Category: Art in Second Life

The Rose Gallery, located at Kaya Angel’s stunning Angel Manor, and curated by  Shakti Sugafield (Shakti Adored) is hosting a further ensemble art exhibition across its two floors of exhibition spaces, featuring 2D and 3D work by several SL and physical world artists.

On the ground level, in Galleries 1 and 2, Sisi Biedermann presents a series of 17 images of her physical world art, the majority of which might be drawn together under the collected title of Illusions (although several of the pieces do have a title of their own). Rich in colour, all 17 are individually stunning pieces of art.

Fantastical, emotive, evocative, and each with its own story to tell, these are pieces with a glorious depth and beauty. Some are presented in a “flat” traditional style of paint on paper / canvas; others are presented in an embossed, richly textured finish that is marvellously  tactile in appearance – in this, I found myself particularly drawn to Illusions 10, a simply exquisite study of two kingfishers. Some of the images present their subject matter in a fairly straightforward study, others are more abstract in tone, which one or two have an almost Bosch-like feel about them, albeit it without his darker thoughts and representations.  Any and all of them would add grace to one’s home (and are available for sale).

Also on the ground floor, Galleries 3 and 4 offer ten pieces by digital and virtual artist Juro (JurisJo). These are quite the most stunning studies of Second Life wildlife and animals I’ve yet seen. All feature Juro’s preferred use of yellow and red within them, together with a rich processing of sky, all of which draws the eye into each image, encouraging the visitor to focus on the primary study within it whilst also adding context and depth the overall scene.

The ten pieces presented across the two halls range from the highly evocative through to the gently humorous, the mix carefully balanced so that the eye is both awed and captivated, and the lips given cause to relax and smile. Who cannot, for example find their breath catching at the sight of White Tiger or Goodnight Sun (to name but two of the more dramatic pieces), whilst also feeling the need to offer a chuckle on seeing Baja Sands or Owls (again to name but two of the lighter pieces)? Would that we had room to display all of these pieces at home.

Take the gallery staircase up and to the right, and you’ll arrive in Gallery 7, featuring an artist whose work is entirely new to me. Matt Thomson has 20 years experience as a physical world digital artist and photographer. His work might at first glance appear to be abstract in nature.  It’s an approach Matt calls Techno Fusion, combining traditional  mediums for art – oil, watercolour, acrylics, ink – brought together as “music”, blending and mixing like the rhythm and beat of dance track. “Let your eyes have a treat,” he says of his work. “Colour is the music as it blends it dances weaves a tapestry that allows your eyes to follow the flow … enjoy the dance!”

The rearmost gallery space on the upper floor is given over to a display of sculptures by Reycharles Resident. Mounted on plinths and along the walls, this exhibit features some 14 3D pieces of varying sizes, although their respective LODs might require you cam into some of them in order for them to render correctly.  The pieces are richly diverse: from delicate pieces that appear almost woven together, through to sold pieces which appear to have been carved from a single block.

For those looking for an additional  treat, Shakti offers a small selection from her personal collection of Molly Bloom’s always fascinating and eye-catching  – and perception defying – art. This includes one of my personal favourites of Molly’s work The Queen is NOT Amused, a simply marvellous triptych.

A set of four – or five, including the modest display of Molly’s art – very different displays of art, all of which are more than worth the time taken to store through the Rose Gallery’s halls.

SLurl Details

• The Rose Gallery (Angel Manor, rated: Moderate)

Now officially open is Gallery Mirror Amsterdam, a new arts venture in Second Life curated by Arete of Cyrene (AretevanCyrene). Occupying a homestead region, the facility comprises a primary gallery building of a modern design, with a second warehouse-like gallery facing it across a canal (and which current forms the landing point for the region). These sit with a region design resembling Amsterdam.

“The design is based on the place where my grandad grew up near the docks,” Arete explained during on of my visits. An artist living in Amsterdam herself, Arete hopes the region will become an SL arts community nexus. As well as the warehouse and main gallery build, the region includes a number of Dutch canal houses which will be made available for artists to hold exhibitions in addition to the main spaces.

“The idea here is to let artists connect with each other and to promote art to visitors,” she continued. “”We have very talented people in SL.”

The opening exhibition at the main gallery features six of these talents:  Gitu Aura, Vallys Baxter, Miles Cantelou, Brysen Miller, Ada Resident and Cate Ansaldo (CateVogel).

The selection of these six reflects much of Arete’s thinking with the region and the exhibitions she plans to hold at Gallery Mirror. Rather than simply offering a space in which artists can display their art, Arete has sought to create and environment in which she can bring together artists whose visions and ideas reflect ones another in some way, within a space that in turn reflects the work of the artists.

