Category: Art in Second Life

Now open at CKB Art Gallery curated by Ceakay (CK) Ballyhoo is The Haze. It is the latest installation in a series of living stories featuring art and focused on the adventures of a principal character, whose journey we are invited to follow in words, images and settings. For The Haze, CK returns to her own character of Ellie, who featured in A Watercolour Wander (read here for more) and The Forest Beyond (read here for more) in a collaborative story developed with 2D and 3D artist Silas Merlin.

“It was an offer I couldn’t refuse,” CK says of the installation. “An offer from Silas to use his new builds and sketches to form a story. Using Silas’s new digital sketches and the ruins and creatures he has created, a world started to form, darker than anything we’ve either done before, the story turned into a nightmare: Ellie’s nightmare.”

The result is a full region installation far removed from the green and pleasant lands of the first two instalments of Ellie’s dreamworld adventures. Instead, visitors find themselves in a desert-like, ghostly landscape, heavy with a dusty haze (I recommend exploring using the default windlight). Instructions on following the story can be found at the landing point – and should be read. In short, look for the little illuminated STORY stones set on the ground along the way, each one presents a chapter in the unfolding nightmare.

Another difference between this and Ellie’s previous adventures is that not only are the chapters presented in note card form when the stones are clicked, but approach a stone will trigger it being read to you – just have local sounds enabled (*not* the audio stream) to hear the readings. These readings can actually overlap one another, depending on how many are playing when you visit, and where you are in relation to the different stones. This might annoy some; for me, they actually added extra ambience: whispering ghostly voices, overlapping but each telling a story – if you listen carefully and focus on just one of the voices.

The setting, with its deserting buildings, twisted trees, creatures and ruins, presents an eerie landscape, barren despite the trees – which appear a sickly yellow-green, rather than the usual robust green of fir-trees.  It’s a haunting place in which scenes loom up at you. They can seem disjointed, sudden – and very nightmare-like for doing so. Amidst all the rocks and fir-trees, seemingly dead trees also sit, their branches denuded of leaves, left to form easels on which groups of Silas’ drawings sit. These also have little STORY stones alongside of them which, when touched, will deliver background notes on a scene to you in note card form, adding further depth the the story.

Silas’ art is as captivating as ever – and there is a lot to see from buildings to gnomes to creatures to rocks (someone them resembling creatures) to people awaiting discovery. The 2D art forming the background stories is cleverly presented and offers an illustrative style reminiscent of a storybook – so thoroughly in keeping with the setting. He and CK have created an immersive tale, one which invites exploration  – and be sure to keep an eye out for the Boogeyman and also the dragon rezzer – the latter will allow you to fly up to the higher reaches of the setting, unreachable by foot, and essential to the story.

Also when visiting, don’t miss the UP teleport at the landing point – it will take you to a sky gallery where you can find CK’s own art, more from Silas as well as from other artists, all taken from CK’s personal collection.

Related Links

• The Haze (Storybrooke, rated: Adult)
• Ceakay’s blog

Now open at the Paris Metro gallery in Second Life is Mystery of Nature, an exhibition of art by Sisi Biedermann, presenting 14 pieces of work for our appreciation.

“I joined Second Life in 2007, and back then I never realised how much this would mean to me, ” Sisi says of her art and her time in Second Life. “Back then I had just started painting with acrylics after a very long break where I raised my children and looked after my family and my work. I started taking photos in Second Life in 2008, and have developed my style ever since.

“Over the years, I have amassed several hundred paintings,  and I still get a lot of inspiration from nature, Second Life and northern islands such as Faroe Islands and Iceland.”

The pieces selected for this exhibition reflect Sisi’s love of nature, whilst offering pieces with a slight fantasy twist to them, complete with a touch of the abstract. From landscape studies to works focused on people / avatars, it’s a remarkable selection, rich in colour and depth, broad in style and composition. Nature is reflected in all of them, from being the focus Fern through to the autumn leaves framing The Chinese Tower or the mountains and Moon seemingly forming the backdrop of Top of the World.

The fantasy elements are perhaps clearest in  Faery Land and Magic Book, but so too is it event in other pieces as well – such as The Bridge, with its rich symbolism, and the framing of The Edge. Similarly, the abstract nature within the pieces is both obvious and beautifully subtle.

This is a superb selection, of art, one well worth visiting and the individual pieces very collectible for hanging at home.

SLurl Details

• Mystery of Nature, Paris Metro Art Gallery (Paris Couture, rated: Moderate)

Now open at Solo Arte, curated by Melania (MelaniaBis), is 1928 Polo Nord, the latest installation by Terrygold. Best known for her evocative avatar studies, for this installation Terrygold has turned to history. Working with the assistance of Melania and Annalisa Muliaina, she has built an installation commemorating the ill-fated polar expedition of the airship Italia in 1928.

