Category: Art in Second Life

Giant art is what you get, walking on the Moon

Posted on by Inara Pey
Art Walk on the Moon - LEA14
Art Walk on the Moon – LEA14

Let it be known that the Moon heads towards Earth! Long range telescopes have detected there might be art on the moon. Be aware that Bad Astronomy calculated the impact for Thursday, May 7, 2015, 1.01 PM SLT time! Engineers have constructed the Moonrezzer to transport people to see this unique phenomenon, and a cadre of journalists will lift off on Monday May 4th to send early reports! Stay tuned!

Thus reads – in part – the announcement that Art Blue’s latest art installation / retrospective The Art Walk on the Moon, which official opens on LEA 14 at 13:00 SLT on Thursday, May 7th, and which has a special press preview on Monday, 4th May, also at 13:00 SLT (the tour is limited, numbers-wise, so a screening area has been set-up on neighbouring LEA 16 for late arrivals).

For those unfamiliar with Art Blue, he is a collector and curator; a futurist and historian. Over the years he has taken it upon himself to collect art created in virtual worlds and preserve it, offering for people to view through special presentations such has this, and his Ferrisquito exhibitions (the Bryn Oh retrospective of which I covered in September 2014. Part of his work also involves purchasing art pieces from their creators so that they can be preserved and exhibited on OpenSim.

Art Walk on the Moon - LEA14
Art Walk on the Moon – LEA14

The Art Walk on the Moon is an ambitious, immersive and interactive installation presenting a broad range of art pieces created over the years by many artists working in both Second Life and OpenSim, including (and not limited to) Molly Bloom,  Feathers Boa, Brenda Geissen,  Giovanna Cerise, JadeYu Fhang, Cherry Manga, Yooma Mayo. Fuschia Nightfire, Bryn Oh,  Maya Paris, Gem Preiz, Nexuno Thespian, and Renn Yifu.

The installation actually comprises a number of set pieces which are both separate to one another, while in some cases sharing links with one another. For example, the art displayed in the lower exhibition space can be seen via a flycam tour located in the Moonrezzer Amphitheatre, while some of the  pieces displayed can be reached via the teleport boards, or visitors can fly around them.

From the start-point – an airship which is itself an OpenSim creation floating over the the lower exhibition space – one can use the teleport boards to move around the installation. Before you do so, do make sure sounds and media are enabled, and that you’ve collected the introductory note card, and had a good look around. In particular, do note the blue “Creators Link” cubes; these can be found throughout the installation and when clicked will take you to a web page of information on a particular artist  / object associated with them.

Art Walk on the Moon - LEA14
Art Walk on the Moon – LEA14

When starting your explorations, I’d recommend taking the teleport to the Moonrezzer Amphitheatre. Here you can take a flycam tour of the exhibits in and around the amphitheatre. Simply sit on one of the blue chairs, click on Wells’ time machine under the awning and tap ESC a couple of times to free your camera. After a few seconds, the flycam tour should initiate, taking you around the pieces on display and providing information about them in local chat.

Another launch-point for reaching exhibit spaces is the Moonrezzer Springfield Bet, which acts as a gateway to both the The Soulrezzer and The Moonrezzer installations (the latter of which can also be reached directly via the teleport boards). Make sure you obtain a code for claiming your gift at The Soulrezzer before you teleport up to it.

The Soulrezzer is a skyborne installation featuring fractal art by Aurora Mycano.  Click on the yellow poseballs to drift with the art to the rather heavy beat of The Soultaker by Blutengel (see the image towards the bottom of this article). At the centre of the piece sits The Soultaker, guarding a box. Touch the box and enter the code you received at Springfield Bet on channel /1 to open it and claim your gift. An information display in the lower part of the sphere containing The Soulrezzer includes a teleport circle which will return you to the ground – or you can simply step outside and fly down.

