Category: Art in Second Life

Sinners and Saints in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Sinful Retreat: Sinners and Saints

The Sinful Retreat Sinners and Saints exhibition opens at 12:00 noon SLT on Saturday July 10th, featuring the work of an incredible 50 artists across two regions through until September 2021.

First announced in February 2021 (see: Sinners and saints, a new arts challenge in Second Life), the exhibition is in many respects the spiritual offspring of the great Art Challenges sponsored and hosted by the University of Western Australia and their partners (both in-world and out-world), and organised by FreeWee Ling and Jayjay Zifanwe on behalf of UWA.

In the wake of the UWA Gratitude Art Show back in November which Chuck Clip curated alongside Mariposa Upshaw, we here at Sinful Retreat and Angels Rest decided to carry UWA’s torch onward into the future in the form of occasional themed art shows. Sinners & Saints Art Show is our first show which serves the dual purpose of carrying the aforementioned torch and celebrating the culmination of our first year in Second Life. 

– From the Sinful Retreat team

Sinful Retreat: Sinners and Saints – Morlita Quan

The challenge has been for 2D and 3D artists and poets and writers to submit two pieces, one depicting the side of light (or goodness, or saintliness or The Force, or whatever you might like to call it) and the other the side of “darkness” (or The Dark Side,  or sinfulness or wickedness – again, whatever you prefer to call it). In this, the organisers were keen to emphasize that despite the exhibition’s title, they were not asking artists to think  along purely Christian (or general religious) lines.

Sinful Retreat and Angels Rest are mirrors for each other, highlighting the dichotomy of light and dark in art and humanity as a whole. We thought it appropriate that our first show should reflect that … With submissions from 50 artists and poets from across the grid, and over 20 hours of performances by musicians and DJs, plus poetry and science fiction readings, this show is sure to encapsulate all of us and serve to start some interesting conversations. We cannot wait to gaze deep into the mirror with you.

– From the Sinful Retreat team

The result is an incredibly diverse range of art that is mixed – as noted above – with more than 20 hours of music throughout the event, together with live reading of prose and poetry. The canvas of participating artists could not be broader, featuring name both well-known, and those who many not be so familiar, as well as some those who enjoyed visiting the UWA challenges will likely frin familiar from those exhibitions as well.

Sinful Retreat: Sinners and Saints – Traci Ultsch (l) and Chuck Clip (r)

Just how broad a spectrum of art the theme of the event has provided can be seen in the fact that within the pieces offered, are works that might reflect the nature of human nature – that we can be led by turns by the inner voices of our better angels or our worse demons;  on the broader suffering we can inflect on one another through multiple means, all of which lead to so many displaced and lost people; how our selfishness has led to untenable climate and environmental damage – but has also awakened the need for us to do more to reverse that damage; and more, all mixed with more familiar offerings on the themes of saints / angels and sinning / demons. There are even cosmological pieces drawing on idea of yin and yang, universal balance, and creation and entropy awaiting discovery.

Readings and music will be provided throughout the event, as noted, and the activities for July are now available via the Sinful Retreat website – expect August and September’s activities to be posted at the start of each month.

Sinful Retreat: Sinners and Saints – Meilo Minotaur

Richly diverse, Sinners and Saints will open on July 10th, 2021 with a 3-hour event featuring singers SpiritLed (nnon-13:00 SLT), Semina (13:00-14:00 SLT), and Acoustic Energy (14:00-15:00 SLT).

When visiting, I’d suggest using the local EEP settings and strongly recommend you have Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) enabled in your viewer (Preferences → Graphics → make sure Advanced Lighting Model in checked).  Also note that following the end of the exhibition, selected pieces from Sinners and Satins will be displayed in rotation on Sinful Retreat and Angels Rest.

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Carmel Air Fair 2021 in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
2021 Carmel Air Fair

Now open at the Carmel Art Community, is the 2021 Carmel Summer Art Fair, organised by Martha and Robert McFarren. An open-air air show the winds its way through the streets of the community’s village and passing it shops and studio galleries, the Fair is organised for members of the Carmel Art Community and their guests.

