Category: Art in Second Life

Chaos is the title of a new exhibition of Gem Preiz’s fractal art, now open at  The Eye art gallery, curated by Mona (MonaByte). It is an exhibition those familiar with Gems work might find surprising in terms of the visual style of the images presented.

“Confronted with the mysteries of the origins, Gem says in describing the exhibition, “And with the question of the determinism of the Nature, Man has, from Hesiod’s Theogony to the most recent mathematical theories, attempted to tame Chaos, first by naming and personifying it, then much later by putting it in equations which remain unsolved.”

And so it is that we are presented with twelve images which are raw in nature,  very different to the sweeping vistas of fractally generated architecture, landscapes and deep space scenes we are perhaps more familiar with seeing.  Instead, these images present a far more primal force, one both alien and yet familiar.

Examining these pieces is like looking back at the formation of Earth itself. In some, the reds and golds suggest a time when volcanism was rife across the planet, giving rise to swirling, sluggish rivers of lava and molten rock which crept outwards from craters and fissures, flowing over a prehistoric landscape, shaping it and, as they cooled, becoming part of it before other flows replaced or added to them. In others, the blues and whites suggest the points where land and water met and engaged in a battle for dominance.

All are representative of primordial settings, places utterly uninhabitable – but which, in their formation and evolution, helped bring forth the very stuff of life itself: liquid, chemicals and minerals, which in turn gave rise to the first living organisms, setting off a chain of events which led down through the aeons to – us.

There is also something else here. We often speak of order arisen out of chaos; as Gem points out, there is something of a poetic balance in these images. Each of which presents a chaotic scene, yet each one is fundamentally built out of the order of code and mathematics. Thus each of them offers a fresh interpretation of the complex intertwining of order and chaos.

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• Art Gallery The Eye (Cape Paradise, rated: Moderate)

The latest ensemble exhibition at the gallery at La Maison d’Aneli, curated by Aneli Abeyante opened on October 25th. It offers an eclectic mix of five artists and their work: Xirana Oximoxi, Vangogh Rembranch, Kaijah Chrome, Morlita Quan and Theda Tammas.

The exhibition is split between the two levels of the gallery. The upper level, featuring the foyer area and a tribute to Holala Alter, is a 3D is an untitled piece by Theda Tammas. Across the hall is a larger display mixing 2D and 3D works by  Xirana Oximoxi examining the situation between Catalonia and the central Spanish government.

Social media in particular helped bring the realities of referendum day in particular to the rest of the world, at a time when much of Spain’s own media appeared to be turning a blind eye on the sheer brutality of the official response to the those attempting to vote, and this forms a focus of the exhibit. True, the referendum had been declared “illegal” by the central government, and both sides were guilty of heavy-handed posturing in the run-up to the vote. However, none of this justified the levels of violence unleashed by well-armed, well-protected police.

This is powerful central exhibit. Not only does it remind us how art can offer commentary on politics and events, but which also serves as a reminder that in a time when much of the main stream media is under attack for being purveyors of so-called “fake news”, just how important it is for our news services not to become the vassals of political desire.

The lower level of the gallery presents a primary exhibit are featuring Morlita Quan’s organic geometric art, with 2D pieces focused around a central tree. Alongside of this is a hall featuring painting by the intriguingly named Vangogh Rembranch, and more “traditional” Second Life focused art by Kaijah Chrome.

All three make for intriguing exhibits, Vangogh’s in particular forming – for me – a first time introduction to his work. Kaijah’s, meanwhile, offers a Halloween setting for this work – which should not be taken to mean  the art itself is Halloween themed.

 

I tend to enjoy ensemble exhibitions, and the five artists on display at La Maison d’Aneli all present unique approaches to art and expression, making this a particularly interesting visit.

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• La Maison d’Aneli (Virtual Holland, rated: Moderate)

Opening on Friday, November 3rd, 2017, is an exhibition of Giovanna’s art entitled  Allegories, at Solo Arte, which runs through until November 24th.

Renowned for her immersive installations, Giovanna uses the open-air and gallery spaces at Solo Arte to present a range of her pieces, large and small. Some are standalone pieces, such as The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which sit in the small park adjacent to the landing point. Others are elements from larger installations, such as Circe from Il Folle Volo and also seen in Line, found in the piazza next to the bar, The Desire and The Bird from Flash Back / Flash Forward, which can be found in the small courtyard to the rear of the art space and Sirens from Il Folle Volo, as they float over the central canal.

