Saturday, November 6th saw Chuck Clip’s Janus Gallery I at his Sinful Retreat arts hub unveil a new exhibition of physical world art by none other than Filthy Fluno, one of the pioneers of presenting art through Second Life.
Known the the physical world as Jeffrey Lipsky, and residing in Massachusetts, Filthy is a master of art that is so vibrant, it appears to be breathing for itself. His pieces often a marvellous concoction of abstraction, graffiti, and mosaic-like composition that can be rich in presentation, whilst carrying its own narrative, and his style can frequently touch upon the likes of Wassily Kandinsky and Henri Matisse, with a flavouring of Picasso, while also remaining true and unique to itself.
As a virtual world pioneer, he joined Second Life in 2006, recognising the platform as a means to connect with an international audience. Not long after joining he founded (and managed) the Artropolis virtual art community alongside of Maxim Deharo, a group which quickly gained prominence and a hub for arts in SL, and his involvement within the platform was reported in pieces on his work by the likes of the New York Times Magazine and The Improper Bostonian lifestyle magazine, whilst his work and adventures as Filthy Fluno have been exhibited at numerous galleries in the United States and in France and Portugal.
Janus Gallery I: Filthy Fluno
In Filthy Fluno Returns we can witness much of the rich of his work, ranging from the abstracted mentioned above, through to the surreal, with one or two coming close to being impressionistic in their style. Most demonstrate his dynamic approach to art, both in terms of his use of colour and in their overall composition. These are works that are not going to be to everyone’s palette, but for those who like modern art with a twist of metaphor and / or narrative, they are pieces that will not so much gently hold the attention but grab it warmly by the throat and give it a vigorous shaking as the capture the eye and mind.
All of the pieces in the gallery are offered for sale – and not just as virtual pieces. Any purchase entitles the purchaser to obtain a limited edition 9 x 12 inch print on paper with hand embellishments. Simply contact Filthy via e-mail with details of your purchase and suitable mailing address, and he’ll contact you (note that shipping charges included for mailing anywhere in the US or Canada, elsewhere additional shipping charges may apply).
Alongside of the 2D art are a pair of 3D pieces; Nightflyer and BAM, both of which harken back to the days when all people had to create with were humble primitive shapes, with BAM offering a sculpture of Filthy himself.
Janus Gallery I: Filthy Fluno
A genuine blast from the past featuring an artist whose work is as relevant and eye-catching today as it was back in 2006, Filthy Fluno Returns is a terrific exhibition of art and – for those of us who have been active in SL for long enough – a real blast from the past that is evocative on so many levels.
IMAGOLand: Sophie de Saint Phalle – The Art of Water and Colour
Recently opened at Mareea Farrasco’s IMAGOLand Gallery (level 1B), is an exhibition of art by Austrian artist Sophie de Saint Phalle (Perpetua1010). Entitled The Art of Water and Colours, it offers a selection of Sophie’s work which may also serve as an introduction to her broader portfolio of work than can be found at her own gallery spaces, of which more in a moment.
The Art of Water and Colour, as the name suggests, showcases a selection of Sophie’s watercolour pieces that might be split broadly into two categories: landscapes and life studies, although all of them are simply captivating that speak to a talent steeped in, and with an innate understanding of, art and artistic expression.
IMAGOLand: Sophie de Saint Phalle – The Art of Water and Colour
Such is the beauty and skill found within these pieces, none of them really need any form of exposition here; each speaks plainly and clearly as to it’s subject and nature – and to Sophie’s skill as artist and teacher. Each is presented in a style that befits its subject, from the more abstract seen within Bodensee and the pair of “Namibia” scenes, through to the ink-and wash studies of the human form to the sheer beauty and power of Tanz (Dance), these are very much are pieces that speak for themselves.
As noted, these pieces can form an excellent introduction to Sophie’s work, and for those who haven’t witnessed it previously, I would strongly recommend a visit to The Art of Water and Colours be combined with time at Sophie’s own gallery, the SUBCUTAN Art Gallery and Multimedia centre.
SUBCUTAN Art Gallery: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Red Expressions
Here, across four galleries spaces one can more fully appreciate Sophie’s sheer versatility. From further studies of the human form through digital art that is as captivating to – at the time of my visit – the most glorious selection of political caricatures that are both fun and; this a richly diverse tour de force of art.
