Category: Art in Second Life

DiXmiX 2017-2018 retrospective in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
DiXmiX Gallery: Cecilia Nansen Mode (December 2017) and Uma Sabra (September 2017)

DiXmiX Gallery is one of the most prolific galleries in Second Life in terms of the frequency of exhibitions. With three halls available for art, the gallery can feature up to three artists a month on a rolling basis, sometimes with exhibitions in the respective halls overlapping one another in their duration, a move which further helps to keep visits to the gallery fresh.

For the four weeks from August 17th, 2018, curator Dixmix Source is hosting a slightly different exhibition from the “norm” at the gallery: it is something of a retrospective of exhibitions held through 2017 and 2018, with the work of some 30 artists on display across all three halls and within the basement gallery of The Womb. As such, it is an opportunity to both revisit memories of past exhibits and  – for those unfamiliar with the art displayed at DiXmiX – the opportunity to sample its scope of the art to be found there.

DiXmiX Gallery: Oyo and Magic Marker (April 2018)

The artists included in the exhibition are (dates in brackets refer to reviews in this blog): Elo (elorac Paule), Maloe Vansant and Uma Sabra (September / October 2017); Purple Leonis ONeill (Nel4481), Juris Bergmanis (JurisJo) and Imani Nayar (October 2017); Cecilia Nansen Mode (December 2017); Titus Palmira, Gaus (Cicciuzzo Gausman) and Burk Bode (February 2018); I’m A Magic Marker, Oyo and Mr. S (April 2018); Giovanna Cerise (May 2018); A. DeLauren (AlessaMendoza), Kimeu Korg and Kato Salyut (June 2018); together with Goodcross; Huckleberry Hax;  Vallys Baxter; Lou Shadow; Moon Edenbaum, Nur Moo, and DixMix himself.

The exhibit also incorporates  Bicycles (July 2018), relocated for this exhibition, a selection from Melusina Parkin’s Less is More (February 2018) and the Best of The Womb, featuring  Nath Baxton and Joslyn Benson, all of which can be found in the basement gallery, The Womb.

DiXmiX Gallery: Juris Bergmanis (October 2017)

DixMix is very much a gallery that leans towards avatar studies within the exhibitions it hosts – which given Dixmix himself is very much an exponent of the art of avatar studies, is an entirely natural bias – and this is very much reflected in this retrospective exhibition. As such, those pieces that focus on other elements of artistic expression, such as physical world art (represented here by Huckleberry Hax) and SL landscape art (notably, but not exclusively, Juris Bergmanis), tend to particularly capture the eye in scanning through the gallery. But don’t let this deceive you; there is a richness of narrative this is striking in every single image presented.

Several exhibitions at the gallery have been built around a theme by the artist, and capturing this in just one or two images isn’t really possible. Take Celicia Nansen Mode’s Within the Voice of Björk from December 2017, a captivating interpretations of female form, moods and feelings, beautifully through images and the music of the Icelandic singer (and still one of the most memorable exhibitions I’ve seen at DiXmiX). It was a stunning exhibit, but one not easily recaptured hen presenting just two of the images from the collection.

DiXmiX Gallery: Elo (September 2017) and Purple Leonis (October 2017)

However, Dixmix has sought to get around this issue where possible. With 12 Photographers and 1 Chair by Mr. S, and Bath Stories by Nur Moo, for example, the complete set of images for each are presented as a framed slide show, allowing all of them to be seen in turn. Sadly, due to the use of music with each of Celicia’s pieces, this approach wasn’t possible for With the Voice of Björk.

As noted, the exhibition is stated to run for the four weeks from August 17th, and offers an ideal introduction to DiXmiX gallery and the general style of art displayed there for those who have yet to visit, and a trip down memory lane for those of us who frequent the gallery.

DiXmiX Gallery: Oyo (April 2018)

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Ethereal Shapes in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Ethereal Shapes

Currently open through (I believe) until the end of October 2018, is Ethereal Shapes, an installation of form and light by Noke Yuitza. It comes with an intriguing introduction (touch “Info” on the board on arrival):

Within the forms of faces, animals, flowers… in groups of stars, ink, glitter… There are 4 scenes: Dreamer, Galaxy, Ballet, and Eyes. The concept that brings them together is the dreamer that looks at how stars dances in a galaxy ballet.

The landing point – a gazebo that appears to have been in part delicate spun from light – sits at the centre of a series of scenes brought to life by the shimmering play and movement of light. They stand in a circle against the darkness of night sky (note the windlight for the installation appears to have been set at parcel level, so if you are not using Firestorm, you may have to manually swap to Midnight in order to appreciate the setting properly).

