Category: Art in Second Life

Now open at the Lin C Art Gallery, curated by Lin Carlucci, is an exhibition by ViktorSavior, presenting a three-part mix of his art, and which makes for an interesting visit.

On the ground floor, and directly inside the main doors, Viktor offers 21 of his physical world paintings of the natural world. I’m not sure of the medium used, although they appear to perhaps be watercolours, they offer wide open views of land, sea and the night sky, with a particular emphasis on mountains, and with a lean towards the use of blue.

Each of the paintings might have been inspired by a physical world location, either personally seen or viewed through image or photograph, or which might be entirely drawn from the imagination. Which they are hardly matters, as each piece has its own story to tell. Expressive of a love of the night, the dawn, mountains (something to which I can very much relate, as I have a love of mountains myself and they are one of the few things I can actually draw in a meaningful way!), and nature as a whole.

These are paintings that, if you give them a chance, will   draw you into them, placing you on a windswept coast where the wind and unseen rocks pull the sea into rearing, frothing beasts; where a river winding down through woodland draws you to wonder what lies beyond the mountains from which it has come, or where the night sky beckons from the mountain tops, or the Sun warms a winter’s blanket, and clouds tower into the sky in reflection of the majesty of the mountains below.

Also on the ground floor of the gallery is a series of 18 avatar portraits offered in monochrome and apparently drawn by hand, rather than rendered from photographs. All but four are of female avatars, and all beautifully and simply capture their subjects in a manner not far short of perfect. There is a level of life and emotion within each study that offers a glimpse of possible thoughts and feelings behind the eyes. In a word, they are vibrant in a way perhaps more normally seen in colour images.

This vibrancy continues on the gallery’s mezzanine level, where a further 18 monochrome images are presented, these all full-body images of the male body in motion, most likely dancing at the time the image from which the drawing originated was captured. There is a wonderful sense of dynamic fluidity in each, a grace that speaks of human, not avatar, movement and actions.

The three aspects of this exhibition offer a mix that is rich in its diversity, giving insight into Viktor’s art as eloquent as any biography. There is much to be admired throughout the exhibition, and the paintings are all available for sale. However, were I to be asked, I would have to admit I found myself particularly drawn to the portrait studies, as I found them to be marvellously alive.

The exhibition will remain open through until the start of February 2019.

SLurl Details

• Lin C Art Gallery (Hana Aloha, rated: Moderate)

Bedrich Panacek-Guisse (Bedrich Panacek), co-owner of Ville de Coeur, invited me to visit a new art exhibition in the catacombs beneath the Citadel Gardens.

Among Angels is a story in art presented by JannaWhiskers. It depicts a conversation between a small girl and her mother on the subject of Angels. Images are presented in order, each with an accompanying text element relating the unfolding story. As such, it’s important to follow the directions through the catacombs from the entrance – although this is not hard.

Janna was offered the opportunity to hold the exhibition after winning the Ville de Coeur Autumn Photo Competition. She presents some 30 images, not all of which have an associated text element, but they are all presented in a golden finish that can make details a little hard to discern at times, but which also brings a heavenly, other-worldly look to each, and is perfectly reflective of how we often imagine angels as being creatures of light.

The dialogue is presented in two colours: yellow (or gold, if you prefer), for the young girl, and red for her mother. Their words are woven into a mother / daughter discussion that might be seen as typical of many in the way it reflects the bond of love between the two, but which also reveals more. The child’s perception is clear and through her questions, she not only touches upon, but gently reveals, her mother’s own beliefs and  – faith?

As such, this is an evocative exhibition, one that is ideally suitable to the way it is presented through the halls of the catacombs, the route bringing to life the walk taken by mother and daughter as they talk. A walk given added depth through the inclusion of figurines by Silas Merlin, that offer a further sense of presence and company – or childhood – through the exhibition.

Places to sit are also offered through the halls, allowing visitors time to contemplate the art and appreciate the nuances of the story and the parental / child relationship. In addition, Janna offers a series of wire-frame gift boxes, each of which will present a gift when touched.

A touching exhibition, I couldn’t help but hear Robbie Williams’ Angels, some the lyrics seemed to aptly fit the theme of the exhibition.

And through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I’m right or wrong
And down the waterfall
Wherever it may take me
I know that life won’t break me
When I come to call, she won’t forsake me
I’m loving angels instead.

SLurl Details

• Among Angels, Ville de Coeur (Aquitaine Coeur Nord, rated: Moderate)

 

Five Artists From Spain is the title of an exhibition at Diotima Art Gallery curated by Redi (Red Bikcin), that opened on Thursday, December 20th, 2018. It features, well, the work of five artists from Spain.