The two largest pieces on display sit at either end of the canal, but the best way to appreciate the art on display is to follow the paths around the gallery space, starting at the park and then walking down to the main gallery building, then cross the canal to explore the other gallery building and the outdoor spaces.

Unlike the majority of Giovanna’s installation, there doesn’t appear to be a central theme to the exhibit – other than the name – but what is on display offers an intriguing glimpse of Giovanna’s significant talent in constructing thought-provoking and visually stunning pieces of 3D art.

The exhibition officially opens at 15:00 SLT, with music by DJ Faby.

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• Solo Arte (Casvian Caye, rated: Moderate)

Featuring six levels to descend through, and presenting a community take on Lewis Carroll’s  classic tales, Out of the Looking into the Madness offers visitors to The Dirty Grind Independent Artist Community the opportunity to join Alice on her adventures, which comes with a twist of Halloween about it.

The journey starts up in the sky on an autumnal platform. A path indicated by a hand-written sign points the way towards a sloped bridge formed by a book open at the illustration of a certain tea party. The bridge leads to a neighbouring platform. Here the adventure proper starts, with and invitation to jump down the proverbial rabbit hole.

Doing so will take you into the adventure proper – but don’t expect a traditional journey through scenes from Carroll’s tales as seen through the artists participating in the build. What you will find is a more imaginative ride featuring compositions which present the spirit of the tales in a unique format.

The first destination is inside a vast vessel with chalk illustrations of Alice and more on the walls, floating chess sets, time pieces, chairs and more, presided over by the Cheshire Cat and the Caterpillar. A translucent path spirals downwards to a funnelled point, a sign daring you to carry on down. And this is how you progress through the various settings – by dropping down holes, or following airborne walkways, passing through various settings, most – but not all – of which offer a particular take on Carroll’s tales.

I offer the caveat because one of the levels is distinctly non-Alice in tone: a row of spooky shops sitting close to a giant tree of skulls and a horse-drawn hearse. Other twists can be found a well – such as in the Queen of Heart’s hall.

Elsewhere, you can find your way to the tea party, rich in symbolism, and eventually to a garden again celebrating the Queen of Hearts, but with another twist on the Halloween theme. Alongside of this is a separate walled garden; this offers both an imaginative route down to ground level (just follow the instructions on where to stand), and the chance to ride a hot air balloon. Should you take the former, do take the opportunity to explore The Dirty Grind if you haven’t previously done so. If you take a ride on the balloon, I do recommend your heed its warning, I’d wear this, if I were you, when it offers you a package to wear…

With art displays, live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, The Dirty Grind always makes for an enjoyable tarriance, and Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness offers a cleverly seasonal twist to a childhood tale, making it a more than worthwhile visit.

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• Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness (Fender, rated; Moderate)

I don’t know how many souls I have.
I’ve changed at every moment.
I always feel like a stranger.
I’ve never seen or found myself.
From being so much, I have only soul.

This is the opening stanza of Fernando Pessoa’s lament about our relationship with self, I don’t know how many souls I have, the first two lines of which serve as an introduction to Theda Tammas’ Dissected Soul, now on display at Split Screen, curated by Dividni Shostakovich.

The poem examines the idea that throughout our lives, we never really know precisely who we are. Are we ever really just one person? Or are we an amalgam of experience and reaction – reaction to what we’re feeling, the environment around us, the situation we are in – and the way in which those around us perceive us at that point in time? And how are we affected by the masks we willingly wear according the circumstance – the parent, the lover, the work colleague, the confidante, et al? How do they affect our perception of who we might be – or who we think we are? Is it possible that throughout our lives, the only one who knows the mystery of who we are is God?

Against this backdrop, Theda presents an intriguing series of sculptures reflecting this idea of multiple selves. They are fractured, dissected, even presenting one face whilst holding aloft another. Through them wind red lines – heart lines perhaps, a reflection of the time we are given in life. Curling around these lines are strings of barbed wire; a metaphor, possibly, for the blades and sharpness of life which can so easily cause us to change our perception of self and step further away from really knowing ourselves. Central to all of this is a shattered heart, seat of the soul, further echoing the idea of dissected self, broken by our confusion over who we really are.

Given that Second Life is a place which allows us to wear whatever mask we choose and express ourselves in so many different ways, the lament perhaps has special significance; just how many of those masks we use within Second Life, the identities we adopt, further distance us from our core self – or soul?

Dissected Soul, is a fascinating, thought-provoking piece, both questioning who we are and presenting a new facet on the discussion of Second Life and identity.

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• Split Screen landing point (LEA15, rated: Moderate)