The Moonrezzer forms the nexus of the installation. Here you can opt to walk on a blue moon either under scripted control (click on the blue spheres being offered by one of the helpers), or under your own power using a pair of moon boots by Gem Preiz (take the boots from the large box, wear them, and then click on the green spheres being presented by a helper).

Scattered across this moon are twelve assistants who hold aloft various items of art – although you may have to cam out a way to be able to see them. To make things a little easier, a yellow teleport portal at The Moonrezzer’s arrival point will take you to a ship floating over the moon, where you can sit and watch the unfolding display of art below you – simply tap ESC after sitting to auto-focus your camera, or cam around freely yourself.

As well as teleporting around and the teleport boards have a number of additional destinations not covered here), you’re also free to fly / walk / swim around the various areas, and there are lots of small details to be found through careful exploration, and there are various Easter eggs to be discovered – sit at the chessboard at The Moonrezzer and see the king or queen appear on the board, inviting you to touch it, for example.

Art Walk on the Moon - LEA14
Art Walk on the Moon – LEA14

Utilising shared media (including videos by Wizardoz Chrome), streaming music, and supported through on-line information pages and Rez Magazine, The Art Walk on the Moon is an installation that does require time to be explored and appreciated fully and which can lead you in several directions.  It is also, Art tells me, to be his last major installation in Second Life, and it’s closure on June 30th will be marked by a special performance at which, he says, “the Soulrezzer reveals the secrets of your soul, and the life of Art Blue ends in space as CODE64 will take him away.”

If you are interested in previewing the installation and blogging about it ahead of the opening, be sure to be at LEA 14 by 13:00 SLT SLT on Monday, May 4th. Otherwise, as noted, The Art Walk on the Moon officially opens at 13:00 SLT on Thursday, May 7th.

My thanks to Art Blue for his invitation to tour Art Walk on the Moon ahead of the press opening.

Rock’n’Roll

Posted on by Inara Pey
Roll'n'Roll, Molly Bloom - Holtwaye ArtSpace
Roll’n’Roll, Molly Bloom – Holtwaye ArtSpace

Now open at Holtwaye ArtSpace is a exhibition of recent work with a distinctly musical theme by Molly Bloom, entitled Rock’n’Roll.

Molly’s art is beautifully intriguing because with it, she often plays with our perception of depth: figures and elements of her images are unconstrained by the picture frame in which they sit, but  frequently extend beyond it. Individuals often appear as if they’re about to completely step out of the picture or are at least leaning out of the frame, while props and accessories often extend beyond the picture, or sit on the floor in front of it.

Roll'n'Roll, Molly Bloom - Holtwaye ArtSpace
Roll’n’Roll, Molly Bloom – Holtwaye ArtSpace

This approach gives Molly’s images a fresh and involving appearance which draws the observer into them, to almost become a part of the story each picture is telling. This is something which itself is given further dimension by some of the pieces forming duet and triptych-style groupings, with two or three pieces coming together to present a narrative flow.

An artist primarily known for her work in glass in the physical world, Molly regards herself as something of a “purist” in Second Life, by which she means her pieces are almost entirely created in-world. “Part of the challenge of making good art,” she says of her work, “is the joy of building and problem solving.” What minimal post-processing is used is restricted to correcting minor defects in images; any attempt as image enhancement and refinement through more extensive use of tools such as Photoshop are strictly avoided.

Roll'n'Roll, Molly Bloom - Holtwaye ArtSpace
Roll’n’Roll, Molly Bloom – Holtwaye ArtSpace

While the title of the exhibition might give the impression that the focus is purely on rock’n’roll, this is not the case. While various forms of rock are featured, including glam rock and blues rock (love the cover of the cover of Blind Faith’s album), so too are other genres portrayed, including classical and a good, old-fashioned hoe-down; even the mythical is beautifully touched upon in a stunning image of a demoness playing a lute, which also has faint echoes of a play on Pan and his pipes about it.

All told, another excellent selection of art from an artist who always piques my imagination with her work. If you’re like me, and enjoy Molly’s art, then this is not one to miss. If you’ve not encountered Molly’s work before, then thing exhibition is an opportunity to get introduced to it; you might also want to check Molly’s new gallery space afterwards as well.

