You can see 4 boxes from where you land and several entrances, marked with light frames along the walls.

The Borderless Project – Delain Canucci

I started my visit with the 4 boxes. And each of them has a lot to offer. The boxes are kind of magic. When you enter them you lose contact to the outside. The inside is mirrored and provides the impression of being in a much larger space. It’s perfect for taking pictures. And the content is quite creative. The longer you stay inside, the more details you will discover. And the scenes are not static, hence stay a bit and watch. There’s one box with a green jungle scene, one with an Asian gate, one with a forest scene in Autumn and one winterly scene.

The Borderless Project – Delain Canucci’s boxes: Winterly scene / Forest in Autumn

The installations that you enter from the walls are different, some are bigger boxes, some are spheres. All have in common that you can fully immerse into them. One is a planetarium, some others are like forests – all are very creative, artful and invite to stay longer and take more and more pictures.

The Borderless Project – Delain Canucci’s planetarium

Delain Canucci is in Second Life since 2009. She says about herself, that she’s just herself in SL, an average girl who wants to have fun with her friends, who wants to learn and who lives out her creativity. Delain has an inworld shop for particles “Color Alchemists” and an inworld store for fantasy builds “Fantasy Builds & Plants” . You can also get her stuff on the marketplace.
And if you look up her profile you will find a pick with links to youtube videos using her particles from “Color Alchemists“.

The Borderless Project – Delain Canucci’s Flower Room and Morpho Room

It’s the first time I came across Delain Canucci and I have to admit I am impressed of her art work. Did I mention that all boxes and installations of Delain Canucci are non-static? Everything moves, colours changes, the whole scenes look different every second. Even my pictures are little of temporary art pieces, non-reproducible.

Returning to the ring of boards I went to a cave scene next. This one is also from Delain Canucci. It is a smaller installation.

The Borderless Project – Delain Canucci’s cave

The cave is particular as it permanently changes its main colour, diving the scenery in different colours. Sometimes you have the impression to see people in the cave, but the people are just rocks. Again an artful fantasy build.

Landmark to Borderless
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akimitsu/128/128/2481
Delain Canucci’s inworld shop for particles “Color Alchemists”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shinda/144/84/22
Delain Canucci’s inworld shop “Fantasy Builds & Plants”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Abyss/228/94/29
Delain Canucci’s on the marketplace
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/147677?lang=en-US

Art in Second Life 2020 (77) MindScape3D

28 Nov 2020 Leave a comment

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

After publishing my post about “Hexagonia” by Amita Duranjaya (read here) I had a chat with Amita and she invited me to visit interstellART, a sim dedicated to the (cyber-)arts, owned and curated by her.

I had never heard of interstellART before but from the information notecards that I got from Asmita I can tell that the sim has several levels full of art and there’s really a lot to see. For my fist visit I decided to see the 3rd level, a landscape-terrain used for special exhibitions. Right now and until the end of 2020 the special exhibtion is “MindScape”, a collaborative project initiated by Asmita Duranjaya. 18 artists have contributed 3D-installations or 2D-pictures and visualize their imagination of the topic MindScape. I visited MindScape3D.

MindScape3D is related to brain research and what can refer to the human mind, how to develop, inspire and care for or manipulate it. 11 artists have created 3D artwork referring to the topic by adding his or her idea, be it more realistic-physical or more mental or philosophical abstract. The 11 artists are: Shenn Coleman, iSkye Silverweb, June Clavenham, Claude Belgar, Kyoko Furse-Barzane (Samara Barzane), Hayden, Melodie Heart (mariemadeleine38), Giselle Seeker (brightlyshyne), Art Oluja (Artistik Oluja), Betty Tureaud and Asmita Duranjaya herself.

The 3D area is a moon landscape that was designed by ShennColeman. Upon landing I met Larita (asmitaduranjaya1), who made writing this report about my visit to MindScape3D way easier:
Welcome at interstellART and the MindScape-project. MindScape is a collaborative art-project initiated by Asmita Duranjaya, curator and artist on this sim interstellART (Nice Atoll). 19 artists have contributed 3D-installations or 2D-pictures to visualize their imagination of the topic MindScape. I am a guide-robot and will lead you through the area with the 3D-art-installatons for an overview.
Each installation has a board with further information, which you can study after the tour on your own.
Please follow me now.

