To anyone reading this blog, it’s pretty obvious I like taking pictures of the places I visit in-world. I’m the first to admit that I have an awful lot still to learn in terms of technique and in post-processing (where required). However, I have to admit that the ego in me does sometimes wonder what it would be like to put on an exhibition.
The reality is, of course, that I am just a happy snapper; therefore exhibitions are best left to those who know what they’re doing and who create some of the most memorable, creative and eye-catching images of their in-world experiences. People like Ziki Questi.
Ziki is rightly well-known and admired by many (including me) across Second Life for her incredible photographs which capture scenes and regions in amazing detail, and which are presented in a format and style she has made her own. Her blog is a veritable travelogue for Second Life residents, constantly offering rich and evocative images each and every time she posts, while pointing readers to places to visit and witness for themselves. Her gallery, which recently relocated, is a must-visit for anyone who enjoys her work or who wishes to see some of the most eye-catching SL photography available.
Some of Ziki’s work can also now be seen at Anita Witt’s gallery space on her region of Dryland. The theme for the exhibit was also suggested by Anita, “Lost Second Life“, which Ziki admits to both intrigued her and worried her at the same time, as she reveals in the exhibition notes:
I thought it would be easy, just sifting through images and selecting a few here and there, but it turned out to be a surprising challenge. For starters, there were more than 15,000 photographs to look through … And then there was the title itself: Lost Second Life somehow implied a comprehensive survey of all that had come and gone, and that’s not really what either Anita or I originally envisioned.
The result certainly isn’t a comprehensive survey; it’s far more than that. It is a very personal look back through those 15,000 images to present a fascinating look back at regions and builds which will be both familiar and new, but all of which have now passed into history as Second Life continues through its own evolutionary process. By carefully curating the images used for the exhibition, Ziki is allowing visitors not only a window into SL’s past, she is also presenting a means by which memories can be shared as we come across places that we’ve visited and can now see again through her eyes, making this a very intimate exhibition.
This feeling of intimacy is further increased by the mix of older works from Ziki’s collection with more recent pieces. In presenting both, Ziki shares her evolving approach and style to SL photography with us, something which draws us into each of the pieces on display here.
In a similar way, Anita’s gallery design means that the pictures are displayed in relatively small spaces on three floors. This helps create a feeling of a more intimate space which is aided by the warm colours of the default windlight, both again drawing us even closer to the pictures Ziki has chosen to share.
Lost Second Life opened on November 12th, 2013. I’m not sure how long it will run, but I do recommend that when you get the chance, you go and see it. When you do, make sure you grab the note cards from the info board at the arrival-point; not only do they provide background to the exhibition as a whole, they also provide notes on each of the pieces, together with links to Ziki’s original blog posts where each is featured.
Related Links
- Lost Second Life, Dryland (Rated: Moderate)
- Ziki’s in-world Gallery (Rated: Moderate)
- Ziki’s blog
- Ziki’s Flickr stream
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 
Thank you. I don’t know what to say other than that this is exceptionally generous of you. I’m flattered more than you might imagine.
You’re right, it’s not a survey but is more of a voyage—just my own personal slice of experiences in Second Life, and if someone with other interests were to have created the same exhibition it would differ considerably. And the older images, those pre-windlight pre-high resolution pre-anti-alias images do look pretty dated. I often wonder what we could have captured with better tools way back then, but of course the builds themselves would have been different as well.
And somehow I knew if you visited that you’d zoom in on that shot of Fallingwater. 😉
Best,
Ziki
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Hi, Ziki!
It’s a beautifully curated exhibit; thank you for sharing it and making it so personal. I know how you feel about early images. I look back at snaps I took in 2006-2008, and think “blimey!” In that respect, it is another indicator of the fact that SL is constantly evolving; something we can all too easily forget.
As to Fallingwater – you know me too well :).
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I can not wait to visit it but this post reminds me of the removal of Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum and the stupid revolting act that the Frank Lloyd Wright foundation had towards SL!
Lucky i do think the same didn’t not apply to other virtual worlds so we still can see Some of the amazing builds of Him in Kitely or osgrid!
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The move on the part of the FLW Foundation was unfortunate; particularly given they initially give their approval to the project. As to other grids, I’d say that the precedent has been set. Were someone to try to establish a similar region elsewhere, they would either be refused permission or get sternly warned. As to individual builds inspired by his work, those seem to be OK. I’ve certainly had nothing coming my way as a result of my full region Fallingwater on Kitely (now over 2 years old), and nothing was said when the build was in Second Life, so we do seem to be flying under the radar. But again, I think it likely that would change were people to start selling builds clearly modelled on FLW’s designs.
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