This year, around 28 artists (assuming I’ve not missed anyone, which is always possible!), are exhibiting at the Fair, with members of the community displaying up to three pieces of work, and their guests two pieces each.

2021 Carmel Art Fair – Emeline Laks (l) and Deyanira Yalin (r)

In all, the participating artists include: Carelyna, CybeleMoon (Hana Hoobinoo), Martissima (Marta Gabardini), Mousie (Malia Kenyon), SecondHandTutti, Venk (Stephen Venkman), Victoria (VictoriaBlue), Willow (cutewillow Carlberg), Xirana (Xirana Oximoxi), Aneli Abeyante, Anouk Lefavre-Huntsman (Anouk Lefavre), Audie Whimsy, Dhyezl Ravenhurst (Dhyezl), Deyanira Yalin, Elle Thorkveld, Emeline Laks, Jaelle Faerye, Life Charron (Zeroys), LilyKitty Sixpence, Maggie Starr (maggiemagenta), Michiel Bechir, Robert McFarren (RobertMcFarren, Tara (TaraAers), Trinity Ermintrood, Vanessa Jane (VanessaJane66), Viktor Savior (ViktorSavior), Zia Sophia (Zia Branner) and moi.

The art itself is an engaging mix of physical world paintings and photography, avatar studies and Second Life landscapes, all presented in a broad range of styles: watercolour, oil, mixed media, digital manipulation, abstract, colour, monochrome.  Thus, there is much for visitors to appreciate and, if the mood takes them, purchase. And of course there is the opportunity to pop into the studios used by members of the community and see more of their work.

2021 Carmel Art Fair – Zia Sophia (r) and someone called “Pey” (l)

As well as the art, the Fair features a range of events, all of which are promoted through the community’s in-world group, highlight of which can be summarised as (all times SLT):

  • July 8th, 13:00: Special July Chatnic hosted by Jaelle Faerye, and guest artists.
  • July 12th 13:00: Particle Show with VENUS ADORED & music by DJ Hein.
  • July 19th 12:00 noon: DJ Riff Gaffer Music & Poetry.
  • July 21st 12:00 noon: Live Stream with artist Kisma Reidling as she shares a 40 minute “Come Smudge With Me” class.
  • July 24th 12:00 noon: Concert with Bsukmet with a particle show by Roxy & 1Earthling.

Those visiting the art fair also have the opportunity to take the stairs down to the little courtyard alongside the two large gallery buildings, where Hermes Kondor is exhibiting a selection of his utterly mesmerising digital art.

Carmel Art Community – the Art Fair also offers the opportunity to visit the current exhibit by Hermes Kondor

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Mihailsk’s Baptism of Fire in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Mihailsk’s Baptism of Fire

Sometimes the best art exhibits come from a chance encounter. Dido Haas, owner and curator of Nitroglobus Roof Gallery (and a talented photographer in her own right), bumped into Mihailsk while he was visiting Nitroglobus in March. A couple of days after that first encounter, he posted an image taken at the gallery, which was then displaying Daantje Bons’ work (see here for a review of that exhibition) – and this image led to Dido looking through Mihailsk’s Flickr steam and then approaching him to exhibit at Nitroglobus.

Even so, he took a little persuading. Despite being active in SL for several years, Mihailsk has only recently entered the world of SL photography and artistic creation, as he explains:

Even though I am in SL since 2014, I feel my second life started the day I decided to dedicate a large part of my time in this virtual world to photography. It was [in] January 2020 when I started this beautiful journey in light, colours and emotions; a journey to fantastic places and loved persons, trying to capture special moments in eternity. Sometimes with a smile, sometimes with pain. 

– Mihailsk describing his journey into SL art

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Mihailsk’s Baptism of Fire

Given this, Dido’s invitation marked the first time he has been asked to display his art in-world – which can be a daunting prospect for an artist-photographer, even when well-established on a site like Flickr. Hence the title for this exhibition: Baptism of Fire.