I followed her. There’s a path that lead along the different installation. It starts with the 3D area itself. I use the text from my robot guide Larita along with my pictures for this report.

My robot guide Larita (asmitaduranjaya1)

Our first artist is Shenn Coleman, who has constructed the “Brain-Dome” for this moon-area. He says: “Sharing to reach beyond the boundaries of our imagination is always a fantastic adventure. I like to create to learn and to share, and SL is a wonderful way to do that and i like to explore imaginative ways.
This dome was an attempt to visually represent the function and the genesis of the thoughts in our brain and maybe also to invite other forms of intelligence to come into contact with our human neurons.”

Our next spot is the installation by Danish artist Betty Tureaud. She says: “In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans. In my art installation I combine AI whith Neuralink, a cable direct into the brain to make a superhuman, a cyborg, where artificial intelligence AI is combined with human intelligence.”
This is an interactive sculpture with a dance-animation, if you sit on it. Jump on it and try it after the tour.

MindScape3D: “Betty Tureaud – AI”

French artist Claude Belgar says: “The sculpture “The Mind Is Free” reflects the freedom of traveling the ocean, using only the natural elements to wander across. The vehicles, ships and a plane refuge from being captured in an abstract head, so it symbolises the flow of mental imaginations – the mind is free.”
You can enter the crater to have a closer look when you come back after the tour.

Artist Kyoko presents her “BLOOD WALL :: Man’s Mind Holocaust-Killing Fields-Hiroshima. I am of the belief that our future will bring many new and wondrous creations, but in the end we will still be capable of turning on each other because of perceived differences or agendas. The 3 parts of this work represent three attempts to solve a problem. All resulting in multiple deaths. In each case methodical and intended.
Kyoko Furse-Barzane
March 2020
Please feel free to enter the dome to see the work from different perspectives.

MindScape3D: “Claude Belgar – The Mind Is Free” and Kyoko Furse-Barzane (Samara Barzane) “BLOOD WALL :: Man’s Mind”

This MindScape-version of the RL nano-graphic novel “The Pool”, written by German author M. K. Iwoleit/Hayden in SL, presents an audio-version in English and German and visitors can listen to the nano-story by clicking the specific keyboard. The installation contains also a virtual book-version. The English version of the human is spoken by Dodge Threebeards, the robot is an artificially produced voice. The German version is spoken by Dick H. G. Read more on the nc and return to the spot after the tour to listen.
Remark: The installation at MindScape3D was created by Asmita Duranjaya. The ambient etude as a background music has been composed and recorded by Hayden who is interested and active in several kinds of artistic expression.

MindScape3D: “Hayden – Der Pool / The Pool”

Artist Giselle Seeker has mystic mind-experiences. She says: “When the mind is at rest, the creative processes can flow more freely with daily stressors and distractions put to rest, as the brain repairs and restores exhausted brain cells. This allows for brain waves to flow more freely with less disruptions in the electro-neurological processes. It also seems to become more aware and open to things of the Spiritual nature. These may or may not be proven by Science, and may not be the proper terminology, but these have been my own observations and experiences in my own lifetime.”
Enter the crater after the tour.

MindScape3D: “Giselle Seeker (brightlyshyne) – The Mind’s Increased Perceptiveness To Spirituality Including Creativity When Asleep Or At Rest”

“The Clover Plant” of artist Melodie Heart refers to the idea, that Shenn’s brain has occupied a dead star and is going to fill it with new life. Melodie says: “Replant a desolate planet with natural seeds. Ban genetically modified organisms, reduce the use of pesticides”. Make it a better world. Study the installation when returning after the tour.

Artist iSkye Silverweb says: “For most people, this is a world full of sound: birdsong, voices, engines, and music. MindScape is a perfect project to demonstrate just a little bit of the experience I have, navigating in a silent world. For me and others who are deaf like me, the world is filled with seeing and feeling. With this installation you may get a taste of how people living in a world without sound come to see the rhythms of life. We can “see” many of the sounds that you hear.”
Study iSkye’s work closer after the tour.

MindScape3D: “Melodie Heart (mariemadeleine38) – The Clover Pant” and “iSkye Silverweb – Visible Rhythms”

The statement of artist June Clavenham is: “‘State of Mind’ intends to be a visual representation of how the thoughts we choose to entertain in our minds affect our emotions, the way we perceive our realitiy, the way we interact with others, and in general, all of our being and our lives.”
Enjoy this sculpture after the tour.