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Of puppets and art

Posted on by Inara Pey
PimperPuppets® Being Beautiful in the Art Scene
PimperPuppets® Being Beautiful in the Art Scene – LEA 9

Open now at LEA 9, and running through until Sunday, April 26th, is a new BubbleTheatre® play by d-oo-b (Eifachfilm Vacirca). It’s a delight to see. Shows commence every 5 minutes throughout the day, and last for around minutes.

PimperPuppets®: Being Beautiful in the Art Scene runs for about 20 minutes and, as the title suggests, is a piece of puppet theatre, beautifully executed with the help of some tidy scripting. The puppets are avatar-sized creations, and the story unfolds across a series of skyborne sets the audience is carried to by means of automatic teleporting, with cameras specifically placed to follow the story.  To watch the show, simply sit in one of the numbered chairs set out at the landing point and tap ESC a couple of times to free-up your camera; a countdown will inform you when the show is due to start.

Serge learns he's been selected as the featured artist in the Grand Hall show..
Serge learns he’s been selected as the featured artist in the Grand Hall show…

The story is a satirical take on the world of creatives, and I rather suspect that elements of it might ring uncomfortably true for some involved in SL if they see it! I won’t dwell on the plot too much, as it is fun to see it unfold. Suffice it to say it takes place in the art world, where one artist, offered the opportunity to provide the focal art piece in an upcoming show, struggles mightily with his art (and his angst), such is his need to impress, to create pieces that “give
new dynamics” to the places where they are displayed; meanwhile, another artist finds her work isn’t regarding as needed for the exhibition, and as she considers the first at best over-rated, sets to work on a Machiavellian plan to ensure her art is selected…

It’s a story that is beautifully told, both rich in humour and also darkly prickly in places. Both artists central to the unfolding tale (although not the only characters, the cast is quite broad) are equally pompous when it comes to their own work.

Lucia learns she hadn't ...
Lucia learns she hadn’t …

For example, In one delightful scene, the “disregarded” artist – Lucia – sets about describing her work in a manner befitting Arthur Dent when asked to describe his thoughts on Vogon poetry: “It was a physolactic entrocalypse of the etheric dimension … an animophobic introclecstate of profane dialectics, a submorphic frame that stimulates subcutane erections that induce in the cervocularic consciousness a feeling of reanimation.” Later, as the play draws to a close, the other artist, Serge, reaches his point of enlightenment via a soliloquy worthy of Hamlet, one delivered under the an arch formed by two curved knives which themselves carry a strong symbolic undertone…

The puppets, created via a combination of Blender, GIMP and the magic of SL scripting are marvellous creations in and of themselves; they move as required within the individual scenes, and their movement, combined with camera  shifts within some of the scenes helps draw the audience further into the play. They’re also available to buy on the Marketplace.

""It was a physolactic entrocalypse of the etheric dimension ... an animophobic introclecstate of profane dialectics..."
“”It was a physolactic entrocalypse of the etheric dimension … an animophobic introclecstate of profane dialectics…”

The end of the show will carry you up to an events area, where you may well encounter d-oo-b himself, along with the cast. Live entertainments are scheduled to take place here throughout the show’s run; please see the d-oo-b’s blog for events and times. Should you wish to re-trace your steps through the story, or re-visit individual scenes for the purposes of photography, do note there’s a manual teleport system available as well. Look for the teleport tablet on each level.

As noted, this is an excellent little show, perfectly executed and making clever use of a number of SL capabilities – scripted camera control, teleporting, etc., and all without Experience Tools. I have no hesitation in recommending it for a visit, particularly if you are familiar with the art / creative scene (there are a few of what might be regarded as “inside jokes”) – but do remember, the show ends on Sunday, April 26th.

