Currently open at Raging Graphix Gallery, curated by artist RagingBellls, is an exhibition by digital artist and storyteller Strand Starsider.
The exhibition is split into two chapters: Magic, Angels and Demons, which ran from February 1st through 14th, and Fantasy and Scifi, launched on February 15th, and which runs through until the end of the month, which features the images seen in this article and includes a special celebration of art and music that will take place on Saturday, February 22nd from 11:00 to 13:00 SLT.
Strand’s work covers multiple genres: fantasy, science-fiction, noir, erotica, romance, avatar portraiture, abstract, whimsical, and more, enfoldling his imagination, Second Life and the physical world (catch his renderings of Christopher Walken, Clint Eastwood and Heath Ledger as The Joker available on his Flickr stream, for examples of the latter) . Rich in compositing, his are more than just digital art, they are genuine tales, each one with a narrative reaching far beyond the frame in which it sits, many often with subtle details that only reveal themselves through considered examination, adding to the tale they have to offer.
The pieces selected for this exhibition all offer a reflection of this gift for embodying narrative through art, and his exceptional ability to create entire worlds within each piece. To fully appreciate them, I would strongly recommend using the viewer’s camera control to focus in on individual pieces rather than trying to view them from a distance. In this way, the details of each piece in turn are brought to the eye, rather than multiple images in the frame of view each competing for attention.
As a master artist, Strand is comfortable enough in his medium to not only present his work for public exhibition in-world and through his Flickr stream, but also take us into his creative world, producing videos that reveal his compositing process from end-to-end. Take Moon Princess, for example, shown below as it appears on Flickr and at the exhibition; it is accompanied by a time-lapse video showing how the image progressed from initial idea to finished piece, including the flow of change and experimentation that form part of the real-time creative process.
I confess to wishing to be able to see Strand’s work displayed in a larger format than offered – and I say that with no disrespect to RagingBellls; we all work within the space we can make available. It’s just that a larger format for the images would allow one to more easily focus on individual pieces.
However, and make no mistake, this is a stunning display of Strand’s art, and should not be missed, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with his work. Full kudos to RagingBellls for hosting it.
SLurl Details
- Raging Graphix Gallery (Killtower, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 