Mihailsk’s work is probably best defined as avatar-focused; a term I use in preference to the more usual “avatar study”, because while a fair portion of his work does focus in on an avatar (either his or that of a friend) in order to frame a story, he also frequently sets his canvas much more broadly, framing an image that blends avatar and surroundings into a richly layered composition that is utterly captivating – as can be seen time and again throughout his Flickr stream.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Mihailsk’s Baptism of Fire

He is also an artist who uses a variety of styles to express his work, from full colour, to gentle tonal work through to monochrome, with techniques that touch upon sepia colouring, chiaroscuro, post-processing and digital layering. The result of all this being pieces of great visual depth.

Given this, there might be a temptation to pull together a multiplicity  of styles and display them together; instead, Mihailsk has focused on presenting pieces that focus on black-and-white / monochrome, and which also fold into them elements of  silhouette art, chiaroscuro and minimalism that very much help to focus on his use of emotion in his art. In this he also differs from many other SL artists, who often construct their images to frame what amounts to a pre-determined emotion that they wish to convey to their audience. Instead, Mihailsk frames his pieces in a manner more designed to convey the emotion he felt within a scene or setting; thus they become windows into his feelings and outlook.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Mihailsk’s Baptism of Fire

The above all said, given the sheer depth and beauty of Mihailsk’s art, I admit I would have perhaps liked to perhaps see some of his colour art included here, simply because it is equally emotive. But make no mistake, what is shown within Baptism of Fire is utterly engaging and a more than worthy display of art from an exceptionally talented individual. and as well as visiting, I encourage you to also take the time to peruse his Flickr stream; you will not be disappointed.

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Diamond’s views of the Moles and Lindens in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Beckridge Gallery – Diamond Marchant: Work Look

Second Life’s 18th anniversary is, at the time of writing, almost over. The celebrations have come to an end and the regions themselves will be closing to public access on July 6th, 2021.

I mention this because the SL18B regions are part of the broad-ranging work that comes under the remit of the Linden Department of Public Works (LDPW), and the contractors – the Moles – who are employed by the Lab through it.

As well as the SLB regions (this year put together with the assistance of residents like Walton F. Wainwright (Faust Steamer)), the Moles are also responsible for – as we all doubtless know – the likes of the Mainland infrastructure, Bellissera, the Linden Portal Park and associated experiences / games, and more. All of this is in part celebrated with the annual Meet the Moles session at each year’s SLB celebrations, when we get the opportunity to see many of the Moles all gathered together as the answer questions and talk about their work.

Beckridge Gallery – Diamond Marchant: Work Look

However, for her summer exhibition at her Beckridge Gallery in Bellisseria,  Diamond Marchant presents another opportunity for us to see the Moles. Work Look, her new exhibition, presents a series of portraits of many of the Moles (and some of the Lindens) as they go about their work in-world preparing the SL18B regions for the 2021 celebrations.

Mounted on the walls of the gallery and the attached greenhouse are around 27 portraits of the Moles (Dion gets to appear twice, to make the total number of images 28), together with portraits of Grumpity, Strawberry, Brett and Patch Linden with a surprise appearance by Philip Linden, who looks to have dropped in on the celebrations as well.

Beckridge Gallery – Diamond Marchant: Work Look

So, if you fancy taking another look at the Moles and celebrating / recalling SL18B, the Beckridge Gallery might be the place to visit!

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Akim’s Anima in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Kondor Main Gallery: Akim Alonzo

Akim Alonzo, owner and creator of The Itakos Project, is also an excellent photographer artist in his own right, as I’ve noted in a number of pieces in this blog where I’ve covered his exhibitions (see Water and a Matrix: Reflections on Life by Akim Alonzo, for example).

