It has been some time since I had the pleasure to view the art of Miles Cantelou. This is in part because I gather he took a leave of absence from Second Life some time after I last had an opportunity to visit one of his exhibitions (see: Lucid Dreams with Miles Cantelou in Second Life). Given this, I was delighted to receive a note from him indicating he was once again active in SL, and inviting me to visit his latest undertaking, a multi-gallery complex showcasing his work.
Located on a portion of a Homestead region Scirocco Art Galleries occupies both the ground level and skyboxes which gather elements of Miles’ extensive catalogue of art and styles, with the ground level also offering spaces for relaxation, meditation and Tai Chi.
What started as a couple of galleries has now become a kind of Terra Mitica and I have to say, it’s been a lot of creative fun which continues every day.
– Miles Cantelou
Those familiar with Miles’ work will know that his range encompasses street and studio photography, painting in acrylics and oils, working within 3D environments and more, whilst encompassing genres from abstract through surrealism to abstracted expressionism, with a strong lean into using light and light forms. Much of his work is colour-rich and boldly stated – although this is not always the case, as is demonstrated particularly within Ice, one of the smaller exhibitions within the Artist’s Block galleries space.
The latter is one of the skybox areas with the parcel, and one which – going from the sign displayed at the time of my visits – still in development, and planned to be a space for artists. Reached via the teleport board system which links all the various galleries and public spaces, it was home to a set of smaller exhibitions by Miles at the time of my visit, starting with the aforementioned Ice, featuring stunningly engaging blended photography portraits.
Joining Ice is Expo Retro Amsterdam, a truly magnificent series of images and street photography taken from around Amsterdam taken and processed in such a way as to bring a whole new vision of that city to life; Outback, a highly individualised reflection of Australian aboriginal art in places given an abstracted lean; and Forest, a series of abstract paintings for forest environments.
As I’ve stated in the past with regards to Miles’ work, it constantly expands boundaries; physically and metaphorically. Physically, because it embraces art genres, such as those noted above, whilst often offering a unique look and feel, a blending of styles, approaches and ideas that renders his work unique unto itself – whilst still being utterly approachable.
Take, for example, the display of street art present within the Brutbuild gallery, a name referencing the minimalist style of architecture common in post-war Britain in the 1950s and 1960 called Brutalist architecture, and which eschewed decorative design in favour of basic materials and structural forms. The gallery’s form is more in keeping with the term than that art it presents; although some of the art within the gallery might be seen as offering subtle nodes to the minimalism of Brutalist expression.
But more the point, within this gallery space is a richness of styles – impressionist, abstract, surreal, cubist, digitally processed – all beautifully presented and individually approachable and understood – yet each given a unique turn of colour, processing, technique, etc., that leaves it as a suggestion of that metaphysical expansion: that beyond the frame, there is an entire story, an entire world colours and presented through Miles’ eyes, and awaiting our perception.
However, the best way to fully appreciate Miles’ work is to witness it, not read about it. Each of the major gallery spaces presents a themed collection (e.g. the Far East, a unique take on China and Japan; Mesoamerica, a homage to the Cubism of Picasso, for example), allowing them to be visited individually or collectively, in a single visit or across several, making it very easy to immerse yourself in Miles’ work.
Highly recommended for all lovers of art.
SLurl Details
- Scirocco Art Galleries (Power Point, rated: Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 