Day: November 12, 2022

Like Blood, Like Fire, Like Passions in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Vibes Gallery: Like Blood, Like Fire, Like Passions in Second Life – Difficult Conundrum (l) and Dae Fangs (r)

Now open at Vibes Gallery, curated by Eviana Robbiani, is a further ensemble exhibition featuring the work of a dozen artists from across Second Life entitled Like Blood, Like Fire, Like Passions. It is an exhibition focused on the colour red, as the introductory notes for the exhibition explain:

Red is the colour of extremes. It’s the colour of passionate love, seduction, violence, danger, anger, and adventure. Our prehistoric ancestors saw red as the colour of fire and blood – energy and primal life forces – and most of red’s symbolism today arises from its powerful associations in the past.
A deep immersion in the magical sensuality of the colour red , which brushes vibrant images.

– from the introduction to Like Blood, like fire, like passions

Vibes Gallery: Like Blood, Like Fire, Like Passions in Second Life – Tutsy Navarathna

The participating artists comprise: Dae Fangs, Difficult Conundrum, Joanna Kitten and Peuxswau (Theatre 7); Dragonangelus, Exzoo McDonnel and Tutsy Navarathna (Theatre 8); and Amberly, Apple Roses, Jo Molinaro, Milhailsk Syros and The Base of Bad Ideas (Theatre 9).

Together, these are very different artists, some of whom I am familiar with, whilst the exhibition formed my first acquaintance with others, and whilst the number of pieces presented by each artist is variable, it cannot be denied that all of the pieces offered are striking in tone and content.

Vibes Gallery: Like Blood, Like Fire, Like Passions in Second Life – Amberly (l) and The Base of Bad Ideas (r)

Given the description of the exhibition, it should come as no surprise that the primary focus of most of the images is that of avatars; but the sheer richness and variance in the art – and the use of red within them is striking. As such, picking individual pieces or artists seems narrow-minded; but the fact is I have to admit I found myself heavily drawn to the work of Difficult Conundrum – one the artists whose work I had not encountered prior to this exhibition.

Offered as two sets of images – Tension, Back to You and Seeing Red, together with -08358 and Voyage – these piece are striking for their very different styles, with the formal presented as a trio of painting-like pieces which reflect a modern approach to physical world artistic statement.

Vibes Gallery: Like Blood, Like Fire, Like Passions in Second Life – Exzoo McDonnel (l) and Dragonangelus (r)

How well individual pieces reflect the central themes (passion, love, danger, anger, the representation of fire and blood) is a matter of personal responsiveness to the individual pieces, but again, I found myself drawn to those pieces with a more subtle suggestiveness / narrative within them – such as the images by Apple Roses and Amberly. But again, picking out individual pieces / artist within this exhibition would be unfair – all of the works offered are extraordinary in their sheer vibrancy and depth.

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