Day: November 25, 2022

Opening on Friday, November 25th at Artsville is We Orange The World, a 16-day arts event intended to coincide with the The United Nations Women’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, and which runs from November 25th, 2022 through to December 16th inclusive.

The physical world campaign started in 1991 at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership Institute, which continues to coordinate each year’s campaign. It is used as a nexus strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Initially a civil society initiative, the campaign has – since 2008 – been supported by the UNiTE campaign,  which runs parallel events with the aim of ending violence against women by 2030.

Within We Orange the World, artists have been invited to submit a piece of 2D or 3D art to be displayed within the exhibition, related to the general theme of the beauty and empowerment of women around the world. Entrants were asked to keep pieces positive, uplifting and empowering rather than negative in nature, otherwise subject matter and presentation were left up to the artists.

Why [are we] having this campaign in our virtual world?

Let’s face it! Gender-based abuse also exists virtually, it may be in an unintentional or intentional form. The extent of this violence may not be physical but will always result to short-term or long-term emotional trauma and anxiety to the member victims resulting to a violation of the Community of Standards (not TOS) of SL. Raising awareness in our SL community will give us reminders that one cannot just violate and do things according to their pleasure in-world with the expense of another person/ persons. It is time to at least put light into this issue by supporting us.

– We Orange the World organisers

The event is taking place on a purpose-built sky platform at Artsville, a space divided into a number of areas, all caught under an appropriately orange sky. The first part is an area of open water backed by high falls against which a seated Buddha floats serenely. An island and small promontory sit over the water, both home to elements of a Zen garden. The island is the main landing point for the event, and is noticeably crowned by a sculpture (Lady Carmagnolle by Bryn Oh). This helps indicate that the statuary in the event are interactive in nature: touch them to receive information in keeping with the theme of the campaign.

Over a bridge from the landing point, a path winds its way to the remaining elements of the setting: the main art exhibition and the event space – We Orange the World will include a number of related events through its run including music, DJ events and poetry reading (although at the time of writing, a schedule of events had yet to be published), all with the focus of raising awareness of the campaign and what it is trying to achieve / eliminate. After passing through the event spaces, the path winds onwards back through the screen of trees to the little headland on the lake. Along the way are a number of seating areas, with benches also presented within the art display areas for those wishing to appreciate the art.

The call for artists this year went out a little on the late side (earlier in November), but the artists who have responded to the call include: Wren Carling, Mara Telling, Carelyna, Selen Minotaur, GitterPrincess Destiny, Idoliza, Ilrya Chardin, Anja, Mareea Farrasco, AmandaT Tamatzui, Jaz, Elfi Siemens, Sina Souza, Ambre Singh, Justhyne Shewolf and deborakaz. All of whom nevertheless make for an engaging exhibition.

Photo Contest

The global theme for this year’s UN Women’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls. In support of this theme, the organisers of We Orange the World partnering with GP Gallery to run a photo contest on the theme of Unite, with a total of L$10,000 available in three prizes.

The competition runs through until December 10th, 2022, the the rules being:

• Photos can be taken anywhere in SL but must adhere to the theme of “Unite” and “Violence against Women”.
• Post-photo editing is allowed for touch ups only – no significant work that changes the content / appearance of a piece.
• Entrants can submit a maximum of two pieces to the competition.
• Submission should be made to the contest Flickr group, and must include “#orangetheworld2022” in the description, together with the entrant’s name, and must be uploaded no later than 12:00 noon SLT on Saturday, December 10th, 2022.
• Photos will be judged on composition, style, creativity and general appeal.

We Orange the World officially opens on Friday, November 25th, 2022 at 13:00 SLT with a special event featuring the live music of Kael and Maximillion Kleene.

SLurl Details

• We Orange the World, Artsville (Caribbean Ocean, rated Moderate)