Set within a series of futuristic buildings by Colpo Wexler, which I know from experience – and as SUBCUTAN proves – are ideal as gallery spaces, SUBCUTAN also encompasses a small club and an information centre, which is rounded out by a fascinating media display that steps the visitor through her creative process in producing Lazy Afternoon, copies of which can be purchased on the upper floor of the main gallery.
SUBCUTAN Art Gallery: Sophie de Saint Phalle – Political Caricatures
For those with a love of art from the physical world, Sophie’s work is not to be missed; whether you explore it through her exhibition at IMAGOLand or via her gallery – or both, for as long as The Art of Water and Colour is open – I cannot commend it strongly enough.
Lost Unicorn Gallery: Serina – Fantasies and Illusions
Currently open at the Lost Unicorn Gallery, curated by Natalie Starlight, is a superb exhibition of fantasy avatar studies by : SERINA :: ( SerinaK ) entitled Fantasies and Illusions.
Hailing from Japan, Serina is the owner of the Alter Ego mesh clothing brand, and I’m not sure how long she has been involved in SL photography – she joined Flicker in 2018; but I believe this is the first time I’ve see her work in a solo exhibition. And I use the term “superb” above quite deliberately: the pieces exhibited at Lost Unicorn are genuinely captivating.
As avatar / fantasy studies, the pieces presented in the exhibition are rich in colour, detail, motif and visual story, where everything has clearly been carefully considered in compositing and frame that makes them instantly attractive. Most are rendered in colour, although some monochrome pieces are hidden within the collection, their muted tones deliberately chosen to bring forth their story for the eye to see without the need to view any title.
Lost Unicorn Gallery: Serina – Fantasies and Illusions
Whilst focused on fantasy figures and framing, several of the images touch upon the surreal – perhaps most notably with Blind Justice, but elsewhere as well, in subtle touches. This reflects Serina’s broader interest in art that encompasses fantasy, surrealism and fine art. But there is more to be found within these pieces.
Although each an every piece can be appreciated as it is seen, its initial narrative ready to be captured by the eye, this is but an illusion; each carries a deeper story. In some, this might appear to be a personal statement, in others more a comment on society at large. I’m not going to point to individual images here as is often my wont, because these deeper narratives are best discovered by seeking the name of each piece through a right-click → Edit after each has been viewed free from preconceptions brought forth by knowing an particular picture’s title in advance.
Occupying the main lower hall at the gallery, Fantasies and Illusions makes for a grand exhibition – one that flows into the rest of the gallery space as a whole, where the fantasy theme continues with images by a number of artists. Thus the gallery offers a broader, worthwhile visit that I also recommend.
Lost Unicorn Gallery: Serina – Fantasies and Illusions
As noted above, this is the first time I’ve seen an exhibition focused on Serina’s work, and on viewing, I hope it is not the last that I have the opportunity to do so.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Milena Carbone – No Exit
No Exit is the title of the latest 2D art exhibition hosted by Dido Haas at her Nitroglobus Roof Gallery. It features the images and words of Milena Carbone, and is very much something of an “accidental” exhibition which still nevertheless offers food for thought – something Milena is prone to do with her art.
I’ll let Dido explain why No Exit might be considered an “accidental” exhibit:
[Milena] initially intended to work on a totally different project. However, this was cancelled due to her RL work as well as to her lack of motivation. So the images shown at the walls of the gallery this month were not created for an exhibition. Instead they were taken from the stream of images which Milena regularly produces for herself.
I made the selection and pointed out to Milena that there were always two characters in each image, .which made Milena think of the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s play “No exit” (“Huis clos” in French). And voila the title for this exhibition was born.
– Dido Haas, explaining the origins of No Exit
The connection between Satre and images is important to understand, because – as if so often the case with Milena’s work, there is a philosophical theme running through No Exit that invites consideration and, by nature of the framing of the play’s own central theme.