MindScape3D: “June Clavenham – State of Mind”

Artist Asmita Duranjaya says: “After surviving mankind, robots will start to construct their own culture by taking over forms of expression of the HipHop-culture e.g., visually, sonically and kinetically. Culture is the mental shape of beings and the result of mental efforts. No culture without mind.And now listen to the rapper TrippLee and his rap “Robot” or/and dance with the robots.” Enjoy it later.

MindScape3D: “Asmita Duranjaya – No Culture Without Mind”

Artist Art Oluja/Littlewing says: “‘Aural Blossoms’ is an visual-audio experiment in which I’ve played with a collage of colourful textures, incorporating kaleidescope patterns I created out of second life snapshots as well as music visualization wave patterns produced in the iOS beta app ‘Endlesss.’ The idea is to portray the sensation of music that blossoms in your headspace, evoking a landscape of emotion as you listen to different sounds that guide your mood.” Read more on the notecard and interact with the sculpture, when you return for an individual tour.

MindScape3D: “Art Oluja/Littlewing (Artistik Oluja)- Aural Blossoms”

That was our tour to get an overview over the MindScape-exhibition in the 3D-area. I hope you have enjoyed the tour and if so we would be glad about a small donation.
Thank you and have a good time.

I could add a lot more as some of the mentioned notecards contain a lot more information about the artists and about their work. But on one side this entry would become way too long and on the other side, you can go there yourself and read what you’re interested in. In my personal opinion the showcased art did express a lot more to me knowing the thoughts of the artists, for example “Visible Rhythms” being created by a deaf artist.

There’s also a lot more information on the web and the links are provided at the landing spot. I looked up a website about CyberArt: “Introduction, how to define and produce it”.

Thank you Asmita Duranjaya for this special exhibtion MindScape3D and for pointing it out to me. And thank you for providing the space for the arts and your passion for it.

Landmark to MindScape3D
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nice%20Atoll/190/142/3687
A webpage about CyberArt – Introduction, how to define and produce it
http://www.ethnomusicscape.de/cyber/CyberArt.htm

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 (16) swim with elephants by Betty Tureaud

06 Apr 2020 1 Comment

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

I came across “swim with elephants” scrolling through scoop.it SL Destinations. The entry led to a post of Dido Haas: “Swim with Elephants by Betty Tureaud.” Dido is a photographer, she is the owner and curator of Nitroglobus Hall, as well as a blogger (Exploring SL with Dido). I added the link to her blog to the active blogs list today.

Back to “swim with elephants“, which is an installation of Betty Tureaud at African Sun, a full (adult) region. The region is group owned and the group was foung by Aki (akikokinoshi). I assume that African Sun is owned by Aki.

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 isntallation “The Art Game” (read here) and in January 2019 when her work was shown at La Maison d’Aneli (read here).

Impressions of “swom with the elephants” by Betty Tureaud (1)

The installation “swim with elephants” is quite unique and fitting to the sim name African Sun. It is installed in a sphere in 4000m height. The sky and the ground is orange and yellow so that you literally feel the heat provided by the sun which shines strongly and unrestrictedly. The sphere is large, you see elephants slowly walking in a circle, each elephant has a beam in yellow, green pink or yellow pointing from its back into the sky. You see a large group of flamingos, you see a pyramid at the horizont, a range of dark orange rocks, and some trees. Right in the center of all and close to the landing there’s kind of a pond (or is it simply sand?), yet you can’t really see any difference to the ground around. Humans float in the pond (on the sand?) forming a circle and you can become a part of them by “sitting” on the center sphere.

Impressions of “swom with the elephants” by Betty Tureaud (2)

The backs of the elephants can be used for dancing. I can only imagine every back occupied by the dancing guests on the occasion of the opening party of “swim with elephants” on March 22nd.
I went insode of the pyramid where you find another elephant with a Japanese temple on its back. The temple spews Japanese characters every once in a while and you can sit on the trunk of the elephant.

Impressions of “swom with the elephants” by Betty Tureaud (3)

I don’t want to interpret Betty Tureaud’s work, everyone has different thoughts looking at or expierencing art. For me “swim with elephants” had something peacefully. I sweat, I could feel the heat, but it wasn’t threatening. It’s like walking or dancing in an African dream, not everything must have a meaning. After my visit I asked myself if elephants are seen as having wisdom in Japan, considering the elephant that spew characters in the pyramid …
Anyway have a look yourself!

