Category: Reviews

Melu’s Roadside images in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Melusina Parkin: Roadside

Currently open at Melusina Parkin’s gallery is Roadside, her latest collection of images taken from around Second Life, which will continue through May and June. Presented in Melu’s familiar and captivating close-up style, they present a series of pictures with a theme of road trips – but with a very specific focus, as she explains in the introduction to the exhibition:

Diners, motels, pump stations, garages are elements of a “road popular culture” developed in wide spaces crossed by monotone and endless roads. We can’t imagine a motorway without them.

Like mountains, hills, fields, lawns and rivers, they are part of any landscape we see when travelling through the country.

– Melusina Parkin

Melusina Parkin: Roadside

So it is that we have a series of images of motel signs, petrol (gas) stations and pumps, parked vehicles, wooden walls of motel cabins and more, each one offering a unique take on the idea of the Great American Road Trip. Within them are many of the icons of that tradition – the coupé with its top down, the ribbon of dead-straight road vanishing into the distance, the metal-sized roadside diner, the pannier-laden motorbike, and so on. However, they are presented in such a way that rather than simply offering a scene for us to appreciate, Melu once again frames them in a manner that invites a story.

Take Roadside 3, for example: a battered yellow coupé sits parked in the foreground, inviting us to consider it: it’s condition, who might own it, where might they be going, and so on. Then, beyond it and through partially shaded windows, we can see the familiar bright red vinyl seating of a diner – something that always inspires a feeling of warmth and comfort, and our thoughts are similarly comforted with ideas of good food and rest in a friendly environment, whilst also broadening the story of the owners of the car: what might they be eating, what conversations are going on at their table, and so on.

Melusina Parkin: Roadside

Similarly, Roadside 5, with the motorcycle parked before petrol (gas) pumps immediately spins out thoughts of the freedom of riding the open road through to (perhaps) thoughts of iconic road trip films like Easy Rider. And so it goes on around the four walls of the gallery space (a single room at the top of her store).

There is perhaps a wider context for this exhibit as well. June will mark Second Life’s 17th anniversary with the familiar Second Life Birthday celebrations taking place. The theme for this year’s event, the theme is road trips and vacations, so Melusina’s Roadside might be said to offer a lead-in to the celebrations.

Melusina Parkin: Roadside

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Cherishville’s tropical summer in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Cherishville, May 2020 – click any image for full size

Lam Erin is a gifted landscape artist who is also responsible for the design of Cherishville, a Homestead region we have enjoyed visiting on a number of occasions over the past few years. This being the case, it was an obvious choice for a re-visit when we heard Lam have redressed the region for spring / summer 2020. For this design, Lam has turned to what is something of a traditional theme for the summer months in Second Life: a tropical setting that also includes a Mediterranean touch with the style of buildings selected for it.

Surrounded by off-region islands, the setting is in two parts: a smaller circular island that has the appearance of perhaps once having been a major fortification, but which is now home to a pair of stone houses and an old, copper-domed watchtower / lighthouse. Facing this, the rest of the region forms a curving finger of an island, the north-western end of which continues the theme found in the smaller island: cut-stone walls rising to a table-flat top, its paved parapet offering a walk for those so inclined.

Cherishville, May 2020

It’s easy to imagine this area as either a continuation of the old fort – the ruins of which still occupy a part of the round island – if not actual fortification, then perhaps barracks or similar. Now, however, it home to a Mediterranean-style villa and a farmhouse-style home, each with is share of outhouses, all perhaps built using the stones that once formed the fort’s own walls.

Beyond this, the land drops to a curved beach that cups a shallow bay in its arms. Curving north and east, it forms a beach-come-sandbar backed on its east side by rocks, with a single large outcrop supporting a second lighthouse. This is not a pristine place; the sand and the buildings on it show signs of age, while the north-eastern tip of the sandbar is home to a windmill that puts its time of construction as 1918. All of this gives a further sense of presence to the region and the idea it has been inhabited for a long time.

Cherishville, May 2020

An ageing psychedelic VW van and an old Lambretta / Vespa style scooter sitting on the beach give the suggestion that the region might have once been connected to one or more of the surrounding islands, allowing them to be driven here before being deserted.

The beach offers numerous places to sit, from deck chairs to sun loungers  to rowing boats, while those prepared to explore the south side of the island will find an old fisherman’s hut sitting atop a shelved beach. It offers a little more privacy than the more open beach.

Cherishville, May 2020

There were one or two rough edges to the setting we couldn’t help but notice during our visits – a building or wall set slightly above ground here, floating plants there, one or two unsupported flights of steps. These can be a little unsettling once noticed, and give the impression the region may have been put together in a hurry. However, during one of my return visits I did see Lam working on things, so it’s likely this ruffles are liable to be smoothed out as he has time.

