Category: Art in Second Life

Cica Ghost: Them – click any image for full size

Now open is Cica Ghost’s latest full region installation: Them, and it is perhaps one of her most intriguing, and oddly endearing installations, yet

Beneath a blue / ochre sky, across which clouds periodically scud, lies as barren, undulating landscape of rock and rounded peaks. Strange tentacle-like forms rise into the air at various points, their dimpled sides suggesting they might be hollow, while their tampering, slightly twisted forms suggest tree trunks denuded of branch and leaf.

Cica Ghost: Them

Across this landscape, a horde of naked figures can be seen. Almost all of them have heads bowed, backs slightly bent, arms held limply, as in supplication, while one or two are in their knees and one is prostrated on the ground. They all appear humanoid in form, although their bodies are proportioned differently to ours, slightly emaciated in build with skin a pale grey tone. Among the horde, small groups of three or four, along with the occasional individual, have their heads turned towards the sky.

That so few are looking upwards seems odd, because floating or hovering in the sky is a circular craft, a quintessential disc of an unidentified flying object, or UFO. It rotates silently, slowly, beams of light from some of the dimples on its underside sweeping over some of those below, sunlight sparkling occasionally off of its upper surface while illuminating the strange glyphs on its side.

Cica Ghost: Them

The presence of the craft suggests the vast majority of the crowd are paying obeisance to it; their heads bowed, bent forward attitude suggestive of subservience. Only those looking up appear to be the least bit inquisitive, heads cocked as their faces are turned towards the sky.

But look again; there is more going on here than might appear to be the case. The eyes of those on the ground appear to be deep-set, lost in shadow beneath heavy brows – or are they? Could their blackened eye sockets indicate they are sightless, or almost so?  Is this why their ears are disproportionately large, and why even those looking up seem to be looking towards the ship in the sky, rather than at it – as if they can hear its presence, rather than see it, and so have heads cocked to better detect the sounds it might make, so they might better understand what it might be?

Cica Ghost: Them

Then there is the ship. It is here to observe, or do the beams of light indicate something else – the classic teleporting beams beloved of close encounters stories? And if so, is the ship here to gather, or simply to ferry, being little more than an intergalactic bus service,  picking up another batch of passengers along its route?

Is there, perhaps, a metaphor here, awaiting our interpretation? And who are the “Them” of the title? Whoever might be aboard the ship, or those on the ground? The layers of possible riddle and interpretation are wonderfully stacked together.

Cica Ghost: Them

“There is no U in UFO,” Cica tells us through the About Land description, and you can sense the twinkle in her eyes in writing those words. They hint at the idea of mystery revealed – things are only unidentified until we can make sense of them in our own way. Is this the meaning behind the piece, and are the apparently sightless folk on the ground a metaphor for this obvious-yet-complex truth? Or is the entire piece toying with us: a riddle demanding we apply our imaginations to identify the narrative within it which most appeals to us at the time?

This is the real delight of Them, we can peel back the layers within it – real or supposed – in many different ways, making it an intriguing installation worthy of repeat visits.

SLurl Details

• Them (Rated:  Moderate)

In June 2015, I helped to spread the word about Windlight Magazine a (then) new arts-focused magazine for Second Life.

For its launch, Windlight sought to innovate, with programmes such as the Windlight Fellowship Programme and gallery, and over the last 12 months that desire to innovate has continued, with the title branching into areas beyond such as e-publication, music, literature, fund-raising, sponsorship, hunts, and fashion.

Because of this broadening of focus, on July 31st, 2016, Windlight founder John Brianna (Johannes1977 resident) officially announced the re-branding of the title to Kultivate Magazine, which will encompass all of the brand’s existing titles and activities, including the on-line magazine, the in-world Windlight Art and Windlight Bailywick galleries, The Edge (fashion) and The Edge Gallery, The Rift, and e-publications like the Quill and Pen. Kultivate will continue to support fund-raising activities, such as the work of Team Diabetes of Second Life, and run competitions, hunts, and events such as the 30/31 Event.

The new name came about for a variety of reasons, one of which is John’s own sister, Kandis. “In establishing Windlight, I wanted to honour my late sister,” he said. “Before her passing two years ago, her love of photography student took her to Paris where she experienced growth in so many ways, including taking her abilities to new heights as she perfected her photographic craft.

“Over the last year, we’ve seen Windlight grow in many areas, and we’ve growth in so many ways to cover the broad spectrum of art in Second Life. ‘Kultivate’ was selected as our new name to both reflect our broader aim of cultivating artistic expression, and to further honour Kandis’ memory through the use of the initial K.”

He continued, “Our strong commitment to the arts will never change. We will continue to have our art shows, our galleries, and our many artistic events to bring you the resources you have grown to love and utilize. If anything we will simply expand and bring you additional resources to help you to cultivate your craft.”