The five in question are: Duna Gant, Mario2 Helstein, Redi herself, the inimitable Kimeu Korg, and Peta Cometa (mariajo60).

“My art is always a reflection of my emotions,” Duna states in introducing her art and herself. This is certainly the case with the five pieces presented here. Each is an avatar study rendered as a painting, and each represents an emotional reaction: No, Why?, Yes, When?, and Silence.

Within each, the force of the emotional response is borne in both the colour palette used to present each study, and the repetition of the titular word itself.

Facing Duna’s pieces are four untitled (at least in terms of their mounting) pieces by Pepa. Primarily avatar studies (there is perhaps a hint of mixed media in one), and are a n interesting mix that again play on emotions – albeit this time the emotions of the visitor. Are they indicative of happiness and / or gaiety, as suggested by the almost Hareliquinesque dress of one and the carnival-like mask of its neighbour? Or are they perhaps expressive of something else?

Kimeu’s work is always a delight to see; there is often a whimsy to his work that cannot fail to bring a smile to one’s lips. Here, he present four pieces, all of which strong feature the colour blue as a linking theme through both water and sky.

These are also pieces with a wonderful element of narrative within them, and it is quite possible to become lost within the likes of El Observador (The Observer), the first piece in the set on the right wall of the hall, while The Otters, facing the main entrance (and seen above, right) is purely and simply delightful. The addition of an appreciative audience to both of these pieces and to A Piece of the Sky (above, left) adds a further depth to the display.

The rear portion of the gallery presents some marvellous abstract work by Mario2 and Redi. Mario’s 3D sculptures, together with his particle shows, never fail to impress, and the pieces offer here are no exception. From the mandala / fractal like forms of Efecto K and Object5, to the (almost seasonal, with its fruit suggestive of Christmas tree baubles) Arbol and the evocative Cara, these are all pieces that captivate the eye in both form and motion.

Redi’s presentation also feature motion and combine 2D and 3D elements in three pieces of richly colourful abstract art, all of which can be quite mesmerising as the eye is drawn into their loops, lines, swirls and patterns.

My one small quibble with this exhibition is its lack of information on the artists themselves. While not vital to one’s appreciation of art, having a few liner notes on each of the artists involved in an ensemble exhibition like this can often serve curiosities piqued by the art, particularly in cases where a right-click Edit doesn’t reveal any links to the artist concerned (as it has perhaps been offered to the gallery as a texture for mounting and presentation by the curator).

SLurl Details

• Diotima Art Gallery (Gigli Waves, rated: Moderate)

MC Grafite is a relative newcomer to Second Life, having joined the platform just five months ago. However, at 13:00 SLT, on Tuesday 13th December, she is opening her new gallery featuring her work (and only the second time she has publicly exhibited her art!). I took the opportunity to drop in ahead of the opening, while MC was still setting up to gain something of a sneak peek.

Also known as Marisa Camelo, MC is an artist in the physical world focusing on pencil-based drawings. She notes she spends around nine or ten hours a day drawing, her work covering a range of topics, including portraiture, animals and wildlife, costumes, tattoo designs, cars, and more.  And if I were to try to define her art in a single word or phrase, it would be: striking.

Within a simple, but effective gallery setting of stone pillars and plain white walls, MC presents a broad portfolio of her work, from simple-looking sketches, located outside of the main entrance in an enclosed courtyard, through to a series of exquisite set of white-on-black images of quite exceptional beauty and depth.

Her portraiture is also shown, within pictures of actors, celebrities and film and literature characters mounted on the rear walls of the gallery. I admit that her Baby Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2) and her It immediately drew my eyes to them. Both capture the vitality and mischief inherent in the first, and the sheer malevolence of the second quite perfectly. I found Eye, located directly beneath It equally mesmerizing  – although this should not be taken to mean there is anything lacking in the remaining portraits; quite the reverse in fact: each has its own unique attraction.

But I must admit to being completely captivated by the etching-like black-on white pieces she presents; there is something about this approach to art that I’ve always found enamouring, and the pieces MC offers are stunning in their presentation and beauty. As a cat lover, Cat Reflex and Cat in the Moonlight simply (both seen in the image at the top of this article) entranced me.

Further pieces are available on the upper mezzanine of the gallery, one or two of which might be considered NSFW. However, as MC was still setting-up on the upper floor when I visited, I only had a quick cam up to it, in order to avoid disturbing her too much.

As well as her own art, MC also offers a commissioned art service. Details of this can be found via the information givers located next to one of the stairways leading up to the Mezzanine level.

The gallery officially opens at 13:00 SLT on Tuesday, December 18th, 2018, as noted. But whether you can make the opening or not, I do recommend the MC Grafite Gallery as well worth a visit.

SLurl Details

• MC Grafite Gallery (Samoa, rated: General)