As noted at the top of this article, tropical  / Mediterranean themes tend to be a popular choice for region designs as spring progresses into summer in the northern hemisphere. What sets Cherishville apart is the sense of longevity / history I’ve alluded to here that is imbued in the region’s design; this allows a visitor to build up a story about where the island might be, and the past it may have seen.

Cherishville, May 2020

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Dropping in to Michiel Bechir’s Gallery in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Michiel Bechir Gallery

One of the best ways to see art in Second Life is to visit the many boutique galleries that can be found across the grid. I say this because they generally have limited space, and so offer a small number of artists on exhibition, allowing a visitor to better appreciate the art on offer without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work or the number of artists.

Take Michiel Bechir’s gallery, for example. The latest exhibition there features the work of four artists: two offering individual exhibits, and two forming a joint exhibition.

Michiel Bechir Gallery: RoseHanry

With Sunrises, RoseHanry presents a collection of eight images on that subject, with her introduction:

The theme for this exhibit was born when I visited the amazing private SIM “Vintage Lace” owned by the talented Skip Staheli and Delinda Dench. I took a photo that I posted on Flickr by the name a new sunrise which is included in the collection of photos in the exhibition.

I grew up near beaches where I had the privilege to watch sunrises and sunsets building the skies in fascinating lights and colours, and I have tried to re-create that magic on my works in a different way that I am use to doing.

– RoseHanry

The result is a selection of eight tonal pieces ranging from monochrome through sepia to full colour that offer personal. In particular this use of tones helps to bring out the rich differences a sunrise can bring, from the seemingly black-and white of the very early dawn, when the Sun is so low on the horizon when facing it, the light seems to wash colour from your surroundings, through the the orange brightness that comes as the Sun climbs high enough for its light to be refracted by the early morning haze.

Michiel Bechir Gallery: Ethan Hawkins

Across the foyer is an exhibition by Ethan Hawkins, offering a mix of landscape and avatar studies, with a lean towards the latter. These avatar images are of a personal nature for the artist, reflecting as they do his relationship with his SL partner, Tresore. However, they each represent scenes anyone who has been in a relationship will both recognise and empathise with the emotions they represent.

Ethan’s landscape images are similarly evocative, offering romantic views of locations in Second Life which have a sense of having been painted without the appearance of being overly post-processed. This exhibition is rounded-out a a series of four images of waterfowl and an owl that truly bring the subject matter to life.

Michiel Bechir Gallery: Ladmilla and Eli

The upper floor of the gallery features a joint exhibition by Ladmilla and Eli Medier, who between them run The Edge Gallery. They are perhaps best known for sharing Ladmilla’s images with Eli’s words, and have oft been featured in these pages. Here they share their images and styles. Both are accomplished in capturing pictures that offer a story, with their images here forming nicely contrasting, yet complimentary sets.

Rounding out the gallery’s art is a selection of Michiel’s own landscape images, featuring some of the many locations across Second Life, with this selection carrying an emphasis on green.

Michiel Bechir Gallery: Michiel Bechir

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A South Shore Bay in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
South Shore Bay, May 2020 – click any image for full size

Designed by Sloomi, South Shore Bay  on the Homestead region of Malaekahana Island, is presented as a place with a touch of a Mediterranean summer about it. A mix of public spaces and four private residences (three of which – I think – might be available to rent), it is a simple, easy-on the eye place with much to offer.

Built around a central lake, the island has a slight lagoon feel to it, the land opening out to the north and south to form rounded, low-lying headlands. Three of these have houses built on them, one of which id definitely private, the other two being two of the possible rentals. The remaining headland, occupying the south-west corner. The track connecting this beach with the path circling the lake also forming the region’s landing point.

South Shore Bay, May 2020

With a mix of Joshua and palm trees, the beach offers plenty of parasol-shaded places to sit and admire the sea view, the path leading to it also home to a small open market. Should you get peckish when visiting, a bar sits at the northern end of the sweep of the sand, with fresh fish and chips on offer.

Take the lake path eastwards, and it will take you along a narrow waist of low land caught between the gentle sweep of a seaward bay and the flat-topped hump of a hill that is home to the remaining summer house on the island. In terms of location, this perhaps offers the best views, one out across the bay to the off-region island, the other inland over the region’s lake. This lake appears somewhat tidal: there is a narrow channel to the west that connects it to the sea, and the sands just above the current water line appear to have a high tide mark running around them, as if the water level can periodically increase.