Ethereal Shapes

The ring of scenes, linked by more shimmering tendrils of light that form intricate, ghostly flowers, are pointed t to by short walkways radiating out from the gazebo. Two of these routes may appear to have greater prominence than the others as they are marked by avenues of the gossamer, gently pulsating flowers. However, I’d venture to suggest it does not matter which of the five routes you opt to take in stepping off the gazebo; all of the scenes will captivate both eye and imagination.

These are elements designed to appeal to our imaginations, the dreamers within us, calling to us to look beyond the obvious and see what lies within each of them – the hidden faces, the hints of animal or creature outlines by curve and twist of leaf; the majesty of the cosmos around us, and the life it gives to us – and so much more. As such, words alone are insufficient to convey this installation; it needs to be experienced first-hand.

Ethereal Shapes

In this, having to manipulate the camera freely is of a huge advantage – and those who have a means to flycam via a joystick, game controller or Space Navigator style of mouse controller will be at a distinct advantage, as with some of the elements within the installation, a distant look isn’t always enough to fully grasp, rationally or via the imagination, the subtle beauty of things.

Take for example, the plants and the play of light across them.  It is as if they are in motion: dancers caught in an intricate ballet, or intangible creatures leaping into the air or caught on the wing. Then there are the very human figures also give to dance, their outlines broken into tiny constellations of softly pulsing light and flaring blooms of flowers. Zoom on these, and it is like zooming into the microcosm of the the heavens, a delicate reflection that we are in fact star-stuff.

Ethereal Shapes

Ethereal Shapes is an environment where the longer one spends within it, the more captivating it becomes. It is also a setting that is hosting a number of music events while open; so be sure to check the events board as well when visiting.

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Ethereal Shapes (LEA 2, rated Moderate)

Hypnopompia in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Hypnopomia

Now open at Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, curated by curated by Dido Haas, is Hypnopompia, as exhibition by Cat Boucher. The title refers to the state of consciousness leading out of sleep (and not to be confused with hypnagogic state. The latter is associated with moving from wakefulness to sleep, and is referred to as a rational waking cognitive state).

Hypnopomia is more an emotional state of credulous dreaming, influenced by almost anything around us: noises, scents, touch, which on waking can lead to confusion, dissociation from our surroundings and confused (to others) speaking. The hypnopompic state is sometimes accompanied by lingering vivid imagery, and some of the creative insights attributed to dreams actually happen in this moment of awakening.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Hypnopomia

All of this is richly reflected in Cat’s images, which are quite stunning in their range. Among the 14 pieces on offer are monochrome images – perhaps reflective of the state experienced by around 12% of people, who only dream in black-and-white (a percentage, interestingly enough that has changed over the last 60-ish years: dreaming in colour was once a rarity reported by adults, and according to some researchers, the shift from “monochrome dreaming” to “colour dreaming” appears to be associated with the arrival and rise in popularity of colour television broadcasting).

Other images in this selection are presented in deep, vivid colours, perhaps reflective of the more vivid influence our surrounding can have on us as we move through hypnopomia to full wakefulness. Most, reflect not a scene, but a moment in time: bones of a fish; a face caught in sharp focus; a figure with legs curls and entwined, but seemingly without a body. In this they mirror how we so often recall our dreams – not as a continuous narrative, but as flashes of images and colour that we can only recall as a single, brief frozen moment, there rest having been lost as another stimuli causes the mind to discard the imagery and move on.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Hypnopomia

There would appear to be some plays here on the state of dreaming; one image seems to reflect an erotic dream – but whether it is brought about as a result of the brain processing actual events or simply the hypnopomic reaction of something, I leave to you to decide. There’s also an echo of the sepia tone so often loved by Hollywood directors when portraying dreams, while the clever use of vignetting can be said to both also reflect the Hollywood use of pinhole focus to convey dreaming and also, as noted above, as a metaphor for the way in which certain images in our dreams come into crystalline clarity and sharpness, imprinting themselves so strongly on our emotions, that the remain with us through our waking hours.

Evocative and captivating whether considered individually or as a part of the exhibition’s theme, these are stunning images – and all the more so given none are post processed; all Cat uses to achieve her completed images in the SL camera floater, within its colour and filter options, and suitable windlights.

