Art and a coffee in Second Life

Two of the things I can appreciate in life are coffee and art. When it comes to the former, I take pride in being both an appreciator and a creator; I very much believe in the “old” saying life is too short for bad coffee, and always enjoy a well-made cup and genuinely enjoy making my own from beans to cup (by way of automatic prosumer coffee maker or a Cafetiere / French Press or a Moka pot, depending on mood / company). When it comes to the latter, however, I’m strictly an appreciator because I can neither draw nor paint. 

However, with LiThO Gallery I’ve found that I can enjoy both – and can combine my coverage of the arts in SL with my occasional series of cafés and coffee houses in Second Life whilst also making my way back to the Corsica South Coasters community, which I’ve also written about on numerous occasions (most notably in covering exhibitions at NovaOwl Galleries). Sub-titling itself the tiny art(ist) Café, LiThO offers a neat little play on words whilst also fulfilling its primary purpose: a place to relax and enjoy art.

The play on words – as the notes from owners Lizzy Swordthain and Tom Willis available from the café’s terrace explain – first off takes the short-form of lithography, the planographic method of printing developed by author and actor Alois Senefelder, and most frequently used initially for musical scores and maps. In the second, it is a tease on their SL names. It occupies one of three parcels the couple have developed, the one alongside the café offering an open-air event space (although the café also has one of its own up on the roof and reached via stairs to one side of the building). The reaming parcel, to the rear of the café, is a private home, the two separated by the gully and bridge – the latter marking the limit of public spaces.

As a gallery space, the café hosts modest exhibitions in casual boutique style. Pieces from the invited artist are displayed the the two covered wings of the terrace and on the walls of the café’s rooms. At the time of my visit the gallery was playing host to an exhibition of Second Life landscapes by Michiel Bechir  – an artist whose work is always worth seeing. It opened on September 3rd, 2023, so has a while to run for those wishing to visit without feeling rushed. The select of pieces – 15 in total are well-suited to the ambience of the café and offer engaging views of some of Second Life’s most popular public regions, past and present.

Cosy and nicely presented, LiThO makes for an easy-going visit, and the trails and paths around it offer opportunities for exploration.

SLurl Details

• LiThO Gallery (Durdane, rated Moderate)