Month: May 2016

The 2016 Raglan Shire Art Walk opened on May 15th, and runs through until Sunday, June 19th. One again it is a big affair – at the last count, over 150 Second Life artists and photographers were participating, and free slots within the exhibition spaces were still being filled.

The Art Walk, a traditional event in this delightful Tiny community which is not into its 10th year of life, will be the first opportunity for many to see the new build for the regions as well, this having only been completed in April – and there is a lot to see, quite apart from the extensive Art Walk, making a visit doubly worth while. Given the size of the community and the exhibition, knowing quite where to start can be confusing, so I’m using the Raglan Shire Welcome Centre as the SLurl for this piece.

Also, given the size of the event, getting around can also potentially be a little confusing – or tiring on the feet (particularly if you opt for Tiny form for your visit!). Fortunately, the organisers have recognised this, and brightly coloured teleporter stations are available to carry you directly to each of the regions. There are also touring hedgiepillars you can rez’n’ride at any tour rezzing post.

And, of course, if you’re feeling particularly brave, you can try the local mode of transportation – the catapults which can be found throughout the regions, which will shoot you to a number of destinations (not  all of them related to the Art Walk) with a satisfying “bwong!” as they fire!

As is usual for the Art Walk, the majority of 2D art is in mounted on the hedges found on the tree platforms, while 3D pieces tend to be at ground level. Given the volume of participants, the cross-section of art, both 2D and 3D is enormous, and touring the regions it is easy to come across familiar names (pauses to wave to Bear and Derry) sitting alongside those who are perhaps less familiar on the art circuit, but no less gifted. Whilst touring, it is also likely art lovers will encounter pieces displayed past exhibitions elsewhere. When this happens, tit’s a little like encountering old acquaintances – that warm rush of familiarity on sighting them among the crowd.

For those who enjoy a broad cross-section of SL art, or who are interested in discovering how broad a range of art can be found in Second Life, the Raglan Shire Art Walk is undoubtedly the place to visit – and you’ll always be assured a walk and friendly welcome from the Tinies!

SLurl Details

• Raglan Shire Welcome Centre (Rated: General)

Arachnid is the title of Cica Ghost’s latest installation, which opened on May 22nd. As the title suggests, it’s one that might have arachnophobes (like me!) a little cautious about entering. However, this is Cica’s work, and so it contains much of her delightfully fanciful outlook, rather than being intended to outright scare – although I did find possible hints of double meanings here and there which may or may not have been intended.

On arrival, visitors find themselves inside a large cage within a foggy environment. Are the bars perhaps a warning about venturing forth? Or are they there to present a feeling of security and safety?

Other cages loom nearby, some on the ground, others on pedestals. Several present a bedroom scene; beds are a frequent motif in Cica’s work, and thus we have something of a connection between this and her earlier installations, such as Moonlight. Here however, the bedrooms seem to offer one of those double meanings.

“Rooms are a kind of hiding places,  so they look like cages.” Cica said to me as we talked about her work. I suggested there’s another aspect however: bedrooms offer us the comfort of sleep, but also the risk of dark dreams, which oft can feature spiders; thus our bedrooms could be cages trapping us in our nightmares. “Could be,” Cica replied, enigmatically.

There’s certainly a hint of this darker aspect to be found as you explore: in one corner of this landscape, filled as it is with strange, twisted tree-like forms, a web holds a couple of human victims. Suspended above the ground and cocooned to their necks in spider silk, looking for all the world like they are snuggled in sleep.

Elsewhere, webs strung across the strange trees have captured large butterflies, wings flapping helplessly, alerting the spiders to their presence. The butterflies in turn, seem to have emerged  from a huge garden cloche, where some are still feeding on the vegetables growing beneath it.  Given cloches are intended to protect the items grown beneath them, is there perhaps another message here in keeping with the (false?) security suggested by the cages?

Whether one chooses to seen meaning or message in the installation or not, time should be taken to explore, as there is much that is presented here which might easily be missed. One of her little stick figures from the likes of Ghostsville resides within a wardrobe, for example, while touching the televisions in some the cage bedrooms will, if you have media enabled in your viewer, play music videos. Be sure to click around elsewhere as well, as there are spots you can sit and float and become part of the setting.

Meanwhile, towards the south-east corner of the region, a pianist plays on a stage, his only audience a crow and little rat. Hie seems oblivious to the surrounding webs, although one has captured some of the butterflies close by, and he pays scant attention to a spider lurking nearby. If the music videos on offer through he televisions are not to your liking, then the sound stream offers a perfect accompaniment to his playing.

And the spiders? Yes, they’re here as well, both on the ground and overhead. But again, arachnophobes need not fear. These aren’t prone to pouncing, stinging, wrapping or devouring. Rather they are content to observe the comings and goings of visitors; and if they do spin webs, it’s likely to happen we all aren’t looking!

SLurl Details

• Arachnid (Rated: Moderate)