Category: Art in Second Life

Opening at 13:00 SLT on Tuesday, April 5th, is the latest exhibition at Dathúil Gallery, operated by Max Butoh and Lυcy (LucyDiam0nd). I like for you to be still presents images by photographer Kate Bergdorf what have been composed and shot to the words of Pablo Neruda’s poem of the same name, published in his 1924 volume Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Twenty Love Poems and A Song Of Despair).

On offer are 19 images of varying sizes, some of which are nude studies, together with framed copies of the poem. “With the works in this exhibit, I attempt to transmit emotion by using both words and images,” Kate says of the exhibit. “Each image corresponds to a sentence or words from the poem. An expression of silent love.”

Presented in three (or sometimes five) stanzas, the poem is an emotive, moving piece, rich in melancholy, coupled with redemption and catharsis; the feelings of one lover towards another, as both occupy the same space in silence.  In these moments, it is possible for the mind to wander to dark places, only to return, the heart lifted by a smile, or a gentle, wordless touch,  such as a kiss.

Attempting to interpret such a well-known and loved poem is never going to be an easy task, and I have to confess, that for me, not all of the images here really work when set against Neruda’s words. Certainly, the melancholia is beautifully encapsulated in several – notably those on the lower right side of the exhibition space as you enter (seen above, centre). However, I confess that the nude images, while artfully posed and presented, didn’t resonate with me as visual interpretations of the emotions and tenderness of thought present within Neruda’s words. Which is a shame.

But this is only my opinion; I would still urge you to visit Dathúil, where I like for you to be still continues through until the end of April.

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• Dathúil Gallery (Rated: Adult)

Photographers Io Bechir and Fanny Vermont recently opened their own studio and gallery space in Second Life. Called Clockwork Skimmer, the space has a distinctively steampunk feel to it, and offers a cosy space for both Io and Fanny to display their work.

The lower floor of the space, where visitors arrive, presents the looks and feel of a basement space, with bare brick walls and small windows placed high in the walls, close to the wood ceiling. A rough wooden floor, a bare iron supporting frame for the floor above, and exposed copper pipes complete the basic room décor. Into this Io has added various furnishings – free-standing spotlights, a wine rack, easy chairs and a large leather sofa, before which lays a great big bear rug. “I am a big Steam fan,” Io informed me as we chatted about the design, “I think it’s a nice motif for a gallery space.”

I couldn’t agree more, as the entire effect creates a beautifully intimate space ideal for presenting her work, which has a wonderful ability to project so much to the observer: strength, fragility, vulnerability, beauty, vitality, and more. In all nine of Io’s pieces are displayed here, the casual manner in which they are placed on or against walls or sit on easels very much promoting the feeling one has been invited into her personal work space, rather than attending a formal exhibit.

The upper floor, reached via an open staircase, is home to a more formal exhibition space, which might be imagined as being on the ground floor of the building. It is here that Fanny has her exhibition, entitled Balance. In it, she  presents nine nude images in three sets of three, all in black and white. Each image is exquisitely posed and presented, and as with Io’s pieces, they each individually, and in their collective trios, present a narrative.

“Balance is my second series based on a concept. As the name implies I developed and photographed some of my ideas referring to the theme but still with enough room for personal interpretations,” Fanny notes of the exhibit, “taken in my studio which is not much more than an ample, empty hall. I wanted to be able to use a tele lens and also to get more possibilities where to place the light projector. For six images I used a large, white backdrop with a rather wide dimensioned cove which creates nice results in combination with the spotlight.”

As well as describing he means of creating her images, Fanny also divulges her approach to framing and presenting them in-world in order to preserve their 16:10 aspect ratio. While this may sound a dry description, in actual fact, it is quite the reverse. While the image sets themselves are enthralling as seen, being invited into the complete creative process which brought them from idea to finished displayed piece, draws one deeper into them; so we become less observers and more partners sharing in Fanny’s work.

I’ve been a fervent admirer of Io’s work since first encountering it, and I’ve become an instant admirer of Fanny’s work as well, as a result of this first expose to it. As such, I’m very much looking forward to future exhibitions at Clockwork Skimmer.

