Category: Art in Second Life

I hopped back to Carelyna’s ArtCare Gallery this week to take in the latest round of art exhibitions, and once again found a rich mix of art from Second Life and the physical world to appreciate.

I was initially drawn back to the gallery with the announcement of new exhibitions by Kimeu Korg (Kimeu) and Matt Thomson (MTH63), both of which are located on the lower level of the gallery space, although a trip to the upper level of the gallery also reveal art that captures the eye.

Kimeu is, for me, Second Life’s most noted surrealist artist. His work easily matches the likes of Max Ernst and René Magritte, and is unique manner in which it can so often blend elements from the physical world and Second Life to create vignettes – although at ArtCare, Procrastination focus solely on pieces produced within Second Life. These are simply delightful, each one a story unto itself, featuring Kimeu’s distinctive character, frequently laced with a gentle humour.

Matt Thompson built his reputation as a landscape photographer in Second Life, but has been spreading his canvas – so to speak – and with New Journeys presents a series of abstract paintings, the title doubtless a nod to this being a further expansion of his artistic expression. As Matt himself notes, abstractionism oft comes with convoluted explanations as to what each splash and swirl of colour represents (perhaps not always postulated by the artist), which can get in the way of simply enjoying the mix of colours and the suggestions of of life, motion, patterns and form.

And for those who care to read his bio, Matt has a wicked sense of humour (and a love of Douglas Adams, which makes him more than OK in my book 🙂 ).

The upper level of the gallery space features exhibitions by LikaCameo, Downboy (MarcJersey), April (Agleo Runningbear) and Jolie (JolieElle Parfort).

Known as April Louise Turner in the the physical world, Agleo is a woman of many talents – artist, shaman, teacher, poetess, to name but four. Here she presents a series of the most engaging paintings of animals what might be considered spirit paintings of the creatures involved. In the neighbouring hall, Jolie offers images from Second Life that have been processed to resemble paintings, forming another engaging collection.

However, and with due respect to Jolie and April, both of whom have been covered several times in these pages, I was particularly drawn to the exhibitions by LikaCameo and Downboy, both of whom are artists I’ve not previously encountered in Second Life.

Downboy is another artist who seeks to tell stories through his images – all of which have been produced in Second Life. However, his work is particularly attractive for the manner in which he uses soft tones, an almost brushed monochrome, and depth of life.

Lika, meanwhile, presents a series of the most incredible true life studies and portraits that deserve to be seen first-hand, as witnessed by the hero image at the top of this article.

I’m not sure how much longer the installations by April, Jolie, Lika and Downboy will remain at ArtCare (as noted above, Matt’s and Kimeu’s exhibitions have just opened and so will be around for about another month), so I do recommend dropping in to see them sooner rather than later.

SLurl Details

• ArtCare Gallery (Prychek, rated: Moderate)

Currently open at the Itakos Project Art Gallery, curated by Akim Alonzo, is Golden: A Journey into the Art of a Dreamer, featuring the work of Paola Mills.

Spread across the two levels of the gallery are some 29 exquisite avatar studies that incorporate a range of themes, and are linked by the fact that each one forms a single frame story.

From fantasy to what might be considered beauty shots and going by way of touches of sci-fi, horror, edges of transhumanism, and even a homage to a classic film (Hitchcock’s classic North by Northwest (see:Follow the Ageless Tide), these are all stunning pieces. Many carry a degree of subtext through title to further drive their story, although equally, a fair number are untitled – but they still speak clearly to those who study them.

This is because all of the pieces offered here, produced in both colour and monochrome, are marvellously crafted, rich in detail and composition. Within them are to be found stories centred on a range of subjects: identity, love, life, sexuality, emotions, loneliness, memory and more.

As well as the individual images mounted on the gallery walls, Akim has included an animated slide show system that pages through copies of all of Paola’s pieces in the exhibition. It’s an approach that will a new feature with exhibits at the gallery. Here, with its smooth, gentle animations and cross-fades, the slide show brings together the images in such a way that the transitions from one to the next presents a feeling of shifting dreams in keeping with the sub-title of the exbition. Further, several times during the show, the transition from one image to the next naturally suggests a broader story spanning the art than might be found when viewing in the individual images around the walls.

It is really hard to write about this exhibition, as the pieces are so rich in narrative that they really should be seen first-hand, rather then through the intervening eyes of and thoughts of another. Nor are they pieces to be simply seen; they deserve to be given the time to speak and tell their stories. As such, I strongly suggest paying a visit through the month the exhibition will be available.

SLurl Details

• The Itakos Project: Golden: A Journey into the Art of a Dreamer (ATL, rated Moderate)

The Way of the Sun is an intriguing art installation by Bleu Oleander that is currently open at Ribong Gallery Artspace 3583, curated by  San (Santoshima). It is an installation that that offers multiple aspects of metaphor and narrative.

In THE WAY OF THE SUN, I explore themes of temple building, pilgrimage, worship, reflection and transcendence. Over the long human history, there are examples of humans worshipping the Sun and elements of nature, and building temples to access the divine.

– Bleu Oleander, on The Way of the Sun

From the arrival point, a large enclosed area intentionally suggestive of darkness, visitors are encouraged to read a poem celebrating the work of the temple builders, before following an arrow pointing to where a tower of light rises into the void, a ramp within it offering the way up. This in turn leads the way to a golden platform on which sits a high temple attempting to reach clouds that seem to form mystical patterns whilst turned to a burnished yellow by the Sun above them.

The metaphors within in this are clear – the passage from the landing point to the golden platform representing pilgrimage; the move from darkness to light representing the desire to achieve spirituality / enlightenment, the climb through the tower representing both the raising of temples and our need to ascend / transcend after or during life, all of which is further underlined by the presence of the figures within the installation, who stand as if lost within the lower level, but have arms raised in exultation within the temple.

Also to be found within this is the personal desire to achieve enlightening, to improve ourselves – not materially or religiously, but mentally and personally; the transfiguration through self-reflection and mental training through the likes of meditation within the “temples of the mind”.

Similarly, the temple stands as both a literal place of worship and as a symbol of the deep furrow temples, religion and ritual have played throughout human history. Even the Sun plays a dual role: the subject of so much of humankind’s worship and that actual essential giver of life to Earth, and the light that so often represent the achieving of self-awareness and personal transcendence.

Drawing on ancient cultures from around the world, notably Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and mesoamerican – The Way of the Sun also has a modern twist within it that again links the cultural aspects of spirituality with the personal. A small teleport panel, when found, will carry the individual visitor down to a floatation tank and the opportunity of mediation and reflection.

All told a fascinating installation.

SLurl Details

• Ribong Gallery Artspace 3583 (Mieum, General)