The title of the play actual comes from the French legal term “in camera”, denoting a private discussion behind closed doors; within it, three deceased people find themselves trapped in a room with no exit, doomed to face eternity with only one another’s company. Thus they are faced with Satre’s truth that “hell is other people” (L’enfer, c’est les autres), itself a reflection of his fascination with existentialism (perhaps most notably through L’Être et le néant), and of the internal struggle that arises when forced to view oneself from both the point of view (that is solely from how they see you in a particular moment) and the perspective (i.e. how they perceive you and your actions within the broader context of their own cultural and societal influences and personal biases / experiences) of another consciousness.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Milena Carbone – No Exit
However, before delving into these deeper themes, I would emphasise that these are images that can be seen and appreciated entirely in their own right and free from any more layer thinking. In fact, I would say they should be seen in this manner before being contextualised within the broader scope of theme and Satre’s world of ontological thinking; there is a beautiful minimalism to every piece that renders it fully as moment of narrative, encouraging us to freely construct a story around it, or to simply appreciate its form, tone, framing and expression.
When Milena’s theme and Satre’s ideas are taken into consideration, these are images that taken on an entirely new depth. Take, for example, XXI Century. On the surface, a simple image of two women with different cultural heritages posing for a photograph – be they friends or relatives, it makes no difference. But, add the title of the piece into the equation, together with the fact one of the women is wearing an al-amira, and a more complex narrative emerges, that invokes thoughts of the manner in which during the first 21 years of the 21st century has continued to see the impact of “otherism” – the ostracising of those whose dress, system of belief and place of origin mark them as “different” and thus not to be trusted or allowed. It’s a negative attitude that has gripped many to the point of being without any exit; yet, were they to step outside of the strictures of peer / societal pressure, then the reality that we are all of one, single unique race would become that much harder to ignore.
Elsewhere, the questioning of self, and other others see is more direct (e.g. within Difference, Asymmetry, and The Invitation (the latter’s use of Black and white being particularly effective in bringing for the idea of differencing outlooks / perspectives that challenge our own). Whilst 7 Billion Bullets most clearly questions our entire attitude towards the preciousness of an individual life.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Milena Carbone – No Exit
This image also leans itself to the central cube that sits between the two arms of the exhibition hall. Apparently open from the outside, in stepping in, it becomes a closed room with no exit – a physical representation of the room from Huis clos. Here we are forced to confront the fact that we are all essentially locked in rooms of self – everything we see or experience generates our world-view, making us all, in essence selfish; the imprint of those around us, through their thoughts and actions, rightly or wrongly, shaping our own views and outlooks, thus trapping us in our own hell of thought and convictions.
The words here carry both a startling reality of creating our own hell and – conversely – of allowing ourselves to become trapped in thinking that encourages us to retain that hell. The former is most succinctly stated through the commentary that global ammunition production means that each year, sufficient bullets are produced to wipe out all of humanity. Whether or not one is rooted in “the right to bear arms”, this is a grotesque factoid.; how much better might it be if the money poured into arms and ammunition were to be devoted to green sources of energy, improved food production, medicine and education?
Conversely, the fact that we are trapped within this one world is not an argument against attempting to expand elsewhere. For one thing, we are a naturally expansive race – and right now, we have nowhere else to go – a point of increasing concern given Earth’s finite resources. More to the point, space has more than anything else, given us the means to truly understand the fragility of this world and to actually start to take constructive (if limited) action to curtail damaging activities. For 60+ years, we have simply failed to more properly respond to what as been revealed, trapped as we have become in a materialistic, selfish need to have with no apparent exit – and pointing the finger of blame to a billionaire or two isn’t going to change (much less reverse) that; we – you, me, Milena, et al, are equally as guilty.
Milena is, I understand, absent from Second Life due to those physical world commitments mentioned above, and is liable to remain so for a while. As such, whether or not you are drawn to the philosophical / ontological expressions found with No Exit, or if you would simply like to again experience the attractiveness of her art for its own sake, this is an exhibition well worth witnessing.
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Milena Carbone – No Exit
The 2021 Movember art exhibition at the Men in Focus Gallery curated by JMB Balogh, open on November 1st, once again sponsored by the Men in Motion dance troupe. As with previous years, the exhibition is primarily in support of the Movember Foundation, the leading charity changing the face of men’s health, with the secondary aim of promoting and featuring photography by male Second Life artists.
For 2021, the gallery is displaying the talents of four invited 2D artists – Ethan Lane, Looker Lumet, OSO (akash25g Resident), and Akim Alonzo, whose images are displayed together with works by members of the Men in Motion Dance Troupe and 3D sculptures and pieces by Mistero Hifeng, Silas Merlin, Harry Cover (Impossibleisnotfrench) and Jⓞhan Lionheart (AndreJohan).
