The four seasons of the year have long served as focal points for artists who sought to portray the emotions and feelings that each one brings to most people. Spring is a season that is overflowing with life and new beginnings a season where we’re making friends with our emotions again , our emotional reactivity and responses blossom with nature around us, happiness, serenity as flowers hatch and colours explode everywhere in intense expressiveness.
So reads the introduction to an expansive exhibition of art and artistry from Second Life and the physical world, mixing photography with mixed media and painting to express the beauty and renewal of springtime, all of which is being hosted at the Serena Arts Centre and Plaza in Second Life.
And when I say expansive, I mean just that: the exhibition is located across Serena Arts Centre and Plaza, featuring both indoor and outdoor displays which have been thoughtfully laid out so as not to overload the senses with art by the 25 artists who have been invited to participate in the event by the Serena Arts team.
Officially opening at 12:00 noon SLT on May 3rd, 2024, the exhibition – officially called Visions of Spring : Rebirth and Recolouring, will run through until May 23rd, and the 25 invited artists comprise:
Dante Helios (Dantelios), Maggie (maggiemagenta), Greg Parker (GregParker), Terrygold, Christian Carter (XJustFriendX), Tara Paxlapis-Savior (Tara Aers), Sisi Biedermann, Sheba Blitz, Zia Branner, Raven (Raven Cedarbridge), Teagan Dawnbringer, Prins Evergarden, John (Johannes Huntsman), Layachi Ihnen, Hermes Kondor, Jaminda Galênê Moon (Jaminda Lygon), Dreams (barry Richez), Tempest Rosca-Huntsman (Tempest Rosca), Vee Tammas Shocker (Veruca Tammas), AmandaT Tamatzui, Vita Theas, Nils Urqhart, Pask Wasp, Meycy Winchester, Onceagain (Nanoji Yachvili), Deyanira Yalin, and Cayla (YumiYukimura).
Each artist has been invited to display two items of their work that encompass the central theme of spring the richness and vibrancy of its colours, its beauty, and the sense of renewal and rebirth evident within it. In addition, artists have been able to include their biographies and information on where more of their work might be seen in-world and on-line.
Given such a diversity of artists, it’s impossible to highlight particular pictures of images; suffice it to say that all offer highly individual views of spring, be they images from locations in Second Life or avatar studies, paintings or photographs of their physical world work uploaded to Second Life or purely digital compositions (some of which combine elements from within and without SL). the majority have opted to offer copies of their pieces for sale (some of a limited quantity basis), although one or two have not.
All of the displays comprising the exhibition are located across the canals from the Centre’s landing point, with the majority being to the west of the landing point, under the two geodomes located there and along the walk linking them, with the rest on the plaza area to the north of the landing point (and directly connected to the area with the geodomes) and the gallery building to the north-east build out over the water and reached via the two decks alongside of it.
Given the organisers have taken care to present a broad mix of genres and art types in each location, rather than focus on a specific genre / approach in each one (e.g. one area devoted to work originating in SL, another for those artists offering work uploaded from the physical world, etc.), the exhibition should be explored in full, and the spread of the exhibit spaces – as noted above – present the eye and mind becoming too overwhelmed whilst also being a pleasant stroll.
SLurl Details
- Serena Arts Centre and Plaza (Serena Hub, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 