South Shore Bay, May 2020

To the east, the island has a rich screen of trees through which the footpath passes. By no means dense, the trees are sufficient enough to screen one of the beach houses from the path, whilst also perhaps sheltering the lake from any eastern winds, as well as holding the sands along the top of the hill in place.

After passing through the trees, the path swings closer to the lake than the sea, providing space for another much smaller beach on its seaward side, complete with a cuddle space on an old rowing boat before a further copse of trees serves to screen the south-east house from the rest of the island and provide any occupants with some privacy.

South Shore Bay, May 2020

A further bay sits on the north end of the island, nestled between the two headlands there. A little more rugged in nature than the southern bay, this is home to a colony of seagulls, while for those who don’t fancy walking, a balloon with single pose swing slung under it circles  slowly overhead.

An easy-going, comfortable design with multiple places to sit and finished with a gentle sound scape, South Shore Bay presents exactly what it says in the About Land description states: a quiet place to relax.

South Shore Bay, May 2020

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2020 Raglan Shire Artwalk in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Raglan shire Artwalk 2020

Raglan Shire, Second Life’s Tiny community once again throws open its doors to people from across the grid as participating artists and visitors to the annual Raglan Shire Artwalk.

This year marks the 15th Artwalk, which opened on Sunday, May 17th, and runs through until Sunday, June 21st, 2020. The event offers an opportunity not just to appreciate a huge range of art from both the physical and digital worlds, but to also tour the Shire regions and enjoy the hospitality of the Raglan Shire community.

Raglan Shire Artwalk 2020 – Kody Meyers

A non-juried exhibition, the Artwalk is open to any artist wishing to enter, and has minimal restrictions on the type of art displayed (one of the most important being all art is in keeping with the Shire’s maturity rating). All of this means that it offers one of the richest mixes of SL art displayed within a single location in Second Life, with 2D art is displayed along the hedgerows of the Shire’s pathways and tree platforms overhead and 3D art among the community’s parks.

Each year attracts well over a hundred SL artist – and this year is no exception. The depth and range of art on display is guaranteed to keep visitors exploring the paths and walks around the through the hedgerows – and if walking proves a little much, there are always the caterpillar rides to ease the load on the feet.

Raglan Shire Artwalk 2020 – Barry Richez

Also, teleport boards are provided to help people find their way around the exhibition spaces, while balloons which offer rides around the region and through the art displays. However, given this is an opportunity to visit and appreciate Raglan Shire, I do recommend exercising your pedal extremities and doing at least some of your exploration on foot – just keep in mind people do have their homes in the regions as well.

Given the number of artists involved, there isn’t a published list of participants, but anyone interested in the world of SL art is bound to recognise some of the names of the artists here. The Artwalk is also a marvellous way to see art from both our physical and digital worlds and for catch artists both familiar and new to your eye. Just don’t try to see it all at once; the Artwalk is open for a month, which gives plenty of time for browsing and appreciating the art without feeling overloaded.

Raglan Shire Artwalk 2020

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All of the Raglan Shire Artwalk regions are rated General)

Revisiting The Eye Gallery in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Eye, May 2020

It’s been a while since I last visited The Eye Gallery, owned and curated by MonaByte. Originally opened in 2014 – although it has relocated since opening – the gallery offers exhibitions by invited artists as well as displaying Mona’s own work.

Currently, it is Mona’s work in both 2D and 3D that is on display within the gallery’s rooms.

My first steps in SL came through teaching: conducting various projects with my RL students. Then came Escuelita para Pekes, a place for friends where I shared beautiful moments lecturing to SL children. At the same time, learning to build became my passion and the sim 1+1 was my daily meeting place where true friendships were born. I also took art tours through different sims and galleries to help promote SL art. Then my sister and friend Duna Gant gave me the honour of managing Culture, the workshop responsible for poetry reading and other events at Artemis Gallery. My work with her was a wonderful experience.

– MonaByte describing her initial years in Second Life

The Eye, May 2020

Mona’s work a bold in tone and content, and red features heavily in the works on offer in this exhibition, with some of the exterior walls and spaces of the gallery coloured to match. Her 3D work is also rich in context, and emotion, each piece conceptual in is transmission of both: Balance, Freedom, Obsession, Conflict … Two pieces even celebrate her love of Red, which is also reflected in the 2D work in the main gallery building where as series of images of poppies and red flowers capture the attention.

The upper floor of the gallery annex offers a trio of landscape photos and two more fantasy-oriented images. They lean more to blue in their tone – a reflection of both the time of day at which they were taken and their subject matter.

An engaging and pleasing exhibition.

The Eye, May 2020

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