Day: June 6, 2020

Stand for Justice in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Stand for Justice

No-one of decent mind and standing could have reacted with anything other than horror at the killing of George Floyd, and with a deepening since of upset and outrage at both the degree of oppression demanded by some in positions of authority have called for and the degree of violence exhibited by office of the law, in response to the – and this has to be said – predominantly peaceful demonstrations that have followed in its wake.

What we have seen and continue to see, is a laying bare of social injustice that has persisted for far too long. It has rightly resulted in a global response in condemning all acts of racism, divisiveness, brutality and hatred and those who enact or promote them. A response that will, one can only hope, bring about genuine, beneficial and lasting change for the better for all who currently face such discriminatory treatment as a part of their daily lives.

On June 5th, 2020, Linden Lab added their voice in both condemnation of all such acts, with a statement of support for Black Lives Matter, one that includes the very practical and welcome move of donating US $30,000 equally between the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC).

Second Life residents can also provide support for bringing about change whilst also assisting in raising funds for Black Lives Matter and associated / related campaigns, by attending the Stand for Justice event, which opened its doors on June 5th, 2020 and will remain open for as long as possible with the support of SL merchants.

Stand for Justice is a fundraising effort dedicated to raising funds for the charities Black Lives Matter, Black Visions Collective, Campaign Zero, the National Police Accountability Project, and a Split Bail Fund benefiting 38+ bail funds across the United States. It is supported by a website where details of the event and the charities and organisations the event is supporting can be found, together with information on the organisers, together with contact details.

Currently, over 100 SL brands and stores have joined the event, and there is room for expansion should more wish to join, with 100% of all sales to be donated equally among the supported charities and organisations.

To ensure transparency, an avatar account specifically for the event has been created – StandforJusticeSL Resident – and is being used to hold all funds raised. A running total of funds raised is being kept, and all donations, when made will be accompanied by a breakdown of funds paid with screenshots and receipts.

Please do take the time and the opportunity to visit Stand for Justice and show support for your fellow citizens of the physical world by making one or two purchases.

Useful Links

 

Raging Graphix Gallery: Etamae and I

Posted on by Inara Pey
Raging Graphix Gallery

Opening on Saturday, June 6th, 2020 at Raging Bellls’ Raging Graphix Gallery is an exhibition that I’m both delighted and honoured to be sharing with the extraordinary talent of Etamae, and which is entitled A Celebration of the Arts, but which might also have be called The Brits Are Coming!, as Etamae – Eta to her friends – also hails from the UK 🙂 .

In truth, Eta is an extraordinary digital artist. her work, whether landscape or avatar  is both unique and distinctive in its presentation. Using digital technique and Second Life capabilities such as Advanced Lighting, Eta never fails to produce utterly captivating pieces that never fail to hold the eye.

Raging Graphix Gallery: Etamae

My photography and art is exclusive to SL, taken from the things she has seen and loved which have inspired her to transform them into something else – not more, nor better – simply different. As an avid SL traveller, I truly enjoy the inventiveness our double click world inspires.

Mesh creators like Mistero Hfeng, Bryn Oh, Toysoldier Thor, CioTToLiNa Xue, Theda Tammas, Tralala Loordes, Cherry Manga, Meilo Minotaur, Maru Kado, Safar Fiertze, Tansee and Harry Cover to name just a few provide me with subject matter and inspiration, and I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed creating it.

– Etamae

Raging Graphix Gallery: Etamae (r) and Yours Truly (l)

For my part, I remain genuinely flattered that people find my work worthy of a focused exhibition. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I don’t regard my images as art, but rather as illustrations for this blog; I don’t pretend to understand anything more than some of the basics of photography, and my post-processing skill – although they have grown somewhat over the years – remain limited when it comes to present any of them as “art”.

The Exhibition space is on the upper floor of the gallery, giving visitors the opportunity to appreciate Raging’s own art on the ground floor, adding a further attraction to any visit.

Raging Graphix Gallery: Yours Truly

The official opening for A Celebration of the Arts is 11:00 SLT on Saturday June 6th, and Eta and I hope you’ll join us. If not, I certainly hope you’ll visit the exhibition during the month it is open; my thanks to Raging for the invitation and opportunity to present at her gallery.

SLurl Details

Raging Graphix Gallery (Heatherwood, rated Moderate)

 

 

 

A Parisian delight in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Paris for Ara, June 2020 – click any image for full size

Occupying a Homestead region, Paris for Ara has been designed by Trouble Dethly as a tribute to both the capital of France and to he SL partner AraceliSoto. Intended for photography, it captures much of the romantic heart of that city, whilst – with one notable exception – avoiding the usual focuses of attraction to be found within the heart of that city.

Paris for Ara, June 2020

That one exception is the wrought-iron lattice tower that bears the name of its engineer: Gustave Eiffel. Built for the 1889 World’s Fair, Eiffel’s design was initially disliked by many in the French art and intellectual communities for its modernity. Nevertheless it became, and remains, one of the world’s great cultural icons, and the most-visited paid monument in the world.

Often seen as a romantic setting for marriage proposals in the physical world, here the tower stands on a small island to the north of the region and connected to it by a bridge, the water beneath the bridge mindful of the Seine, the gardens beneath the tower suggestive of the Champ de Mars.

Paris for Ara, June 2020

Facing this north side island, the rest of the build offers not the broad avenues oft photographed or considered when thinking about Paris, but rather the narrower cobbled streets that pass through the city’s older blocks. Streets that so often offer hidden charms, be they little cafés in which one can shelter from a change in weather or to escape the broader noise of the city, through to places where a meal can be enjoyed alfresco, or corners where street artists ply their trade from mime to paintings of all kinds – including, perhaps those of people who have paid to sit and have their portrait painted.

Paris for Ara, June 2020

Most of the buildings around these little streets and alleys are shells or façades – but this doesn’t matter. The aim of this build is to capture the romance of Paris, and in this it does so admirably, the relatively small size of the build definitely adding to this. As a place designed for photography – notably avatar-centric images – it has multiple places suitable for this task, from sitting and enjoying the aforementioned alfresco meal or posing alongside the mime artist or one of the cats and dogs dotted around the streets, to simply sitting on one of the many benches or  in the gardens of little cosy fair.

For those who want to take the romance further, there are two fee-payable fine dining options that are available. These offer (I believe) private use of the region for an average of 50-60 minutes for parties of two or more. Those interested can click on the Eiffel Tower sign boards at the street dining area or at the tower itself to obtain a link to the on-line booking form.

Paris for Ara, June 2020

Capturing the essence of Paris and highly photogenic, Paris for Ara makes for a gentle, pleasing visit.

SLurl Details