Thank you Betty Tureaud for the installaion and Aki (akikokinoshi) for providing the space for it.

Landmark to “swim with elephants by Betty Tureaud”
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akiniwa/111/170/4002
Dido Haas’ blogpost “Swim with Elephants by Betty Tureaud”
http://exploringslwithdido.blogspot.com/2020/03/swim-with-elephants-by-betty-tureaud.html

Simploring 2019 (12) 6 artists at La Maison d’Aneli

01 Feb 2019 5 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

I got the invitation to visit the newest exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli, that opened January 23rd and features the art of: Therese Carfagno, Eupalinos Ugajin, Nabrej Aabye, Betty Tureaud, Tubal Amiot and Xirana Oximoxi.

I started my visit at the room that was filled with Betty Tureaud art. It is one piece, four persons stand in a circle around a hoovering couple. The persons or statues are made of coloured glas, each has a different colour, the couple being pink. Around the scene 8 cubes are placed in a circle and on the inner side of the cubes you see the faces of other coloured persons looking at the scene in the center. The whole scene is in a full dark room and once you enter there’s no other light than what is reflected of the persons and the cubes. It’s quite impressing to walk around and to step into the scene. I’ll refrain from interpreting *winks*
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) and in August 2018 when I visited her isntallation “The Art Game” (read here)

Xirana Oximoxi (Nuria Vives)’s exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli shows a series of nine women artists of 16th – 19th centuries centering the attention to the difficulties they had to deal with to be recognised as professional artists. Each of the female artists has her own little corner. Stylised men are looking at the exhibited pictures and are discussing, you see their comments like in a comic strip, the ceiling hanging full of other bubbles. To some extent the comments seem to be funny nowadys, but on the second glance they left me very pensively.
Xiarna Oximoxi (Nuria Vives) is a Catalan artist: “My works reflect my concerns and my different moods. They are based on my experiences and express a personal sensitivity nourished by impressions from the external world and my internal world.” Nuria her an own website http://nuriavives.com/ and an own blog http://nuriavvives.wordpress.com/

Nabrej Aabye is a digital artist. His work ranges from simple illustration, photography, video, design, digital painting, typography and to mixed art. At La Maison d’Aneli you’ll get an impression of the variety of his art, that is not dominated at all by one style. The two boule balls and the sci-fi skeleton of a dinosaur show examples of his 3D art.

Therese Carfagno is Second Life for 12 years now and took pictures within SL for many years. Lately she’s more interested in pictures of real life. In her exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli she shows a series of pictures of Nancy, “a very kind and beautiful girl who’s very at ease in front of the camera.” There’re also a few abstracts. You’ll have to interpret them yourself as even Therese can’t explain what it is – nor can I.


Tubal Amiot’s usual name is Aïcha according to something in her real name. Like Therese Carfagno she’s also in Second for almost 12 years now. She says about herself, that other people find her being eccentric. For her SL is a place to do what she doesn’t do in real life. She’s first of all a poet and writer. Tubal makes paintings with softwares, sometimes 3 for one painting. The work exhibited at La Maison d’Aneli reaches from naive art to adult art, from scuptures to comics, from abstract to garphical pictures. And it’s really colourful!

Eupalinos Ugajin is also in Second Life for more than 10 years. Inara Pey has visited Eupalinos Ugajin’s “Avaloir” and writes in her blogpost Eupalinos Ugajin’s Avaloir in Second Life: “Those familiar with Eupa’s work will know that it covers a broad canvas, often containing humour, whimsy, a little self-deprecation, which can be mixed with social commentary, imaginative projection worth of the likes of Gilliam, and an artistic flair that can quite captivate the eye and mind.”
The room created by Eupalinos Ugajin at La Maison d’Aneli show several 2D and 3D pieces of art and a quote on the floor that is faded in and out at different spots and that describes the combining element of the exhibited pieces:
“…we now have 3D and the apologists say it is more realer than real. Do we need that? Shouldn’t we be putting our energies into something more worthwhile? The human imagination is surely the most amazing thing in the universe. We do not want virtual reality we want virtual unreality. We cannot replicate reality – ahy are we asting our time trying?…” (Peter Greenaway)

Once again Aneli Abeyante has put together an impressive exhibtion showing the broad variety of art in Second Life at La Maison d’Aneli. I did enjoy my visit and can only recommend that you’ll have a look at it. Thank you Aneli and thank you Therese Carfagno, Eupalinos Ugajin, Nabrej Aabye, Betty Tureaud, Tubal Amiot and Xirana Oximoxi.