Serge, in the midst of the "Hamlet moment" ...
Serge, in the midst of his”Hamlet moment” …

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Viviana Houston concert to benefit MIC Imagin@rium

Posted on by Inara Pey
MIC's watery exhibit space not only offers a unique environment for installations displayed there, the gallery's own builds are works of art themselves
MIC’s watery exhibit space not only offers a unique environment for installations, the gallery’s own builds are also works of art and well worth exploring, celebrating as they do the cultural heritage of Rome

On Monday, April 20th, starting 13:00 SLT, Viviana Houston will be singing at a special Save the Culture concert to help raise money for the MIC Imagin@rium gallery in Second Life.

One of the leading privately held venues for art for a number of years, MIC has drawn  respect from across the community for hosting a wide range of art installations and exhibits, and for also offering a beautiful venue for a range of activities and which celebrates the rich cultural history of Rome.

However, a shortfall in finances of around L$50,000 means the gallery is currently unable to meet its upcoming tier, and the aim of the concert is to help raise funds to make up the shortfall and allow MIC to remain active in Second Life.

No Signal, MIC, May 2014
No Signal by Nessuno Myoo, MIC, May 2014

To further assist in the fund-raising effort, there will be a special sale of MIC Imagin@rium fashion at the gallery’s store in the Temple of Portunus, commencing on Sunday, April 19th.

“This has been a hard thing for me to face,” Mexi said. “After years of hard work from a lot of people, we have encountered a shortfall in tier. I had considered taking the region offline; but there is always the worry that once it goes offline, it may never come back.

Viviana Houston, singing in support of MIC from 13:00 SLT on Monday, April 20th
Viviana Houston, singing in support of MIC from 13:00 SLT on Monday, April 20th

“We have several projects going on in the physical world, which have meant we’ve been unable to host any installations lately, and so funding from donations have fallen sharply. However, most of that is behind us now, are we are convinced that if we can get past this immediate problem, we’ll be OK for the future.

“Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Viviana, we now have a real chance to make-up the shortfall, and I hope everyone will come along to the concert and help us keep MIC Imagin@ruim alive for people to continue to enjoy.”

One of the hallmarks of MIC Imagin@ruim is that as well as hosting in-world art exhibits and installations, it has also bridged the divide between the physical the virtual. One such example of this came in December 2013, with Red Shoes, which saw MIC and 25 artists in Second Life collaborating with the Il Margutta Gallery in Rome and Mexican visual artist Elina Chauvet.

Giorgio Mayo's piece for Red Shoes at MIC, December 2013
Giorgio Mayo’s piece for Red Shoes at MIC, December 2013

Save the Culture with Viviana Houston will take place in the MIC  Amphitheatre on Monday, April 20th. On offer will be great music and the opportunity to help a wonderful venue for art continue into the future. And if you can’t make the event, donations to Mexi will be put directly to the region’s tier.

Watching the balloons

Posted on by Inara Pey
Balloons
Balloons

Balloons is Cica Ghost’s latest installation at Wondering Dew, where it replaces her wonderfully atmospheric Ruins, which I wrote about here. Having officially opened on Sunday, April 12th, Balloons is a similarly atmospheric piece, although in a somewhat different manner.

From the landing point, you look out over a low-lying landscape which undulates gently. Flowers and grass grow tall here, and a lone tree stands on the coast. In the distance stands a city, but a city that’s most unusual in form; rather than rising up into the sky, the tall buildings are bent and oddly deformed, stooping back towards the ground on which they stand. Fog or smoke enshrouds them, and giant cobwebs lay stretched between them, giving the city a neglected feel.

Balloons
Balloons

It is something that is seemingly lost on the denizens of this strange place. While most of them stand in the fields surrounding their city, few appear to be paying it any attention; their focus is instead on the balloons bobbing gently in the breeze, strings hanging tantalising down, most of them just out of reach.

Most, but not all; some have clearly dropped down to within reach of outstretched hands, to be grasped firmly and, whether it be with shocked surprise or sudden pleasure, have then lifted the ones grasping them up into the air, carrying them on the eddying currents of air so they float over the crowd and drift between the city’s curled towers.

