Category: Art in Second Life

Kultivate’s The Edge Gallery opened its first exhibition for 2020 on February 2nd. Specialising in black and white photography, the gallery invites submissions for its monthly exhibitions – those interested can apply here – which means that exhibitions there can be an interesting mix, and such is the case here.

For this exhibition, the gallery presents selections of art by Kapaan, MTH63, Ragingbellls, Wintergeist, John Brianna, Carisa Franizzi, Anibrm Jung, Lena Kiopak, CybeleMoon, Jamee Sandalwood, and Karma Weymann. Together they offer a rich mix of avatar studies, portraits, Second Life landscapes and art studies and photos of physical world locations.

When visiting the exhibition I was particularly drawn to Carisa Franizzi’s work, located on the lower floor of the gallery and to the left of the entrance. She offers 20 pieces divided between avatar studies and landscape pieces, with several of the avatar studies being striking in their classic composition and presentation.

Another name new to me is that of Karma Weymann. Her eight avatar studies, located diagonally opposite Carisa work in the gallery, are equally as striking, offering as they do unique glimpses into their subject’s lives. These are pieces that do not appear to have been posed or framed, but stand as moments caught in time – possibly as private moments of fun or introspection.

I’m going to restrict myself to highlighting these to artists – not because the others are not worth mentioning – quite the reverse, in fact – but simply because they are names new to me, and so tended to attract my attention somewhat more  whilst visiting the exhibition. But make no mistake, this is another attention-holding monochrome ensemble of art well worth taking the time to visit.

SLurl Details

• Kultivate The Edge Gallery (Water Haven, rated Moderate)

Now open at La Maison d’Aneli, curated by Aneli Abeyante, is an exhibition that sees artists both familiar and perhaps new to followers of art in Second Life, displayed within a new layout for the gallery space.

The untitled exhibition features the work of JadeYu Fhang, Eylinea, Gaston Wonder, Vroum Short, Adwehe, and Aneli herself, five of whom present pieces of a distinctly digital nature, with Gaston Wonder providing a balance with photography grounded in the physical world.

In describing his work, Gaston notes:

I find it interesting the way we have to interpret Art, we are all different, we did not have the same feeling while looking at an Art object or a photo, I don’t care about the rules for Art has no limit, there are no things better than others, there is only one emotion specific to each.

His work, often focusing on the inorganic – wooden planks, chains, wood and stones on a beach, a broken wall and more – offers a marvellous glimpse into the organic world, the lay of metal and shadow, chain against background, grain and knot of wood forming facial features, sometimes almost human, sometimes alien or even insect-like. Each evokes familiarity that in turn generates a focused emotional response.

Next to Gaston, Eylinea is a relative newcomer to Second Life, an environment that that encouraged her to explore artistic expression through digital mediums. Here she displays a series of pieces, a selection of which are animated, and all of which sit within abstraction and expressionism.  Her work is reflected across the hall by Aneli’s exhibition, which offers further animated abstractions together with pieces that suggest they have been formed from copper beating as modern expressionism.

Making up the four displays on the lower floor, Yadeyu Fhang offers an immersive space, that once again presents a surrealism environment that deliberately cross the line between the physical and the digital. Yadeyu notes she is often influenced by the work of Kubrick and Lynch, and there is evidence of that here, together with a touch of French noir through the use of monochrome and lighting.

On the upper floor of the gallery space, Vroum Short presents a further immersive space, rich in colour and form, suggestive of he undersea environments or an alien landscape alive with plants. Adwehe is another relative newcomer, and – while I’m not sure – this might be their first exhibition. Featuring both 2D and 3D pieces, it’s an expressive display, one in which Adwehe acknowledges the support and influence of Vroum and her work at VeGeTaL PLaNeT.

A half-dozen fascinating displays by six fascinating artists.

SLurl and Links

• la Maison d’Aneli Gallery (VeGeTal PLaNeT, Oak Park, rated Moderate)
• la Maison d’Aneli in this blog

Now open at the Kultivate Windlight Gallery is their first exhibition for 2020, featuring an ensemble gathering of artists.