The latest selection of Akim’s work is now on display at the Main Gallery of the Kondor Art Centre, curated by Hermes Kondor. It presents a mix of works that offer a choice of themes within it, and which also echo past exhibition themes Akim has produced, making for another eye-catching and thought-provoking display of art from a man who is a master of frame, tone and composition.

Kondor Main Gallery: Akim Alonzo

The images presented are offered under the title of Anima and comprise 27 individual images and 2 slide shows. One of the latter pages through a selection of the images on display, the other displays a collection of additional portraits. Between them, these two slide shows present the core themes to be found within this collection – both of which intertwine into a single, larger perspective.

One of these themes is that of the avatar-as-a-person. Avatar studies are a common theme with Second Life art – although more often than not, such studies tend to focus on presenting an emotional story / emotive response utilising the entire image – expression, pose, surroundings, etc., – that together form a single frame narrative. Akim, however, is one of the few Second Life artists who takes a very deliberate path in his studies: one that focuses on the emotions that may exist within an avatar.

Kondor Main Gallery: Akim Alonzo

Whether these emotions are real, or a projection of our own, or a reflection of the emotions Akim felt in composing each image, really doesn’t matter; although I would suggest that there is combination of all of these aspects involved. What is important is that each piece is a marvellously layered composition, the focus always on the subject, the  background and lighting a means to project / capture the emotions that we see as coming from within the avatar. This are pieces that make extraordinary use of chiaroscuro to imbue the subject of each image with a depth of life and feeling that is bewitching.

The second theme to be found within this collection is that of life itself – real or virtual – and the questions we can harbour about it; in this, some of the pieces are drawn from or reflect his 2019 exhibition The Matrix. There is a wealth of metaphor within these particular pieces – the majority of which can be found on the gallery’s upper floor – and also question: what is real? Is the digital realm any less “real” than the physical? Might we all in fact be unwittingly operating within a virtual realm, our need to project ourselves into a digital realm a reflection of this?

Kondor Main Gallery: Akim Alonzo

Both of these thematic strands come together to offer a broader set of ideas / questions related to the identity, self and who we are as individuals;  to questions of – dare I say it – soul.

Beautifully composed, perfectly executed and presented, Anima is an extraordinary exhibition by an extraordinary artist.

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Symmetry in art in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Kultivate Signature Gallery: JudiLynn India

Recently opened at the Kultivate Signature Gallery, curated by Johannes and Trempest Huntsman is Symmetry, an exhibition by physical world artist JudiLynn India.

With a lean towards abstract art, JudiLynn has been drawing and painting for as long as she can remember, and studied art at high school before moving to graphic design at Tyler School of Art/Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Since the turn of the century she has focused on working in acrylics and digital painting, joining Second Life in 2009 and embracing the platform as a means to reach a broader audience with her work.

Spread across the three floors of the gallery is a series of paintings by JudiLynn that speak directly to the title of the exhibition through their use of symmetry as well as her trademark depth of colour, a factor that always gives her work a vibrant sense of life.

Kultivate Signature Gallery: JudiLynn India

Abstract they may be, but there are strong subliminal elements to be found in these paintings, some suggested by the titles of individual pieces, others by the titles placed around the walls of the gallery and which echo the essence of symmetry: balance, harmony, equilibrium. Some of these may help the eye and the mind to construct a frame of narrative in each piece, while the others, the flow of colour and shape might suggest a tale that sits quite aside from any given title.

Viewing the pieces in turn, I was particularly struck by the manner in which several suggested to me they could so easily have had a fractal origin, rather than being traditional paintings. These pieces (Dark Web, Emperor, Colour of Life and Confetti Fun as examples) give an additional twist to this collection: whilst fractal art is created mathematically as an intersection between generative art and computer art, JudiLynn’s pieces present a sense of generative art that has entirely natural origin. Thus, these pieces might be said to offer a unique statement on the fusion between human and digital art forms.

Kultivate Signature Gallery: JudiLynn India

Enticing, attractive, and rich in colour, Symmetry is another engaging exhibition by someone I regard as one of Second Life’s foremost abstract artists.

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