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• Clockwork Skimmer (Rated:  Moderate)

Chronophobia marks the return of Rebeca Bashly to creating her large-scale art installations in Second Life after an absence of over a year. Long noted and admired for offering work that is thought-provoking and which often challenge our perceptions about a subject, Rebeca continue to do so with this installation, which opened at Dividni Shostakovich’s Split Screen Installation Space in February, very much continues in this tradition.

The term chronophobia refers to the the persistent and often irrational fear of the future or of passing time. This is much in evidence within this installation, which also seems to take as its foundation the form of artistic expression referred to as mementos mori.

From the landing point, three gigantic stone sundials present platforms rising into the heavens (and I use that term intentionally, given the subject matter), our only mean to reach them being to ascend (again, choice of term deliberate) to each. All are in a state of decay, chunks of each of them falling away, with the lowest exhibiting the greatest decay and the highest the least. Each presents a unique skeletal gnomon: a human torso on the first (representing the heart), Pegasus on the second (its presence resonating with the idea of tempus fugit), and a seated couple, man and woman (with unborn child), the woman cradled gently by the man.

The symbolism here, whether in taking the three sundials as a single whole or viewing each in turn, is both powerful and layered. Transcendence, mortality, the passage of time, reminders that we have but a short span of years in which to account for ourselves, are all to be found here. so to are symbols which could be taken to represent a parallel concept to mementos mori: vanitas (the skeletal forms, the decaying sundials, complete with their bubble like trails of crumbling stone, Pegasus as a substitute for the more usual bird’s skeleton).

There is perhaps another message here as well, besides that of our mortality and the need to watch the passage of time if we’re to achieve what we desire. Chronophobia presents a view that the past is what it is. There is no point in looking back to it, because we cannot return to it or change it; we can only move forward and try to reach higher / further, even if, ultimately, time is our master and our curse.

Were I to try to summarise Chronophobia, I’d perhaps use the word “metaphor”, as this truly flows through the installation, making it a wonderfully interpretive piece. It will remain open until the end of April 2016, and a visit is recommended.

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• Split Screen Installation Space: Chronophobia (Rated: Moderate)

Strawberryland, which opened on Wednesday, March 23rd, is the latest full region installation by Cica Ghost – and for those with a love of strawberries, it offers a feast for the eyes – a rolling field of them!

“I didn’t plan this,” Cica told me, as we discussed the build. “Every day in front of my building, I see a guy selling things [like strawberries].”  And so,as the gardener nurtures their planets and fruits (or pseudo fruits), Cica tended to this thought and a few others, growing them into another delightful installation for us to explore and enjoy, full of treats of its own.

One thing the visitor will immediately notice is that this is no ordinary crop of strawberries; they are on a huge scale, as are most other things in the region (see the image below for a sense of size – not the figure standing near the tricycle). The latter take the form of stone-flagged terraces and large structures (one of which forms the landing point), connected by grassy trails.

Three of the terraces feature Cica’s familiar and delightful figures: on one, a woman pegs out her sheets to dry in a gusting wind, while on another two children stand with hands tightly gripping the strings of their balloons as the wind tries to snatch them away. Then, on the third, a man stands next to a wall, paintbrush in hand, splashes of colour on the wall – and his clothes and face – his expression suggesting he’d really rather be somewhere else.  Between two of these scenes stands a woman feeding a gaggle of geese, the wind catching her hair as she does so.

Nor is this all that’s to be seen; the structures can be entered and explored, while giant children’s toys sit here and there, and everywhere places to sit can be found, be it on the huge leaves of strawberry plants or oversized picnic benches, or the toys and massive furnishings, while off to one side sits a little (comparatively speaking!) greenhouse in which a single strawberry plant grows.

With Cica’s signature characters and sense of whimsy, Strawberryland is a thoroughly enjoyable visit, delightful on the eye and bound to have you smiling.

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• Strawberryland (Rated: Moderate)