Italian aviator, aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile was one of the pioneers of airship design in the early 20th century. In particular, he was responsible for the airship N-1, the Norge, which, in 1925 was used by Norwegian Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen for a flight over the North Pole. Nobile helped arrange the expedition and served as the pilot. While it was a success, he and Amundsen fell out over who deserved the greater credit for the feat.

Possibly to cement his reputation as an Arctic explorer, Nobile decided to organise his own polar expedition, this time using the airship Italia, sister to the Norge, and which he also designed. After preparing the expedition over some three years, Nobile and his crew departed Svarlbard, the launch-point for the expedition on May 23rd, 1928. After a 19 hour flight, they arrived over the north pole in the early hours of May 24th. The plan had been to hover over the pole and drop off a team of scientists and equipment to establish a temporary polar base. However, strong winds prevented this, and after two hours circling the pole, the airship started on its return trip to Svalbard. It never made it.

Thanks to the strong winds and worsening weather, Italia crashed on the Arctic ice on May 25th. Seven crew were killed in the crash, one when the control gondola stuck the ice and was ripped away from the airship’s envelope and six more, who were in the envelope at the time of the crash and were carried away with in the winds, never to be found.

Seven of the surviving crew were eventually rescued in the world’s first combined polar air-sea rescue operation – although it took almost two months for all of them to be recovered (one man died of exposure). The survivors were able to use the equipment intended for the temporary polar base, equipment salvaged from the control gondola and – thanks to the quick wits of the chief engineer – additional supplies and equipment he threw out of the ruptured airship envelope, even as it rose back into the sky after the crash, carrying him and the others trapped aboard it to their deaths.

In commemorating these events, 1928 Polo Nord presents a two-part installation. At the landing point is a photographic record of the expedition, neatly displayed within the frame of an airship’s hull. Each picture is accompanied by text captions in English or Italian, which can be triggered in local chat by clicking on the appropriate country flag. The photos are of the expedition itself, the Italia, the crash site and the support ship, the Città di Milano – the crew of which were partially responsible for rescue operations being delayed by a week as they failed to maintain a proper radio watch, and so didn’t pick up the SOS signals from the crash survivors.

At the forward end of the airship hull is a model of the Fokker Dr4 flown by Einar Lundborg of the Swedish Air Force, who effected the first rescue (Umberto Nobile himself, although he wanted Lunberg to take his injured mechanic). Lunbborg himself became stranded with the remaining survivors when he returned to attempt a further rescue, and his aircraft crashed.

A teleport is located in front of the ‘plane leads down the to second part of the installation – and Arctic ice where the survivors awaited rescue following the crash. This includes the wreck of the control gondola, the crashed Fokker Dr4 and the famous red tent which gave the survivors a degree of shelter. And don’t miss the poem by Judy Barton commemorating the crash.

1928 Polo Nord makes for a most unusual – but still engaging – installation.

SLurl Details

• Solo Arte (Casvian Caye, rated: Moderate)

Opening on Tuesday, November 28th 2017 is The Argument, a collaborative exhibition featuring eighteen artists, taking place at Serena Imagine Arts Centre (the exhibition space is south of the landing point across the water).

“It is the second competition I have run,” the centre’s curator, Vita Theas, informed me. “Its a way for me to give a little prize to the artists, to thank them for letting me share their art with visitors here. The theme is about how many unjust things are in the world today, and how many feelings of hostility are festering among our global neighbours.”

The eighteen participating artists are Aldiladeisogni, Aniwitt, Birdguru, Dilligaf, Lilarya, Maura77, o0Crystal0o, Lin Carlucci, Mistero Hifeng,  Scotsgraymouser Janus, Daco Monday, Blip Mumfizz, Liquid Sommer, Theda Tammas, Otekah Timaru, Tim Timaru, Nino Vichan, and Anke Zamani. Each presents a single piece on the subject, either as 2D or 3D art.

Given this, the pieces on offer take the core subject from a wide variety of angles and offer a broad range of interpretations. There is a focus on the complexities of personal relationships  – the most direct form of argument – are represented through portrayals of domestic disagreements, the consequences of a rushed marriage, the question of who we really are within a relationship and the masks we wear. But broader “arguments”, those brought about by racial discrimination / genocide, and war are also tackled.

It’s an eclectic, diverse collection of images and pieces, each one offering a unique perspective on the subject matter, making this an interesting exhibition.

As well as participating in The Argument, Italian artist Aldiladeisogni – a favourite of mine, to be honest – is the subject of a second exhibition at Serena Imagine, located just across the water from the group display (take the covered wooden bridge and cross the island between the two display areas). Six of his extraordinary avatar studies are on display, one offering a direct link to The Argument, being a sister piece to his submission in that exhibit.

The island between the two exhibition offer a route to a reproduction of the French Château de Chenonceau, built by Louis-Jean-Marie de Bourbon (Cedric Hansome) and donated to Vita so it could live on in Second Life following his departure. This is a marvellous period build, and one not to be missed.

SLurl Details

• Serena Imagine Arts (Wolves Land, rated Moderate)