Category: Art in Second Life

Now open at MIC Imagin@rium is Mexi Lane’s installation, That’s Italy, a curious piece combining elements from a previous work, with the hulk of a ship, containers and … hovercraft.

You arrive on the familiar sandy shoreline of the MIC Imagin@rium art region, co-curated by Mexi, standing alongside a wooden jetty. Out to sea sits the ship, the titular Italy, listing to port as if she’s run aground, objects in the waters around her surrounded by a mass of objects which at first might suggest the tops of the rocks upon which she has come to grief. A closer examination, however, reveals the objects in the water to be the flotsam of her cargo, either driven from her deck as a result of whatever accident befell her, or perhaps subsequently pushed overboard as jetsam as her crew fought to refloat her…

Draw closer still, and the cargo reveals itself to be somewhat unusual; while the metal hulks of containers sit in the water, the majority of the seaborne cargo is tiny houses, more of which are jumbled on the freighter’s tired deck and scattered in her rusting hold – the Italy is clearly a vessel that has seen better days.

Buoys mark the ship’s location, red lights winking as if in a baleful warning, “keep away! Keep away!” Seagulls wheel over the ship while, when seen from certain angles, the MIC Imagin@rium island forms a backdrop, it’s Roman style adding further depth to the piece to the enquiring mind, conjuring images of seafaring accidents which have scarred otherwise picturesque coastlines.

So, is there a message here? Perhaps there is – although what it might be is up to you to decide, as Mexi says of the piece herself, “[It is] a vision that I wanted to communicate. A state of mind? A metaphor? I do not know, you decide.”

Metaphor is certainly here, and richly layered as well, both with the piece as it is seen and in how it has been put together. Is it, for example, perhaps a commentary on how our consumer-driven need, represented by the little houses, is impacting the world through pollution (the oil drums floating amidst the flotsam) and man-made disasters (the wreck of the Italy itself?). Or is the fact that a portion of the piece  – the houses – are re-used from an earlier work, now all carefully re-textured, a commentary on the need to recycle, to re-use and so reduce to potential burden we place on this world in dealing with our waste and rubbish?

The best way to drawn any conclusions is to visit That’s Italy for yourself. Oh, and the hovercraft, mentioned at the top? They’ your transport out to the wreck, if you wish; just keep in mind that the warning buoys I referred to are there not only to warn passing ships away from the wreck, but also to alert you to the presence of the region boundary.

Related Links

• That’s Italy, MIC Imagin@rium (Rated: General)

I recently wrote about Gem Preiz’s new exhibition Geometry and Genesis , which forms one of the exhibits in this year’s Fine Arts Tour (FIAT) on display at the Galeria Mexico during the month of September.

Also participating in this year’s Tour is another artist friend of mine, Derry McMahon. As the founder (now retired) of the Seanchai Library in SL, Derry has taken as the theme for her exhibit none other than Miguel de Cervantes’ much-loved literary hero, the Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha himself, Don Quixote.

We’re all familiar with the tale of this stranger in a strange land, on his quest to make the world a better place, and who sees the world not as it is, but as it should be. A tale which, as Derry noted to me in discussing her exhibit, a perfect foil to explore Second Life from the perspective of both imagination and the many ways in which we create and show our own visions of this strange and beautiful digital land.

In presenting Don Quixote, Derry effectively takes on the role of  visual chronicler to Alonso Quijano’s explorations through Second Life. She presents this idea very cleverly through one of the images in the exhibition, where she can be seen kneeling to photograph the Don, who appears none too certain about having his image captured.

This is a charming and whimsical display of some 28 images captured from around SL and spread over two floors of exhibition space. Some of them feature motifs drawn from Don Quixote’s adventures – there are a few windmills to be found, together with a tavern scene, horses and jousting lances. Others are far more reflective of the stranger in a strange land element, and will likely raise a bemused eyebrow – as they probably did for the Don himself!

The whimsy is evident in images of the Don sitting outside on a caravan, guitar by his side as if awaiting to be called up to a stage and perform – itself perhaps a subtle reference to The Man of LaMancha musical. Then there is the wonderful image of the Don astride a mechanical rodeo horse – a tilting of an entirely different kind!

Derry mixes her art with images of posters from the Wasserman / Darion musical The Man of La Mancha (itself an adaptation of a teleplay by Wasserman) and which was in turn adapted into the 1972 Arthur Miller film starring Peter O’Toole and Sophia Loren, which also appears in poster form.  Excerpts from the sheet music give further ambience to the exhibit.

All told, Don Quixote is a delightful display, the images fresh and imaginative and which easily put one in mind of some of the memorable songs from the musical. When touring FIAT, be sure not to miss it.

And on the subject of songs from the musical, there really is only one way to close this piece – and that’s with the marvellous Scott Bakula performing a medley from the musical.

Related links

• Don Quixote by Derry McMahon
• Galeria Mexico landing point (Rated: Moderate)