Located on the ground floor of the gallery space the ensemble exhibition opened on Sunday, January 26th, and it features the artists Ragingbellls, John Brianna, Skye Joubert, Lena Kiopak, Sonatta Morales, Solana Python, Nils Urqhart and Myra Wildmist. Between them, they offer a mix of Second Life photography and physical world art that is richly varied in content and style.

From stunning photographs of the French Alps by Nils (and which forms a nice companion series to his In the Clouds series I was able to review in November 2019), through unique painted portraits by Skye, to avatar studies by Sonatta, this is a selection of art to please all eyes.

However, when visiting I would emphasise the need to ensure you have Advanced Lighting Model (Preferences > Graphics) during a visit. This is because Myra’s single piece is another experiment in using lighting projectors. Entitled Snow Field, it’s a piece you should pan your camera across it to appreciate the the use of the projector in concert with the image of sunset.

Take the stairs to the mezzanine, and – for a while longer at least at the time of writing, due to the fact I’m getting to it on the late side – is an exhibition of Kody Meyer’s photography. Covering multiple genres, and with a delight in experimenting, Kody always present pieces that are stunningly beautiful in execution.

There is something uniquely peaceful within Kody’s landscape images, and his love of exploring Second Life and capturing the locations he visits is clearly evident in his work. Similarly, his avatar studies offer a depth of narrative within each that draws one into them.

Kody notes of his approach:

Each picture depicts a story or is a reminder of an experience one can reflect upon when admiring it. As a perfectionist, I take the time necessary to capture the picture, experimenting with different angles, framings and windlights, until the perfect shot is created — the one that comes alive. Using different programs and techniques to create my pictures, the result is always a surprise. My goal is to portray the magic behind the raw image. To be able to contribute to peace and happiness in this world is an honour and an endless pleasure.

I’m not sure how much longer Kody’s work will be on offer at Kultivate – as noted, I got to the exhibition late myself – so do be sure to drop into the ground floor exhibition sooner rather than later to appreciate the work there, and then hop up the stairs to the mezzanine.

SLurl Details

• Kultivate Windlight Gallery (Water Haven, rated Moderate)

-ADreNaLin- is a relatively new region venture by Cherry Manga and JadeYu Fhang, intended to offer an “Art Place & Music Venue” with a focus on “Experimental Art – Music – Events.” It’s a multi-layered environment set within one quarter of a Full private region, offering room for art installations, a venue space and a store, all interconnected by teleport and with links to other French-related regions across the Second Life Grid (via a HUD that can be obtained from the region’s Les Explorateurs Francophones level – which can be reached from a teleport point on the parcel’s ground level).

Currently, the region is home to an installation by Cherry Manga entitled Strange Garden. It’s an ethereal, subtle setting that is evocative and layered, presenting something of a dreamscape and – possibly – reflections on self and human nature.

The dream aspect of the setting is perhaps most vividly offered through the monochrome styling of the installation (the use of monochrome to portray dreams has oft been used within media, although research suggests whether we dream in monochrome or colour appears to be down to an exposure to monochrome or colour television in childhood). However, the use of monochrome might be indicative of more than just dreams, and incorporates a commentary on the mind’s state – or perhaps the artist’s thoughts -, and the fact that we so often consider matters in a binary form – or black and white.

Presented within a hemisphere, the installation is bounded by black monolith-like blocks that lean outwards like the petals of a flower, slender trees rising into a grey sky beyond them. These blocks enfold a wild landscape, home to Animesh plants that whirl, writhe and sway to an unfelt wind, like stray thoughts turning in the back of the mind. More plants rise up and remain static, as if focal points of thinking (or perhaps creativity, if we consider ourselves inside the mind of the artist), while winged figures are to be found amidst this garden – angels of brighter thoughts, perhaps, countering the darker, lower aspects of the setting that might present more dour thoughts and feelings.