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Cica’s Daydream in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Cica Ghost: Daydream

A misted isle where the ground is carpeted in flowers, the rolling hills covered in grass, the beaches arced with sand and the tress provide shade from the sun during the day, once the mist has been burned away, or places to rest and sleep as evening heralds the onset of night.

Such might be the place we slip away to when daydreams come to let us escape the drudgery of everyday life; a mystic realm where turtles can be ridden, fae folk might be found, and mushrooms stand as captive groups should we be tempted to dance before them. A land watched over by a kindly, horned giant, and where snails the size of houses court one another or butterfly people flutter.

Cica Ghost: Daydream

This is the world Cica Ghost presents to us in Daydream, which opened to the public on Friday, August 10th, 2018. Another wonderful whimsical build, it is a place to which we can all escape and explore, with something to discover at every turn. From the arrival point, this is a world wreathed in morning haze under a cloudy, almost alien sky, the hills are undulating shadows all around, breaking up the skyline.

Where you might wander is entirely, up to you – but be sure that whichever way you go, you’ll find something to captivate the eye, including many echoes of past works by Cica. Cats, mindful of those from 50 Cats (here), for example, are to be found ready to invite people to come inside hollow tree trunks and sit or lie with them for a time. Meanwhile a great horned dragon lies with his body covered in stand, just his head and tail visible, reminding us of the dragons from Fairy Tales (here), while the giant on the hill carries with him a look of her Beginners (here) – there’s even a hint of Strawberryland (here) waiting to be found, although the berries are rapidly being noshed by another pair of Cica’s characters!

Cica Ghost: Daydream

All of which should not be taken to mean that Daydream is derivative; far from it. This is as much an original as all of Cica’s prior works; the echoes are simply that – echoes. And give this is a place for daydreaming, they’re not at all out-of-place; why shouldn’t Cica have little dreams of her art and creations? And why shouldn’t we enjoy her daydreams as well?

As always with Cica’s creations there are things to do while exploring here – quite a lot, in actual fact. I’ve already mentioned a couple – sitting with cats or dancing before mushrooms, but there are many more, next to and on top of things – so be sure to mouse around yourself as you are exploring and taking pictures.

Cica Ghost: Daydream

I never cease to enjoy Cica’s work; it is always expressive, something whimsically, sometimes with a deeper interpretation. Howsoever you find it, there is always a sense of fun in life to be found. With Daydream. we’re presented with just that: a chance to jump into Cica’s daydreams and share in them with her, or to go exploring and find our own.

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The purpose of clouds in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Purpose of Clouds

I’ve been spending time at the Visions of Art complex of late, looking at the various exhibitions by visiting and hosted artists. Curated and managed by dj12 Magic. What tends to attract me to the complex is the broad diversity of art that has been gathered in a single place, mixed both physical world artistry with that of the purely digital medium of Second Life, offering plenty of scope for me to see work by artists with whom I might not be familiar, and to at times re-acquaint myself with the work of those I know but may not have seen elsewhere for a while.

One of the artists in the former category is Paula Cloudpainter (paula31atnight). Located on the top floor of the building – appropriate, given the subject – she presents The Purpose of Clouds, a series of her physical world digital photographs of cloud formations taken at different times of the day.

The Purpose of Clouds

Transient, ever-moving at the whim of winds and air currents, there is a wonderful magic about clouds. They can flow across the sky, dappling the ground and water beneath in shadow, allow the Sun or Moon to play peek-a-boo with us – and driven by our imagination, no matter how young or old we are, they can become a thousand different things, however briefly. Looking up at them, we can see everything from grey-white towers reaching majestically into the heavens or great rolling tides of cloudy surf rolling across the sea of the sky or the most fantastic of creatures, by they from the real world or works of fiction or mythology, while towering piles of cumulonimbus can trundle across the horizon like great mobile castles on their way to war, the level reaches dark and threatening. Clouds can even, at times, mimic the look of parts of the world over which they pass, offering fleeting outlines of Great Britain here or Italy’s boot there, a Caribbean like chain of islands somewhere else…

With the canvas of the sky and the aid of the Sun, clouds can also become nature’s unique expressions of art; sky paintings in which colours become layered, and even the apparent strokes of a giant brush can be seen, as cirrus cloud vie with cumulus and alto-cumulus to form exotic landscapes in the sky. Paula captures all of this, together with the sheer grace and beauty clouds have in and of themselves, through the images she presents in The Purpose of Clouds.