Men in Focus Movember 2021: Ethan Lane
The owner and designer of Tulum Reserve, a publicly-accessible region, Ethan Lane specialises in avatar studies, producing single frame stories with his images designed to give flight to the imagination of those viewing them. As an explorer and photographer, he is constantly seeking new themes to incorporate into his images and new or different styles by which he can bring them to life, whilst unabashedly admitting much of his own dreaming (and what he calls his geekiness) is bound within all of his pieces.
Looker Lumet is a Belgian photographer-hobbyist who discovered Second Life photography in 2007. That discovery led him into the world of digital editing and photo-manipulation, and he notes that more than a decade on, he is still honing his post-processing skills and continuing to learn about the tools at his disposal. Through the skills he has acquired, he attempts to present his images as realistically as possible, noting that many of the technical and other improvements that have been made to the platform naturally encourage photographer to move in this direction.
Men in Focus Movember 2021: Looker Lumet
“Art is always a way to express oneself when words fail and that’s the beauty of it,” OSO (akash25g Resident) says of his work and photography and art as a whole. Hailing from India, OSO has the misfortune of having witnessed many unpleasant things in life, a fact that has given him the desire to travel in a world that is free from hate and greed, and where love and care can be freely expressed – an attitude that sharply informs his photography, as can those things in life that have impacted him. His work is intense in narrative, beauty, metaphor and mood as can be particularly witnessed through his Flickr stream.
Hailing from Italy, Akim Alonzo is both a creative photographer and digital artist and the curator of the Itakos Project Gallery, which ran from 2017, when initially leveraged facilities provided by the former Linden Endowment for the Artist (LEA) grant system to display art by those artists in Second Life who might not be confident enough to apply for a grant in their own, through until 2021. Akim made the decision to close the gallery in order to focus his efforts on a new project, details of which are to be announced in the near future. as Akim has a new project in mind. In the meantime, the Itakos Project website remains as an archive of the exhibitions hosted by the project.
Men in Focus Movember 2021: Akim Alonzo
The upper floor of the gallery displays work by three members of the Men in Motion dance troupe – photographer and dance choreographer Antonio Atovio, Men In Motion founder Sebastain Bourne, who marks his work with as little post-processing as possible to give it a natural edge; and Quient, who came to SL as an explorer who used the platform to help educate his daughter, taking her on visits to in-world galleries and museums, before himself becoming enraptured with dance in SL and the opportunities for photography.
Located throughout the gallery’s floor are pieces by the 3D artists exhibiting at the gallery, none of whom need any introduction, their work being familiar across Second Life. All four never fail to engage their audience be it through pieces that combine the near-classical with the modern (Jⓞhan Lionheart (AndreJohan)), or those that engage the emotions (Mistero Hifeng) or offer the potential for narrative (Silas Merlin) or are simply and quite wonderfully quirky (Harry Cover),
Men in Focus Movember 2021: Troupe photographers
About the Movember Foundation
The Movember Foundation is a multinational charity raising awareness of, and money for, men’s health and welfare, with a focus on cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Its titular and widely known campaign is Movember, which encourages men to grow moustaches during the month of November. The foundation partners annually with the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to also raise money for men’s health.
Founded in 2003, in Melbourne, Australia by Adam Garone, Travis Garone, Luke Slattery, and Justin Coghlan, the organisation attained registered charity status in 2006, and has raised approximately US $700m in charitable donations. These funds have been used to fund more than 800 programmes focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health, men’s health awareness and healthy lifestyles. It is active in 21 countries and has a global workforce of 130 people. In addition, Movember coincides with International Men’s Day (November 19th), which among its aims, shares the goal of promoting the health and well-being of men and boys.
Opening on November 1st at her arts region Immersiva, is Bryn Oh’s latest work, entitled The Brittle Epoch, an installation that has been several months in development.
Whilst it can be viewed as an installation in its own right, The Brittle Epoch forms the second part of Bryn’s Hand trilogy, and so a degree of context with that story is extremely beneficial for visitors. In addition, the Hand trilogy are themselves contained within a universe and timeline that frames and encompasses all of Bryn’s core works, a point those who are not so familiar with her work may unaware. To this end, the landing point for The Brittle Epoch includes a number of reference resources, as do the notes for the installation; for convenience, I’ve gathered the core of these at the end of this article.
