Category: Art in Second Life

Dreamworld is the name Cica Ghost has given to her first installation of 2025, as just as the new year tends to be a time when we look positively towards the bright promises of the incoming year and all we might dream and achieve, so Cica offers a bright, happy setting that puts a spring in the step and a smile on the face.

This is a setting sort-of dominated by the feline form – I think that like me, Cica has a love of cats -; but one that comes in a light-hearted and whimsical way. The cats in the case are of enormous size and come in a variety of forms: literal catfish, equally literal cat houses, kitty seats … There’s also a little touch of Jerry among the Toms, including a mouse house and little mouse buggies to drive around in.

Among all of these, and within the patchwork landscape might be found long-horned cows, lama, and birds – and a rather large frog, complete with crown, as if waiting for a prince (or princess?) to come along and land it a kiss.

As might be expected with Cica, there are opportunities to sit and pass the time, to dance, to enjoy times on the water aboard a little boat – even to blast off in a rocket and experience some weightlessness.

The installation is accompanied by a quote from Brazilian lyricist and novelist, Paulo Coelho de Souza:

Love is what dreams are made of!

It’s a marvellous sentiment – one reflective of much of de Souza’s writing, much of which has been born of a life rich in experience: from being committed to a mental institution by his parents at the age of 17, through forsaking his dream of being a writer in order to meet the approval of those same parents, to being deeply involved in the hippie culture in the 1960s to his career as a lyricist and – eventually, procrastination being one of his strong suits, a writer.

Here, the quote reminds us of the power of love – and the need to show it; as does the brightness of Cica’s setting – indeed, of Cica’s library of work. So, why not hop along and share in Cica’s love and enjoy your own dreams (and don’t forget to pick up your gift!).

SLurl Details

• Dreamworld (Mysterious Isle, rated Moderate)

In 2009 I embarked on my journey as a Second Life photographer.  I like to share the richness of the creations from various sims, by trying to show all their aspects in my pictures. During my in world travels, I encounter numerous individuals from around the globe who share their backgrounds, passions, and interests with me, for which I am very grateful.

– Michiel Bechir

With these words, Michiel Bechir introduces himself – if such an introduction is even required, his work being well known with in the SL arts community as both a photographer-artist and as the owner of his own gallery where he promotes other artists – and his latest exhibition, which opens on January 6th, 2025 at the Hermit Gallery of Saint Elizabeth’s University.

As a fellow traveller across Second Life, Michiel has done much over the 15 years he’s been recording his travels to capture the beauty of many places across the grid, sometimes casting his photographic net wider to include avatar-centric photography. In that time – as do so many of SL’s talents – he has refined his technique and learned to use editing tools with a fine touch in order to enhance his images and imbue them with further sense of mood and/or genre / and uniqueness.

Within Beyond Borders: A Visual Journey, he offers a selection of his work as both a demonstrations of his art and as a mini retrospective of his photography over the years. And when better than to hold a retrospective than, perhaps the beginning of a new year, thus offering a look back even whilst eyes might be set on the future?

Spread across the gallery’s three levels – with some also out on the roof terrace, the collection is focused on a given theme within each area of the gallery: Animals, History, Landscapes, and Flowers. While the collection is bracketed within the period 2009-2024, the majority of the images lean towards the latter years, being particularly focused on the period 2020-2024. Whilst this is far from a negative per se, I would have enjoyed perhaps seeing a wider spread of images in terms of years, so as to better appreciate Michiel’s evolving style; but this is a purely subjective comment.

As it is, what is presented is engaging and rich display of Second Life photographic art, the use of sub-themes split between the different galley levels allowing each to stand as a mini-exhibition in its own right, and I have no hesitation in recommending Beyond Borders for a visit.

SLurl Details

• Hermit Gallery, Saint Elizabeth’s University (Dark Dreamer, rated Adult)

Just before Christmas 2024, Iris Okiddo (IrisSweet) invited me to visit the latest exhibition she and Jules Neveille (Jules Catlyn) are hosting at their Andante Gallery, entitled Hooray for Hollywood.

This is an ensemble exhibition organised by Iris and Jules, featuring piece by Alsatian Kidd, Angel Kavanagh, Awesome Fallen, Ben J, Carter Holloway, Daimaju Clowes, Inka Enkeli-Neville, Jazz Delenz, Jo Aquacade, Ludi Taurus, Mimi Soleil Firelight, Morgan Talbot, Orion Octane, Partee Mytili, Simone Landes, Sparklebottom Lasertits, Tamara Aristocrat, Tupper Moran,
Valeries Muircastle and Vexx Daines with a piece each form Iris and Jules.

Jules and myself have again asked several photographers to give us their interpretation of a theme. This time we asked the invited photographers to send us a picture that would pay tribute to movies and/or moviestars. This wonderful new exhibition is the result. We are very grateful to all the photographers who have agreed to take part.

– from the introduction to Hooray for Hollywood.

The result is a highly expressive  – and in places humorous – largely avatar-centric series images celebrating some Hollywood’s most iconic films, movie stars and franchises, spread across the two halls of the gallery and the intervening courtyard. Some of the references are all too clear, others perhaps not so much, depending on your knowledge of films and actors.

To go through all of them would spoil the pleasure of seeing them first-hand, but I will say Jo Aquacade’s 188921977 is a beautifully-framed tribute, whilst Alsatian Kidd’s  Iron Man is a very clever tribute to two modern blockbusters; once of which has a soundtrack that sits in my all-time top ten film soundtracks, and Iris Okiddo’s Another Fine Rezz definitely had me smiling.

