Category: Art in Second Life

Having opened on December 4th, the latest exhibition at Solodonna Land’s Art on Roofs gallery space sees gallery curator Terrygold display some 28 pieces of her own artwork to form Ceramic Dolls.

The art, most of which is black-and-white, and all of which are beautifully posed and lit, presents the female nude, so the exhibition should be regarded as NSFW, although none of the images can be considered overtly sexual; “sensual” might be a more appropriate description.

Featuring (I believe) Terrygold herself as the model, the images utilise colour, shading, lighting and environment in such as way that the model is presented as less a living, nude exhibit, and more a part of the overall “sculpture” – hence the “ceramic dolls” of the title. That said, the finish on some of the images can present a more human appearance, while at least one has a subtle wood-grain effect apparent on the model’s skin, suggestive of her having been carved.

The combined effect of all this to draw the eye away from the nude figure and observe each image as a whole. In doing so, and with some of the images at least, a dichotomy might be created in the observer’s mind. On the one hand, the composition of the images and the appearance of the model as a ceramic lessens the purely sexual response that might otherwise occur on seeing a nude; on the other, the manner in which props are used – pins running through the model, boxes isolating breasts, hands, feet, etc.  – might suggest something of a subtle commentary on how elements of the female anatomy might be seen as purely sexual objects, or the focus of sexual desire.

Even without the more subtle possible connotations, this is a remarkable set of images, exhibiting a level of composition which is breathtaking and very real. So much so, that while I often find in visiting an exhibition I may get drawn back and re-visit one or two images in particular, Ceramic Dolls had me walking camming around and around the rooftops at Solodonna Land, visiting and re-visiting all of the images time and again.

This is a truly exquisite and evocative exhibit, one which runs through until Sunday, December 20th, and is recommended viewing.

SLurl Details

• Art on Roofs, Solodonna Land (Rated Moderate)

Running from December 3rd through until December 30th, 2015 is the latest exhibition at Dathúil Gallery, operated by Max Butoh and Lυcy (LucyDiam0nd), and once again it is something to capture the eye and stir the mind.

“Certain moments in our lives become epiphanies,” says artist Goodcross of his exhibition, A Slow Reveal, “I tend to recreate these moments even if they are not from my own personal life. I combine a picture with a song so that they collectively can set a mood for my audience and for that moment they might be connected to me.”

The result is some 32 evocative moments captured in time,  each beautifully crafted, and which collectively present images richly diverse in content, but which all exhibit a powerful emotional expression. Featuring shots of art installations, individual pieces of art, painstakingly composed scenes, and intimate moments, the breadth of the content on offer is amazing.

When writing about art in SL, I often refer to narrative in images and works, as that is particularly what appeals to me when visiting installations and galleries – seeking possible threads and stories. A Slow Reveal provides them aplenty; what’s more as you walk through the gallery, visiting and re-visiting the images, you may well find that the story – the very mood – of each image changes as your subconscious is influenced by the mood and tone of the other images. It’s an impact which perfect suits the title of the exhibition.

The narrative power of the pieces is evident from the moment one arrives at Dathúil: suspended over the whiskey stills at the back of the hall is a breathtaking piece Leave Their Light On. Such is the power of this piece, it draws one directly to it, and into a semi-circle of five images on easels below, which encapsulate the rich diversity of Goodcross’s work even before one has really consciously acknowledged the images on the walls and upper gallery catwalks.

Each month I’m overwhelmed by the creative talent Max and Lucy bring to Dathúil; the richness of the exhibitions at the gallery have never failed to impress – it’s why I personally rate Dathúil Gallery as my personal favourite in Second Life, and genuinely look forward to the start of each month to see what Lucy, Max and their chosen artist will unveil. However, while every exhibition to date has been a gem, I have to say A Slow Reveal is for me, the most evocative exhibition of an artist’s work I’ve yet seen at the gallery.

It is something which definitely should not be missed by anyone with a discerning eye for art. And be sure to check Goodcross’s Flickr stream as well.

SLurl Details

• Dathúil Gallery (Rated: Adult)

Now open at MetaLES is the third instalment of Ux Hax and Romy Nayar’s 4-part series of scenes entitled Escenas / Scenes. Taken together, all four parts are apparently intended to tell a story, although they are not necessarily being presented in chronological sequence.

While I missed the first in the series,  EL Tiempo / The Time, which ran from November 1st through to the 14th, I did catch the second element, Decisiones / Decisions, which I wrote about here. This has now been replaced by El Miedo /The Fear, which opened on November 28th, and will remain at MetaLES for the next two weeks. And like the first two in the series, it is an installation on a gigantic scale.

Central to the piece is a woman standing in a room. A tall clock sides to one side, a sideboard to the other alongside an open window. Behind her, the door to the room stands slightly ajar, almost beckoning. Towering over all of this is a truly enormous figure of a crouching man, arms wrapped in a straitjacket, while before the woman – who is arrayed in black – a baby’s crib fades repeatedly in and out of view.