Balloons
Balloons

Flying in this way is obviously a delight, something several of those left on the ground clearly wish to experience. To this end, some have been enterprising in their attempts, calling upon step ladders to help increase their ability to grasp passing strings as ballloons float overhead as other watch and point. Such is the wonder of these balloons, that even the bed-ridden reach longingly for a passing string and the hope of … what? Freedom? Flight? Escape?

And what of us, those who stand and watch, alongside the island’s cats as they look on mournfully, as neglected as the city itself? What are we to make of this scene? Is this perhaps a commentary on the dangers of obsession? The wilting fingers of the city’s tired towers with the shimmering cobwebs spread between them, perhaps a warning against becoming too focused on a single thing, be it an activity, object or something else?

Balloons
Balloons

Or are the balloons themselves a comment on our quest for freedom, to be able to soar above the problems of everyday life as presented by the shadowy city, its cobwebs symbolic of the many things which can obscure our view or even bind us in the mundane? The artist doesn’t seek to enlighten us; instead she leaves us to interpret things as we choose.

What she does provide, however, is a balloon which visitors can obtain for free at the landing point, allowing them to experience what it is like to float above the ground and beneath the sky like the citizens of this strange land. I won’t promise it’ll help you decide what is going on in this deceptively beautiful land; but I can say that floating around on the end of a piece of strong can be a lot of fun, and it’s easy to see why the locals enjoy it!

Bolloons should remain open through until the end of April, so why not hop over and see what’s going on for yourself?

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A fractal rhapsody

Posted on by Inara Pey
Rhapsody in Blue Fractals
Rhapsody in Blue Fractals

Officially opening at 13:00 SLT on Saturday, April 11th, at the Influence Art Community is a new exhibition of fractal art by Gem Preiz.

“I spend my time amazed with the extraordinary detailed patterns of the fractals, as well as their incredible diversity,” Gem says of his work. “From my explorations in this fascinating universe, I bring back digital images that I have been displaying on SL for two and a half years, using them to illustrate themes which inspire me.”

Rhapsody in Blue Fractals
Rhapsody in Blue Fractals

The result is a series of pictures which come together under the title Rhapsody in Blue Fractals, which Gem uses to form a narrative tracing the story of the universe through to humanity’s arrival and our attempts to fill it with our own creations.

The pieces  – twenty in total – are displayed two and three at a time through a series of rooms hanging in space, a single blue walkway running between blue-framed doorways providing the means of progress from one room to another. The choice of blue is deliberate, as Gem notes, “blue as the water from which life arises, as the sky and the air we inhale.”

Rhapsody in Blue Fractals
Rhapsody in Blue Fractals

Each piece bears its own title, giving a clue to its place in the story: Genesis, emerGence, BioloGy, and so on – the capitalised G another link to the blue theme and the title of the piece; Rhapsody in Blue being George Gershwin’s famous 1924 musical composition for piano and jazz band. And it is also, as Gem notes, a play on the first initial of his name, and the person to whom the exhibition is dedicated.

The pieces themselves are also rendered in blue, and each one is intricately detailed and quite beautiful in depth; so much so that time is really required to study and appreciate each piece fully – and even then, it is possible to come back and pick out yet more details on a subsequent visit.. They also represent something of a retrospective of the various styles of fractal art he has produced over the last 30 or so months, something which adds a further layer to the exhibition as a whole.

Rhapsody in Blue Fractals
Rhapsody in Blue Fractals

I’m not sure if there will be a music stream running once the exhibit formally opens, however GEM suggests three YouTube tracks should be listened to when visiting the exhibition, and having wandered back and froth through it with them playing, I tend to agree with him:

Oh, and when you reach what appear to be the end of the blue path and are facing the last image – trust to fate and step off the edge; there’s a little surprise waiting, which is perhaps itself a commentary on the possible cyclical nature of the universe!