However, if you have not previously visited Hand, I would strongly urge you to do so before entering The Brittle Epoch -you can find it on Bryn’s adjoining region courtesy of a grant Bryn received from the Ontario Arts Council.
Hand is the story of a time when society transitioned to living and working in the virtual space. In this society people housed their bodies in inexpensive pods hooked up to food cannisters. They discarded their houses and furniture as they were no longer needed. They evolved past their physical bodies and lived digitally as the person they wanted to be. Overseeing all of this is a singularity AI named Milkdrop, first seen in the Singularity of Kumiko, though only now revealed to be an AI.
– Bryn Oh on Hand
Bryn Oh: The Brittle Epoch
To help understand the overall context / chronology of the narrative flow of Bryn’s installations, the landing point at The Brittle Epoch offers a timeline of core events, together with the various installations and pieces Bryn has created over the course of the last decade or so. For those of us who are admitted “Brynists” (so to speak), it is worthwhile pausing to consider this before moving on to the start point proper.
As an experiential installation, The Brittle Epoch is interactive, as with Hand and other elements of Bryn’s work. Once within the installation itself, be sure to mouse over and touch items, as many can either provide additional information or offer an object. It is also essential you have local sounds enabled, as sounds are used both immersively and narratively. Finally, in terms of general set-up, the installation is also best experienced under its default environmental settings (World → Environments → Use Shared Environment) and with Shadows enabled (Preferences → Graphics make sure Advanced Lighting Model is checked, and then select Sun + Moon or Sun + Moon / Projectors from the Shadows drop-down – both will give the required lighting).
Bryn Oh: The Brittle Epoch
Again, as with many of Bryn’s pieces, a HUD forms a central element. If you are not a member of the Bryn Oh Experience, you’ll be asked to join in order to receive it. When attached to your screen (this happens as you pass through / touch the doorway to be teleported to the first scene in the story), the HUD will provide an unfolding narrative as you progress through the installation – instructions on its use will be displayed in local chat.
The focus of this installation is the character of Flutter, the girl first introduced to audience in Hand and one of the children left out of the VR “nirvana” entered into by adults, leaving them forced to fend for themselves. She, together with her friends, will lead you through the installation as they embark on a journey from the heart of the city featured in Hand to the suburbs – a place very, very, different in nature, being caught in the midst of a hard winter suggestive of a new ice age that is befalling the world. As such, we follow them into an airship for the trip out to the ‘burbs, and then through the deserted homes that lie there – and beyond.
Bryn Oh: The Brittle Epoch
Here you need to keep an eye on the butterfly icon / listen for the tones so you witness the unfolding story – and be sure to touch the green button when you get to the Medusa, to follow a story-within-the story (and click the black balls before the glowing doors to progress on through this story, which on its conclusion will return you to the snowbound suburbs, allowing you to continue your journey through the story.
I do not wish to give too much of the story away here to avoid spoiling it as it unfolds through its sixteen scenes, so that you might follow and experience it for yourself. What I will say is, that as The Brittle Epoch is bringing Bryn’s larger, decade-spanning story to its conclusion, so too does it reacquaint us with a number of Bryn’s characters from previous works, including Lady Carmagnolle, Rabbicorn and the Daughter of Gears, and others, There is also a lot that might be extracted in terms of familiar mythologies and tales, and enough discrete elements that can also engage our own imaginations, allowing us to add our own twists to the story – a habit I’ve tended to have with several of Bryn’s installations!
Bryn Oh: The Brittle Epoch
The concluding part of the story will be unveiled in due course. However, in the meantime, I would note that Bryn’s work – in particular The Singularity of Kumiko, Hand, and The Brittle Epoch, form part of a course being taught by Carolyn Steele of York University, Toronto, and I hope to cover more of this in the near future with both Dr. Steele and Bryn.
As noted, Bryn’s installations all take place within the same over-arching universe, and thus share degrees of connectedness. As such, for those possibly unfamiliar with her work, or who wish to re-acquaint themselves with her themes and idea, I recommend the following resources:
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 