The first thing which tends to spring to mind on seeing the main scene – the woman and crib in the room – is that it reflects the loss of an infant child; but what then of the looming figure of the straitjacketed man? What role does he play? The husband / father, perhaps, driven mad over the loss of the child? The cause of the baby’s death? Or something else entirely?

Both Decisiones / Decisions and EL Tiempo / The Time seemed to me to resonate with elements of the Major Arcana from the tarot – The Hermit appearing in EL Tiempo / The Time; with  Justice, The Chariot and The Hanged Man in Decisiones / Decisions. Within El Miedo /The Fear there is what appears to be at least one reference to the tarot; supported in the woman’s cupped hands is a stone tower, perhaps representative of The Tower from the Major Arcana.

If this indeed the intended symbolism, it fits the broader part of the story: The Tower is associated with sudden, disruptive, and potentially destructive change – and what could be more destructive and disruptive than the death of an infant child? But there is potentially more here as well.

The Fool is another card from the Major Arcana, and is more archaically known as  Le Mat or Il Matto, which as well as meaning “vagabond” – the usual depiction of The Fool in tarot decks -, can also mean “the madman.”   Thus, it’s very hard not to see a degree of further symbolism linking this scene with the tarot through the (mad?) man in the straitjacket.

There are two other symbols event in the piece which also appear in the previous parts: time and the crow. Quite how they fit into things is unclear; but in EL Tiempo / The Time, the clock suggested the subject of death to me – and the wheel of fortune elements of Decisiones / Decisions focused around The Hanged Man may have carried similar connotations; so again, it might be a further thematic flow evident here as well, through the grandfather clock as it presides over the woman’s apparent mourning and the fading crib. The crow’s presence, as he stands upon a table might present a two-fold role: that of our narrator or communicator through the scenes, or possibly as The Trickster.

Once again, I offer no attempt to present a complete interpretation of the story – or even this particular scene. With one more piece still to appear in December, it would be presumptuous to offer commentary on the story as a whole, while the notes I give on this scene are more thoughts rather than any attempt at interpretation. If, like me you have been intrigued by the first two parts of  Escenas / Scenes, then I do urge you to see Part III.

SLurl Details

• Escenas / Scenes: El Miedo /The Fear (Rated: Moderate)

Bryn Oh’s new installation The Gathering, will be formally opening at Immersiva on Tuesday, December 1st. However, she has invited a number of people – myself included –  to experience it a little early. And “experience” is precisely the right word to use here; not only is The Gathering typically immersive and engaging installation by Bryn, it also makes used of Second Life Experiences.

The landing point provides some notes on how to set your viewer, using Firestorm as an example. For those using other viewers, and who can manage it, the optimal set-up for the viewer is to have Advanced lighting Model active, and Shadows set to Sun/Moon + Projectors. It is at the landing point as well that you’ll be asked to join Byrn Oh’s Experience. It’s important that you do if you wish to enjoy The Gathering to the fullest.

Doing so grants the installation certain automatic rights to act on your avatar – notably to animate you and teleport you; these rights will be automatically revoked when you leave Immersiva (and will automatically re-apply themselves whenever you run, unless you remove the Bryn Oh Experience from your list of allowed experiences).

The central element of the installation is the gathering of the title – a private party, somewhat gate crashed by a strange individual with some odd habits. This is told as a series of stanzas from a poem, accompanied by a hand drawn image of the scene each stanza describes, as shown above.

To get to this, however, you have a pass through a landscape offering both distractions in the form of several static and interactive builds, and danger, in the form of huge balls or spheres, which periodically roll down from higher slopes, and which will throw you back to the landing point if they collide with you. These can be avoided in a number of ways – running out of the way, climbing the steeper slopes away from them or otherwise using the landscape to your advantage, or touch one of the small static sphere scattered around the installation.

The latter will animate your avatar, whilst also allowing you to walk. more to the point, they’ll allow you to climb any nearby walls or other elements of the installation, letting you climb nearby walls and escape the dreaded rolling (bowling?) balls. You’ll be able to keep climbing for as long as you “wear” one of the animation spheres, and can walk on the ground using one, but things can take a bit of getting used to. When you stand, you’ll be returned to your normal walk mode.

The builds within the installation include character motifs and other elements which may resonate with those familiar with Bryn’s work, such as the house that constructs itself as you move through it, a concept Bryn used to huge effect in Keep the Streets Empty for Me, a part of Ux Hax and Romy Nayar’s July exhibition Distrito Disinto at MetaLES, which you can read about here.

The Gathering requires careful navigation and a sense of fun – as Bryn notes in her invitation, it can be something better enjoyed when watching other interact with object or as they try to escape the giant balls.

However, it loses not of its engagement when visiting on your own: just be sure to accept the Experience invitation and then run / walk, look, poke, prod and climb! Do, as well, keep an eye out for the projectors play room, and if you’d like some of the sketches from The Gathering, as well as other Bryn goodies, try the Gacha machine at the landing point.

SLurl Details

• The Gathering, Immersiva (Rated: Moderate)