Landmark to La Maison d’Aneli
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Holland/43/41/21

Simploring 2018 (70) – The Art Game

25 Aug 2018 4 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , , , ,

Sunday, August 12th, I picked “The Art Game” from scoop.it SL Destinations for my simploring tour.
“The Art Game” is an installation from Betty Tureaud on LEA21. It’s the 2nd time that I came across Betty Tureaud. I saw other piece of art from her at ArtSpace UTSA in 2016 (read here). Betty Tureaud is from Denmark, she’s a builder and light and space artist in Second Life.

The landing at “The Art Game” is on a flat endless colourful plateau right next to some floating tyres. You have to sit on one of them to get into the installation itself. Once you’re inside, there is a board advertising the opening event which was Friday, August 10th, and a map with your position and some lines, it reminded me of the board for nine men’s morris. In the center of the map are two dice. And from the off you get a message from Betty Tureaud: “Welcome to The Art Game! To get on you must find the two dice (set cam to minimum 250m)“

Impressions of “The Art Game” by Betty Tureaud (1)

Ok …”The Art Game” is a maze! And it is a colourful maze. I tried to figure a way from my position to the center and entered the maze. Just when I got around the first corner Pac-Man ran into me and swallowed me. I had no way to get out and Pac-Man had it’s fun with me running back and forth the tube. After a while I teleported back to the start and when I entered the 2nd time I looked out carefully and got the right timing and avoided getting swallowed again.
But I forgot where to go 🙂 And that’s what a maze is for, you get lost. And several Pac-Men were after me. I took some nice pictures of myself being a part of the Pac-Man game. And of course I also met the Pac-Man Ghosts Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.

Impressions of “The Art Game” by Betty Tureaud (2)

“The Art Game” was really fun! I finally made it to the center and found the dice laying under a huge, colourful being with many tentacles. Right next to I found a dice with a free gift. My gift was one of the Pac-Man ghosts: Blinky. When I returned home I tried it and added it and I was transformed into Blinky – funny!

Impressions of “The Art Game” by Betty Tureaud (3) and back home I scared Angelique

“The Art Game” offers a lot of colourful views, some fun and for those familiar with Pac-Man also the very special experience to get into the game. Thank you Betty for your installation. I really enjoyed my visit. Well done!

Landmark to The Art Game
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA21/128/128/21

ArtSpace UTSA

28 Aug 2016 5 Comments

by diomitamaurer in Exploring sims in Second Life Tags: , , , , ,

Sunday, August 21st, I followed a landmark in the destination guide to ArtSpace UTSA.  There are already lots of blog entries about the USTA (University of Texas at San Antonio) and their committment to Second Life (if you want to read more see here). The ArtSpace UTSA is a quite small gallery embedded in a futuristic installation of buildings, stairs, platforms, sculptures and other elements of art.

August 21st: A visit to ArtSpace UTSA (1)

August 21st: A visit to ArtSpace UTSA (1)

August 21st: A visit to ArtSpace UTSA

August 21st: A visit to ArtSpace UTSA (2)

The current exhibition (August – October 2016) shows the work from Betty Tureaud (that is the sculpture you see in the picture above and below) and black&white pictures from Laoin Xaris. You can “sit” on the sculpture and get “into it”, then it looks like in the picture below on the right side. Quite a play with colours and quite opposed to the surrounding black&white minimalistic pictures from Laoin Xaris.20160821 artspace UTSA_01520160821 artspace UTSA_016The gallery is not large, there’s not much more to see but the surrounding structure and buildings are really worth a visit too. I walked and climbed to see what is there. On one plateau I saw a big sceleton of a dinosaur. I also discovered a morphing sculpture from Sasun Steinbeck which impressed me. But go and explore yourself ….
20160821 artspace UTSA_017Landmark ArtSpace UTSA
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/TejanoTech/185/128/77
Destination guide
http://secondlife.com/destination/artspace-utsa
Reports about ArtSpace UTSA
http://www.scoop.it/t/second-life-destinations?q=ArtSpace%20UTSA