Category: Art in Second Life

Gemmy’s World is the latest exhibition of fractal artwork by Gem Preiz. Occupying one half of  La Maison d’Aneli at Virtual Holland, curated by Aneli Abeyante, the exhibit opened on June 24th – and my apologies to Gem for not having been able to attend the opening.

The approach taken to the pieces on display is rather unique, the art depicting the imaginary world of a young boy, as Gem explains:

Gemmy is my nephew, a wide-eyed amazed little boy, who spends a good half of his life to dream about the other half.

He is the age where every indistinct shape can become a character with whom he populates his imaginary universe, coloured with the thousand shades of the autumn, because it is the season of sweet chestnuts and fireplaces. As he understands nothing to the adults, everybody looks like animals who get lost in secret meetings and night-patrols, in fights and in wild pursuits.

It is a world full of movement, jumps, somersaults and contortions for, nothing is more boring than to remain sat quiet doing homework while there are so many adventures to be lived, of huts to be built and of caves to be explored. A world with dangers also, those who haunt his bad dreams, but which won’t make him anything worse than to spoil his breakfast chocolate.

He opens you for a while his picture book, and it doesn’t much matter what you will see there: in any manner, he would tell you his stories without even realizing that you are listening to him.

This back story brings the 30 fractal prints on display vividly to life; these are no abstract pieces, they are wondrous places conjured from the fresh and invigorated mind of a young boy. Here are worlds populated by fantastical creatures rising up together or swirling through high corridors of air. Some appear to be on confrontation with one another, others perhaps more playfully competing with each other, and some simply enjoying their freedom of being.

Look closely, and what might appear to be one great creature changes to become many, and what at first seems to be a rolling, roiling, alien sea is yet more creatures or boats or both. There is a dynamism here which is given added depth as we see each picture through Gemmy’s young eyes. Follow the pictures around the exhibit space, and a story seems to suggest itself, each image a portrait of one or more of the protagonists within it. Subtle reminders of the exhibition’s roots in childhood imaginings lie scattered across the floor in the form of toys to be encountered as one explores.

Gem states he used a recent UWA competition which posed the question, “what makes us human?” as the inspiration for the piece. While he did not participate in that competition, it did give him pause for thought as to what his answer might have been, had he done so. This led him to consider the power of imaginative expression, which first arises in childhood.

He goes on to explain, “And it is during childhood that this creation power rises with the strongest intensity, as if children’s inner world was already too immense to contain only what they know about the reality. That’s why comic strips speak to them so much: they suggest them unknown, unusual, visual universes, at an age when it is by the glance that they learn most.”

I freely confess to being a fan of Gem’s work, and have been since first being invited to one of his exhibitions; there is a vibrancy and life to his pictures which I find marvellous. Gemmy’s World is no exception, and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Related Links

• Gemmy’s World, La Maison d’Aneli SLurl (Rated: Moderate)

 

Nino Vichan’s latest installation opened on Wednesday June 18th. Located at Influence Art Gallery, which is curated by yvan Slade and MacKena Soothsayer Reflections is a wonderfully immersive piece combining colour and sound in a most hypnotic manner.

The installation is in two parts. The first is a conventional display of images by Nino, presented as vivid paintings, of elements of the second part of the exhibit. These are ranged around the gallery space and are available for sale should any in particular catch the eye.

The main part of the exhibit lies above, and is reached by right-clicking the golden sphere floating just above the floor of the gallery space, and selecting Teleport.

This takes you to a large sphere in which colour and sound literally flow. Multi-hued columns float gently around; colours ripple underfoot; particles rise, float, shimmer, rotate, fall; stars gleam and light flares and turns. Within and around all this, the air is filled with music with a slightly tonal nature, reflecting and enhancing the movement of light and colour.

The text accompanying the piece informs the visitor:

Light waves possess all colours
Reflections off objects filter these light waves
These reflections are the colours we see.

Sound waves possess frequency, wave shape and amplitude
Sound waves reflect off objects
Reflections of sound are the echoes we hear.

Within those words lies a veritable cosmos of meaning and interpretation, all suggested by the mix of colour, light and sound which draws the observer in; the soft shine to the changing shades and hues a counterpoint to the tonal elements of sound within the music, yet working with it to lull the mind, encouraging release, leaving one entranced without realising it, floating while seated.

One not to be missed.

Related Links

• Reflections, Influence Art Gallery (Rated: Moderate)

Following a successful inaugural event in 2013, Art in Hats returns to Second Life with a new  venue and even more designs and images to see – and more to do!

Art in Hats 2014 is taking place through until the end of July at Boutou. As with the 2013 event, it focuses on hats as both a statement of fashion and art. On display in a open-air, urban-style environment, are around 100 hats and headgear from some eighty designers and artists.

Exhibition curators Quan Lavender and Emma Portilo paired the designers with SL photographers, who produced portraits and images of the hats being worn. The result is a stunning display of art and fashion, all of which is available for sale should visitors feel inclined to obtain something to make a splash at the next major event they attend, or if they are looking for fashion-inspired art for a wall of their home. Demos of some of the hats are also available if those who prefer trying-before-buying.

At the centre of the installation is a little gift and freebies area and a selection of classic top hats from The Mad Hattery for sale at L$10 apiece.

As well as the main exhibition, Art in Hats will be hosting a fashion show on Saturday June 21st at 14:00 SLT, and there is a special charity auction event being held through until the exhibition closes on July 31st, which features a number of unique hats which are being auctioned-off in support of Feed a Smile. These include the delightful Dark Collection, comprising six items of headwear by Secret Rage, including Symphony, which features piano keys which can be played, and Life of the Party, which turns on and off when touched. Visitors just need to touch the little red top hat next to each item to place a bid.

Visitors can also participate in the Art in Hats contest which offers some very impressive prize packages. All visitors have to do is take the Copy / Mod basic bowler hat on offer, decorate it, take a photo of the finished item (aspect ratio 3:2) and send the image to Quan Lavender. All entries received are displayed in a special section of the exhibition, where they can be voted on by other visitors (who account for 50% of the voting, with the competition’s judges providing the other 50%). So that everyone has an opportunity to see and vote on competition entries, they must be sent to Quan no later than July 27th. The three winning entries will be announced during the closing event on July 31st.

Related Links

• Art in Hats 2014