Category: Art in Second Life

Now open in the gardens and piazza of Astral Dreams is an open-air exhibition by Mistero Hifeng, featuring his 3D art.

Caught is the grip of a frozen winter, the garden and piazza are an excellent setting for Mistero’s evocative pieces, and he has exhibited measured care in placing his work such that it appears as a natural part of the garden, rather than being simply placed within it.

Take Bruciando Ricordi (“Burning Memories” – at the top of this article) for example, as it sits within the slowly rotating cog set into the ground at the landing point. The latter is the first visible sign that Astral Dreams has a strong steampunk influence, but Bruciando Ricordi occupies the centre of the cog as if the two were intended for one another. Meanwhile, the two figures of Veglio su di te (“Watch Over You), which are bent over the piece blend perfectly with the frosted branches and leaves of the tall oak tree shading the landing point, they could almost at first glance be mistaken for tree trunks.

Given the theme of the gardens is that of romance (alongside the steampunk element), Mistero has also selected pieces which offer feelings of passion for the core of this exhibition. Along with Bruciando Ricordi, there is  Ti respiro e ti trattengo rising from the nearby pond, while the stage is dominated by Le ultime frasi degli amanti and Tu hai  l’anima che io vorrei, with La…chiamano realta’ and Aneladam occupying two corners of the dance floor.

This is not an extensive exhibit, but for those who enjoy Mistrero’s work or would like an introduction to his sculptures, it is an ideal one to visit. Should you do so, note that all of the major pieces are for sale, and do be sure to follow the untitled figure of the woman with the umbrella as it sits along the path away from the landing point, over the bridge and to one of the buildings at the edge of the garden – not all of Mistero’s pieces are displayed outside.

SLurl Details

• Astral Dreams (Hawaii, rated:  Moderate)

Hauling, on land and in the sea. Exploring limits and bypassing any respect for them, while stringing our catch into a growing story.

So reads the introduction to Haveit Neox’s latest installation The Haul, which opened on February 5th, 2017 at MetaLES, curated by Ux Hax and Romy Nayar. It’s an interesting description, offering just enough to pique the curiosity and point the imagination in a certain direction, without laying bare the artist’s intent or hope.

Occupying the region’s sea level – loftier reaches being occupied by Chimkami’s Illogism (which you can read about here), The Haul offers an enigmatic setting which is both familiar and other-worldly. Teleporting from the MetaLES landing point, visitors arrive on the deck of a vessel, one of three in fact, although it appears to have collided with one of its sister ships. All are deserted, delicate sails unfettered by rigging, silent roll outwards from heavy masts, caught in a gentle breeze.

Above these ships are four giant objects, looking like some otherworldly jelly fish floating serenely in the currents of the air. Three of these drop chain-like lines or tentacles down into the sea, but the largest trails an intricate filigree of lines and webbing from its rim, in which are caught fish and other creatures. Look up inside this great jelly fish of the sky, and you will see this web of tentacles is in fact nets, the catch within them being hauled aloft by figures poised on spheres within the great dome.

Nor is this all. Follow the lines of the smaller “jelly fish” down below the waves and you will find them drifting over ruins encrusted in coral – some are even holding the upturned form of an encased car. The ruins are arranged around a central square, the remains of a great hall to one side. In the midst of this former square, delicate, broken spiral of coral rises, its spines and turns resembling a broken strand of DNA.

What are we to make of all of this? The clue seems to rest in Haveit’s description: we explore – or exploit – over land and sea. We take what we want, ignoring limits and showing no respect for the damage our actions may cause, stringing everything into a net of greed and want. Not even the loss of our homes and lifestyles (the flooded ruins a reference to global warming?) can stop us, even as we sow the seeds of our own destruction (which are perhaps embodied in the sleeker, smaller, group of “jellyfish” which seem to be approaching the larger group in an almost predatory manner).

Of course, this is only one interpretation, you my well find your own narrative within the great tableau, and it is Haveit’s ability to put before us some pages from a narrative hidden within our thoughts, as much as his ability to create such beautifully intricate pieces as these, which make him not just an artist, but a master storyteller and a social commentator.

Fascinating, beautiful and challenging, The Haul will remain open through until the end of March 2017.

SLurl Details

• The Haul (MetaLES, rated: Moderate)

Either find your place or lose yourself in the grid of impressions and projection. Second Life is about you and the ability to find your own fascination. Find yourself. Position yourself. Be a part of the world which your imagination can create.  Take a picture!The lights are on you.

Thus Hills (Hillany Scofield) introduces The Recreation, one of two exhibitions of her art (and the art of others) she is currently showing at her gallery The Ladies Room. She goes on to note that The Recreation draws inspiration from an installation she provided for the 2016 Indie Teepee festival. However, for me, it stands as a marvellous expansion of her March 2016 exhibition Immersed, hosted at The Good Days Gallery (read here for more).

To appreciate this exhibition, it is essential you have Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) enabled in your viewer (via Preferences > Graphics), as it makes extensive use of projectors (you do not need to have Shadows enabled as well).

As with Immersed, The Recreation presents a set of large format images, before which stand faceless, female mannequins. Within this grouping is a pose system, and – as per  the introduction – visitors are invited to jump on it and create their own images within the space (a second pose system is located to one side as well).

Outside of the central display, the walls of the gallery offer further images under the title The Walls Are Alive. Also being examined by the faceless mannequins, this mix of slide show and projected images presents pictures taken by visitors to The Recreation who have taken Hills’ invitation and used the pose system. She notes that more will be added to this collection as the exhibit continues.

As an examination of the juxtaposition between physical life and virtual life, The Recreation is completed by text and verse which encourage us to ponder the realities and opportunities of both. It is also within the frame of juxtaposition – in this case individuality (in the shape of those taking photos of themselves in The Recreation) and uniformity (in the shape of the faceless mannequins), that this piece reflects (dare I say recreates?) much of the ambience and presence of Immersed.

When visiting, I also encourage you to tour Your Shine Through, Hills’ the second of Hills’ current exhibitions at The Ladies Room (to the right as you enter the gallery), which presents a series of monochrome pieces. Sensual / erotic in nature, they provide a story of intimacy between lovers.

SLurl Details

• The Ladies Room (Stylora Island, rated; Moderate)