The Purpose of Clouds

These are wonderful reminders of the splendour of nature; and for those willing to let their imaginations flow free, there are perhaps stories to be seen in some. Is that a ghostly bat flying out of and orange-grey sky towards us? Dos the splash of white cloud among the grey and a deep blue sky look like and exotic sea creature hugged the relative safety of a shadowed reef? As we really looking up at a roiling sky of cloud caught in the light of a setting Sun, or are we perhaps hanging above an upside-down world looking at a rolling sea turned orange by its setting Sun?

While the images are perfect for purchase and hanging at home, I couldn’t help but wish that for the purposes of the exhibition, they’d been offered in a larger size, even if that meant fewer pieces (or perhaps using a little more of the central floor space). Doing so would immediate capture the eye with their sheer beauty. Nevertheless, The Purpose of Clouds is a wonderful exhibition deserving of being seen up close, rather than through the page of a blog post.

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Barbara and Cherry at La Maison d’Aneli

Posted on by Inara Pey
La Maison d’Aneli Gallery: Barbara Borromeo

Currently open at La Maison d’Aneli Gallery, curated by Aneli Abeyante are two exhibitions, both of which run through until August 16th. The first features Barbara Borromeo and the second, Cherry Manga.

Barbara Borromeo is an artist whose work – much to my shame – was unknown to me until June of 2018, when I gained an introduction to her work. The exhibition at La Maison d’Aneli follows on the heels of that event, and actually contains a number of pieces that were also featured in it as well. However, that there is some repetition doesn’t matter: Barbara’s work is simply extraordinary, and at La Maison, we are additionally treated to more of her physical world art as well.

La Maison d’Aneli Gallery: Barbara Borromeo

Several pieces are presented around the walls of the gallery, of which I found myself particularly drawn to Woodstock Hendrix (seen at the top of this article, on the left), and Words Never Said, two remarkable studies full of visual and emotional impact among a tour de force of stunning art that really captures the eye, heart and imagination.

However, it is the main slide show element of the exhibition that really captivates. Using a large screen, Barbara presents a rich cross-section of her portfolio – and it is not to be missed. Photographs and paintings from the physical world are displayed along with images captured from Second Life and – in what makes Barbara’s work fabulous to the eye – collage pieces that appear to combine both Second Life (or at least digital art she has produced) with images from the physical world. Given the number of pieces included in this slide show, use of the provided armchairs is advised – and taking the time to see all of the pieces it has to offer really is worthwhile.

La Maison d’Aneli Gallery: Barbara Borromeo

I confess to have fallen for Barbara’s work; her layered collages are among the most creative pieces of artistic expression I’ve seen either in Second Life or the physical world. The compositional work within them is sublime; the subjects evocative and, on occasion, provocative (as art should on occasion be); and the images bring to Second Life the full breadth and deep of a truly extraordinary talent.

Reached via teleport is a skybox featuring 3D art by one of Second Life’s long-standing artists, Cherry Manga, although sadly, she is nowadays rarely active here, preferring to spend her time in the Open Simulator FrancoGrid. As such, opportunities to witness her work in SL are always welcome.

La Maison d’Aneli Gallery: Cherry Manga

There are actually two teleports to the installation – the teleport disk on the gallery floor, and a poster on the wall. Both deliver you to different sides of the installation, but for convenience, I’d suggest using the disk. Doing so will land you near a selection of Cherry’s art avatars, which she is giving away free. These are located on a cube bearing the legend Freedom and Random Stuff – which I assume refer to the avatars, but might also be the title of the installation itself.

The two primary elements of the installation are side-by-side cubes in which are displayed animated wireframe scenes of marvellous complexity and which could both be taken as commentaries on modern living. The piece on the right (when looking from the side with the free avatars), seems to suggest a figure breaking free from confinement, the overall design of hexagons suggesting he is escaping the hive-like thinking that modern society can demand of us.

La Maison d’Aneli Gallery: Cherry Manga

To the left, the second cube offers a scene with strong metaphysical elements – and the chance to become a part of it by entering it and clicking on one of the spheres floating within the cube. This piece is perhaps harder to quantify, being strongly subjective. As such, while I have formed an opinion on it,  I’ll leave it to you to visit and to form your own.

A third piece, Freedom, floats and turns above the selection of free avatars. It presents a strong juxtaposition of ideas: the figure may well be floating and “free”, but she retains the chains which may once have confined her. While they are no longer locked or connected to anything, their presence seems to suggest that “freedom” can simply be an illusion – or, more positively – a state of mind to which we can all aspire, and possibly achieve.

La Maison d’Aneli Gallery: Cherry Manga

Two stunning exhibitions, both of which should be seen before they close on August 16th.

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