Bur personal picks aside, all of the pieces are worth taking the time to view, and kudos to all of the participating artists involved – and my thanks to Iris for the personal invite.

SLurl Details

• Andante Gallery (Amityville, rated Adult)

Now open at the Serena Arts Centre and Plaza is an ensemble art exhibition with something of a seasonal taste, given this time of year tends to be the time of stories, tales and magical fables, whilst also being suited to any time of the year.

Fairy Tales or the Magical Power of Dream Worlds brings together BelleAllure, Captainofmysoul, Dantelios, JanaOrchid, Mystic Audion, Sheba Blitz, Raven Cedarbridge, Barret Darkfold, Evelyn Irelund, Hermes Kondor, Pagan Lane, Magda Schmidtzau, AmandaT Tamatzui, Vita Theas and Pask Wasp, with Christian Carter providing a marvellous homage to Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Each artist has been invited to submit two images on the subject of fairy tales and dreams, with the organisers describing the exhibition thus:

From past to present, fairy tales have inspired visual, decorative and performing arts. From theatre to opera, ballet, painting, sculpture, textile and cinema. Inspired by the tales in the saga, every artist fed and improved the next generation of stories with their own unique touch. Let’s embark together on a journey to dream worlds.

– Introduction to Fairy Tales or the Magical Power of Dream Worlds

The art itself encompasses multiple genres and formats: original art uploaded to Second Life; photography captured from within Second Life, digital art created with AI assistance, avatar-centric pieces, abstract art, and more.

This results in a richly diverse selection of art, and an excellent way for those perhaps new to art in Second Life to witness an engaging cross-section of artistic expression from around the globe. All have something to say in an of themselves and the over-arching theme, but I confess to being drawn to Vita Theas’ pairing of images, which come with a folktale and poem respectively (both penned by Vita). The story is that of Elder Leaf and the Ice Warrior, the other a poem of the sea, life and cycles.  Alongside of Vita’s pieces I came close to falling in love with Pask Wasp’s beautiful interpretations of two classic tales: Tom Thumb and Sleeping Beauty.

All told, an engaging exhibition and worth taking time to see.

SLurl Details

• Serena Arts Centre and Plaza (Serena Hub, rated Moderate)

Currently open at the Michiel Bechir Gallery in Second Life over the 2024 end-of year holidays through into the New Year, is a seasonal exhibition of art and photography featuring displays by four photographers and artists, together with a small art gift market.

The four featured artists are: gallery owner Michiel Bechir, together with curator Maggie Reno, both of whom have displays on the ground floor of the gallery; with Sophie (Ishtar7Inanna) and yours truly occupying the two upper floor halls. The individual collections on display range in number from 10 to 14 images, with the majority of the picture featuring wintertime landscapes, into which indoor images celebrating the season and avatar studies have been mixed.

I truly embrace the beauty and comfort of winter and December! The season seems to bring to me a sense of peace, joy, and connection. The imagery of the colours, smells, the sound of rain and the warmth of home captures a cosy, reflective atmosphere.

It’s wonderful how the contrast of snowy landscapes and seasonal colours can make even the simplest detail feel special. 

– Maggie Reno, introducing her images

With her images, Maggie reflects her comments on the season by presenting a combination of outdoor and indoor images. The former, with their snowy landscapes almost monochrome in tone, thanks to the snow and skies, in which sudden bursts of rich colour – particularly a seasonal red – burst through; thus they encourage us to experience both the physical coldness of crisp winter days and the emotional warmth Maggie references. The indoor images, meanwhile, speak to winter comforts of family, celebration, love and contentment.

Each of my works captures something different, yet together they forma kaleidoscope – a reflection of how I see the world. 

These pieces are stories of life told as it is: filled with joy and sorrow, love and loneliness, but always illuminated by a glimmer of hope for something better. 

– Sophie, on her selection of images entitled Kaleidoscope

Sophie’s exhibit is perhaps the most broad in terms of content, featuring winter seasonal images mixed with those presenting a mix of warmer scenes and autumnal-looking settings. All are evocative and attractive, as are the avatar studies also included in this 14-piece collection.

Step into the serene beauty of winter through the lens of Michiel Bechir. This captivating collection of 12 photographs explores the quiet magic of the season, showcasing both breath-taking landscapes and intimate portraits of of people amidst the winter’s embrace.

– The introduction to Michiel Bechir’s collection Winter in Focus

Rich in tone and content, Michiel’s pieces largely focus on landscapes and settings. Each offers something of a story of the season within its frame: embarking on a winter holiday, possibly at a special retreat; the beckoning peace of the country land drifted in snow; the beauty of frosted, denuded trees seemingly on parade; the promise of a warm fire within the stout walls of comfortable cabin after a long walk through a snow-blanketed landscape, and more.

For my part, I’ve simply tried to express the sheer beauty of places I’ve visited over the winter months across the last decade. Each is a place I’ve especially appreciated and which has been lovingly created for us to enjoy. I hope they encourage you in your explorations of Second Life.

Outside of the gallery and around the ice rink, is a set of 10 cabins. Nine offer a gift of an image from an artist – Raven Arcana, Tegan Tenby, TaniaAltAlbatros, Jamina Moon, Emma Jane, Sophie (Ishtar7Inanna), Hannah Starlight, Prins Evergarden and Charlotte Belladonna. The tenth offers Christmas greetings from the Gallery’s team.

SLurl Details

• Michiel Bechir Gallery (Embrace, rated Adult)