The start of the week saw an invitation arrive from Nomore (Manoji Yachvili) to visit her homestead region and latest art exhibition, Cellophane.
Whilst I was unable to make the opening due to pressures elsewhere, I was extremely pleased and surprised to receive it; earlier in 2026 Nomore had closed her Homestead region to public access, and had also offered what looked like being a final exhibition of her art, hosted by Dido Haas at Nitroglobus Roof Gallery (see: Of Inventory, art and the artist in Second Life). I was therefore keen to hop along and see both the region and the exhibition.
I’ve covered past iterations of Fading Shadows numerous times in this blog, and have always enjoyed how Nomore has blended natural setting, architecture and art to create a flowing sense of space and environment.
This is very much in evidence with this iteration for mid- 2026. Entitled The PALM, it presents a minimalist, windswept coastal area of sand and dunes into which the rolling tide has sculpted inlets and bays, and the slopes of the dunes and hills have been smoothed and rounded by the passage of the wind.
There is a sense of age to the setting, both in the way the sands have been so shaped, and in the fact that that an old stone watchtower guards one corner of the setting, the wreck of sailing ship caught on the shoals below it, guarded by an orca.
Across the region, to the north-east, the land becomes rockier, the sands rising to cleave to a table of rock on which sits Nomore’s private home, and the only part of the region off-limits to visitors.
These are not the only structures present within the region; Nomore has a captivating means of incorporating various architectural styles into her region designs which both perfectly fit the aesthetic and which can serve as a home to her art exhibitions. The PALM is no exception.
Scattered across the landscape are four modern building designs, each home to a themed exhibition of Nomore’s Second Life and physical world art. As with many of her past region designs, these have been blended into the setting through the use of texturing and materials – something perhaps most apparent here within the cliff house gallery on the north side of the setting.
Cellophane, Nomore’s latest exhibition is housed with Cory Edo’s Jura Cottage, a building I’ve oft considered playing with myself (still might!), which here again Nomore has superbly blended into the setting through careful retexturing of the base and some of the outer walls
The exhibition is – like many for Nomore – something of a reflection of personal feelings and outlook and accessible commentary designed to prod us into thinking about life and the planet around us. For me, this always makes Nomore’s exhibitions especially attractive; they are both visually and mentally engaging and multi-layered.
Cellophane offers food for thought on modern society and its outlook on a range of matters from global warming through to questioning the purpose of art, whilst gently reminding us that we are all stewards of this planet, and we all have a responsibility for actively caring for it.
In this the use of cellophane / plastic particularly layered; its convenience makes it both ideal for simple preservation, whilst at the same time it is one of the most ecologically damaging materials we can use and which we often so carelessly dispose. It is also a perfect metaphor for our willingness to be inactive participants (if you will) in expressing concern for the directions the world around us seems to be taking.
These thoughts and ideas have helped shape The PALM as a whole; reading the artist’s reflection on the exhibition sheds light on the nature of the region’s form and the idea of slow erosion. Thus landscape and art further come together.
In this, there is perhaps a wider contrast hidden without the quiet beauty of the region; particularly in the contrast between the flotsam and jetsam of human vacationing scattered over the sands and the quiet reminders of the beauty of life in all its forms in our oceans, and which can be glimpsed as we explore the landscape.
Which is not to say the PALM is all about Deep Thinking. Its minimalist beauty is captivating and photogenic; there are multiple places to sit and simply chat or enjoy the passing time; there are opportunities for padding out on the waters via little boats or have a little fun on a springboard.
Nor is the art within the region confined to the gallery spaces or even the ground. Elements of art have been carefully folded into the setting in the form of sculptures, whilst an active Experience operating within the region can be used to hop between the ground-level galleries and those up in the air over the region, which house Nomore’s personal collections of art.
In short, there are multiple reasons for visiting The PALM – and I very much hope that after reading this, you will hop over and see for yourself. My thanks to Nomore for the invitation, and apologies for no making the opening event!
Slurl Details
- The PALM (Fading shadows, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 