For the last 12 months it has been an absolute pleasure to work with John, Eles and the team, both as a contributing writer and as a quiet advisor. During that time I’ve witnessed not only the brand grow, but also those putting in all the hard work on moving it forward grow as a team committed to the coverage of art in its broadest sense within Second Life. I’ve little doubt that this rebranding will allow further expansion and great coverage of virtual arts across the platform.

Crossworlds Gallery, co-owned by Nerd Bert and Fabilene Cortes, is designed as a “bridge between RL and SL art”, presenting – as one might expect – a rich mix of art from both the physical and the virtual / digital.

Spread across seven levels (although one was empty at the time of my visit), Crossworlds comprises four main display areas for six of the levels, with the uppermost given over to the Bryn Oh Garden. Movement between the levels is via teleport stations unmistakably placed in the central hallways which dissect the display areas on each.

At the time of my visit, the first level featured art by Hechos, Pixivor Allen, Feathers Boa, Consuela Caldwell and Scottius Polke; the second art by ByrneDarkly Cazalet, MarieLou DeCuir, Walt Ireton and Sabbian Paine; the third Olimpiadelarte (who came to Second Life specifically to display her art in-world), Sheba Blitz, Sil Brandi and Munroe Snook. The fourth level is devoted in part to Eternal Contemplation, an interactive / spiritual exhibition by BellaLuna Xigalia, with separate displays by Hijinks Blaukempt and Ronin1 Shippe; the fifth floor hold art by June Clavenham and MillyWH.

The art on display is amply diverse in style and presentation, ranging from in-world photography through paintings, abstracts, photography, digital art, collages, and drawings, all with an equally diverse range of subject matter. In fact, if there is one thing at all I’d say in general about the art on display, is that in places there is perhaps a little too much; I couldn’t help but feel that some of the display areas might benefit with a little more “wall space” between images so as to allow one to focus more fully on individual works.

A case is frequently made that art from the physical world displayed within Second Life “doesn’t work” or isn’t as “successful” as art both produced and displayed in-world, and often the argument is made that it is down to the limitations of upload resolutions. I don’t tend to hold with that view, but sway towards the issue being more a case that we are perhaps more open to viewing art which as it origins in-world than that produced out-world, a bias which perhaps extends into the world of blogging about art in Second Life in general.

Certainly, there are many demonstrations that art from the physical world can be effectively presented in the virtual, a far few of which I’ve attempted to cover in these pages. Crossworlds is very much one of these, bringing together a rich pool of talent from both sides of the physical / virtual “divide” offering an equally rich mix of art. While I may have commented on the volume of art on display in some of the sections, this should be seen as a reason to defer a visit: Crossworlds very much makes for a worthwhile and enjoyable visit.

SLurl Details

Crossworlds Gallery (Rated: General)

The famous faces are singers Joan Jett, Neko Case, Kate Bush and Siouxsie.

 

Update, August 2016: Regrettably, and as a result of illness, Small World Arts Gallery has closed.

In May I wrote about the Small World Art gallery in Second Life. Operated by Mikey Jefford (mikeythai), Small World Art (SWA) is a region-wide complex featuring two large gallery complexes on both the ground level of the region and also overhead (where there are a number of satellite galleries.

The main galleries are host to displays by many Second Life photographers and artists, including (but not limited to) Silas Merlin, Mistero Hifeng, Giovanna Cerise, Toy Soldier Thor, Nino Vichan, Gem Preiz, ieko Catnap,  Kayly Iali, StarZ (StarZ33 McCullough), Gita Aura, Barret Darkfold, Harter Fall, Artée (Artistide Despres), Fafner Hofmann, Maghda – the list goes on.

Such is the extent of the art on display in and around the galleries, that more than one visit is needed to take everything in. However, Mikey Jefford was recently taken ill in the physical world, and is currently unable to log-in to SL to cover the cost of the region tier, thus putting the galleries at risk.

In order to avoid this and ensure that tier continues to be paid, the gallery’s designer, Addi Tachikawa (Adrienne Falconer) and Mikey in-world partner, Mrs candy  Jefford (candy68) have put out donation kiosks around the gallery. These record both total donated, and the amounts paid out in tier in respect of keeping the region open.

SWA has a lot to offer anyone with an interest in art, and represents a significant commitment to art is Second Life. I therefore have no hesitation in once again in recommending a visit, and urge all those who do to consider donating towards its continued existence. Even if you are donation box averse, remember a percentage of to price of all art sold in the galleries also goes towards maintaining the region – so even buying copies of the art your particularly like during a visit can help.

Should you like to help with keeping the region open in any other way, please IM Candy or Addie in-world.

SLurl Details

The SWA region (Sardegna) is rated Adult.

• SWA main entrance, ground level
• SWA sky gallery entrance