It’s a setting that is undeniably rich in symbolism. Within the garden can be found both Pandora’s box, and a memento mori. The latter is symbolic of the inevitability of death, offering again a suggestion of sitting within the mind and amidst reflections of self and identity (who among us has not pondered death’s ever closing hand and what might remain once it has gripped us in an inescapable grasp?). The former conjures perhaps thoughts of challenges unmet as a result of their complexity or the woes we set upon ourselves when seeking to gain greater freedom of expression through striving to create? (I would also suggest that perhaps the memento mori is a reflection of Cherry’s installation of that name that recently closed.)

This symbolism can also be found in the central “stairways” that twist in on themselves, apparently defying gravity it their suggestion one can climb up them, yet return to their base while still appearing to be climbing, almost Penrose-like. This also might be a reference to fate and the cycle of life – or equally to the font of creativity, where ideas fountain upwards, and also fall back to feed the ground from which they first rose, helping to nurture further ideas, enriching the garden, while the submerged elements could represent subconscious thoughts and processes…

A genuinely immersive (apparently developed for use with VR headsets) installation with multiple opportunities for interpretation / reflection, Strange Garden makes for an engaging visit (please make sure you have local sounds enabled and use the local windlight settings.

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Note that ADRENALINA is an Adult-rated region.

• -ADreNaLin- Ground Level arrival point
• Strange Garden

All4Art opened its January / February 2020 exhibition on Saturday, January 25th. Featuring another ensemble of artists, the exhibition this time has moved to Beau Belle Village, offering visitors both the opportunity to visit the art on display and to explore the region itself – although for those who wish to focus their time on the art, a series of teleport discs are available to carry them back and forth between individual displays and the main landing point.

Established by Carelyna Resident, All4Art has a mandate to move art in Second Life beyond the more traditional exhibition spaces, as the group’s description describes thus:

The vision of this group is to make art inclusive and not limit them to the galleries in SL. This is a group of artists who are driven by the need to express themselves and create art for art’s sake. The artists will show their artworks in public places other than galleries in successive itinerant exhibitions.

For this exhibition, All4Art is showcasing Etamae, EvangelinaBurroughs, Kimeu, MTH63, Mylena1992, Nabrej Aabye, Leonorah Beverly, Judylynn India, Agleo Runningbear and Carelyna herself. Together they present a rich mix of SL and physical world art, with a lean potentially towards the latter, given some of the Second Life images are rendered as paintings. Almost all of the artists confine themselves to 2D works, although Nabrej Aabye offers a trio of sculptures alongside his paintings.

Meanwhile, Beau Belle’s Village offers an intriguing space for the display, mixing as it does public spaces and private rentals. Those wishing to view the art by exploring the region should do so by following the arrows pointing the way from exhibit to exhibit – the first of these arrows can be found just down from the landing point teleport discs, directing people over a humpbacked bridge.

This route will take you first along the waterfront, passing JudyLynn’s art – a set of abstracts on the them of circles, thence to Leonorah Beverly’s Second Life landscape studies presented as paintings, and onwards still along the waterfront to Carelyna’s display (down on the wharf) which again offers Second Life scenes as paintings which might be said to have something of a Van Gogh influence to them, before arriving at Agleo Runningbear ‘s quite marvellous ink wash studies of New York City that are bracketed by two colour paintings.

A little back tracking from here is required to return to the tunnel leading to the rest of the region and the remaining artists (or you can scramble up a snow-sided hill and descend by wooden steps to reach the rest of the art!). Perhaps the most striking exhibit in this part of the region is Milena1992’s; this is in part because it is contained within a hard-to-miss semi-transparent yellow surround, but mostly because it pricks at the conscience by presenting concerns about the increasingly worrying state of the planet’s climate, and exhibition in part presented with a backdrop of trees engulfed in flames – a reminder of the wildfires that visited themselves on so many around the world in 2019.

Also to be found inland are the displays by EvangelinaBurroughs (which includes a part of eye-catching paintings-as-drapes), Kimeu, Etame and Nabreij, while nestled on the north-east beach is a selection of abstract expressionist pieces by MTH63.

Taken together, this is a richly diverse selection of art, for which there is no official closing date – the exhibition will remain in place as long as the region holders are prepared to host it.

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• Beau Belle Village (Beau Belle, rated Moderate)