“Miles was the first artist I invited. His acceptance led me to invite the others Arete explained. “Thematically, they work together.” As well as these six, she has been putting together a calendar, and now has commitments from artists through into 2019.

As an artist in both the physical world and SL, Arete sees her work as a curator as very much working in partnership with the artists she invites to Gallery Mirror. She provides advice and feedback on themes, the placement of images in the various display spaces within the gallery, and so on.

The care put into Gallery Mirror is also shown in the fact that the region itself took four months to develop, including preparations for the opening exhibition.  Arete described her approach to the design thus, “I’ve designed the whole region with the thought of creative display. Art must flow; it needs air and open space so that the observer can experience the full impact of the works on display.” In this, the Amsterdam style setting offers the opportunity to display 3D art out on the waters of the canal and docks – something Arete has already taken into consideration.

The main gallery building is well-appointed in this regard. Three storeys in height, is offers large rooms with plenty of open space and good lighting in which visiting artists can display their work. It can support up to six artists at a time: two on the ground floor, which includes a lobby area with a lounge / bar area behind it. For the first exhibition, these  feature the art of Cate Vogel and Gitu Aura. On the mezzanine above is a large open area, superbly displaying Miles’ art. A second room (still awaiting the artist at the times of my visits) sits at the front of this level.

The upper floor features the final two exhibition spaces – these occupied by Brysen Miller and Vallys Baxter – together with a social space. The latter was intended to be used for music events such as openings, but Arete informed me she’s now rented a parcel on another region which she plans to use for social engagements, so that the music doesn’t interrupt people’s appreciation of the art on display in the gallery.

Arete further brings the gallery to life through the use of sculptures – notably by CioTToLiNa Xue and Mistero Hifeng -, together with smaller pieces of 2D art she has selected.

Exhibitions are planned for periods of two months at a time. “I’m now working with artists on a ‘couples’ exhibition for August / September,” Arete told me.

When visiting the region, don’t confine yourself to the gallery spaces – as noted above, the surrounding dutch canal houses are available to artists, and while she is far too modest to point to it herself, I would recommend visiting the house alongside the warehouse gallery, as Arete has a small exhibition of her work on display. Also, there are 3D art to be found out on the waters already.

Gallery Mirror represents a genuine commitment to support art in Second Life, and the opening event brings together six artists of unique talent in an absorbing exhibition. It is definitely not an exhibition to be missed, and this is very definitely a venue worth keeping an eye on. When visiting, please do set aside time to fully appreciate it and also, do consider making a donation towards the region’s continued existence.

SLurl Details

• Gallery Mirror Amsterdam (Antigua Island, rated: Moderate)

Avaloir (which might be translated as “throat”, or more usually a device used to collect run-off water  – that is a drain) is the title of what is perhaps best described as something of a retrospective installation of various works by Eupalinos Ugajin – or as Eupa describes it, when “random ideas met a playground”.

Those familiar with Eupa’s work will know that it covers a broad canvas, often containing humour, whimsy, a little self-deprecation, which can be mixed with social commentary, imaginative projection worth of the likes of Gilliam, and an artistic flair that can quite captivate the eye and mind.

It’s hard to say which of these boxes one might tick when it comes to Avaloir, but given the description and the majority of the pieces presented, I’d sway more towards the whimsy end of the scale than anywhere else.

A journey – and it is a journey – commences at a rather dark arrival point high in the sky. from here one can teleport to a number of destinations within the region, some on the ground and some in the air. For those who are familiar with Eupa’s work, some (all?) of the destinations will offer a change to renew acquaintances with various past pieces. Most notably, perhaps, are elements from Taxy! to the Zircus, which first appeared in 2014 (you can read more about it here).

Wonderfully Dada-esque in presentation, with a twist of the abstract, four elements from Zircus. Be prepared to mouse around for things to sit on, click on and generally have fun with. You might find yourself riding a spiralling mandolin, wearing cubed boxing gloves and sparring a star-like punching bag, engaging in a little artistic expression with a paint brush and a … hair dryer … and more besides.

Down on the ground  can be found the very interactive The Plant and also Eupa’s giant water / strawberry powered catapult (more here), only this time without its accompanying tower target. There’s also The Concrete Kite, and a whole lot more – some interactive, some observable. Getting around is predominantly achieved using the teleport cubes located at each of the major elements of the installation, although you can also fly from point to point at ground level.

Quantifying Avaloir  isn’t the point. Experiencing it is – so as noted above, make sure you do mouse around, click, try, and be prepared to walk into things. Do make sure, as well, that you have local sounds enabled, as this is very much an aural experience as well as an interactive one.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, after spending time at Moor the Wind, I’ve got an unquenchable desire to listen to Glenn Miller and his orchestra….

SLurl Details

• Avaloir (Ravage, rated: Moderate)