Category: Reviews

Gem Preiz is a master of fractal art, as I’ve oft commented on in these pages. His work is always fascinating, encompassing as it does many interlinked themes and ideas – time, space, the future, the past, the rise and fall of civilisations and more, much of which is framed in terms of fractal images with a distinct architectural heritage. And while fractals are not part of his newest installation, architecture is very much its beating heart, fleshed with the use of physical space and a rich layering of time.

Arcadia presents a marvellous architectural fantasy – to use Gem’s words, what he refers to as a capriccio, a whimsy – although this actually does the installation no justice.

To encapsulate Arcadia as simply as possible might be to describe it as a neo-classical city, rich in Greco-Roman influence through the use of Renaissance Palladian architectural styles, whilst obelisks and some of the more tiered rectangular structures offer a hint of ancient Egypt within their forms.

This is a place of perfectly conceived design, where buildings, their shapes, placement and immediate surrounds have clearly been given special consideration such that while there is no deliberate mirroring of structural symmetry (e.g a Coliseum-like amphitheatre in one corner mirrored by a round building in an opposite corner) there is nevertheless a sense of symmetry in the way a line can be drawn through the city from the southern gates to the doors of the northern temple. passing through the arches of triumphal gates to cut this city neatly in two, or the east-west line that splits the city between low-lying precincts and raised palaces and temples (although this admittedly cuts through one of the raised elements).

This planned layout speaks to the ideal of cities being of a more harmonious design than we see today; places where architecture is considered to be both an art form and a reflection of a civilisation’s relationship with the natural world (as well as the familiar projection of power). Within his notes, Gem refers to Arcadia as a utopia in the form of a haven of peace and grandeur, protected from the rest of the world, to which I would add that were the concept of Elysium to ever be embodied in architectural form, that somewhere like Arcadia is very much how I would imagine it.

Somewhat extending from his Skycrapers installation, Acadia allows Gem to present an ideal, one that brings together past a future in a design of the present. By this I mean that while the overall look to the individual structures lie within classical architectural forms, the presentation of the installation – the lighting (I strongly recommend using the suggested TOR NIGHT Under a Yellow Moon windlight (or EEP setting) if you have it available / have imported it as an EEP setting) and use of orange glow give the installation a futuristic / otherworldly look.

Most of all, however, Arcadia is a marvellous celebration of architecture and geometry,  both in terms of the entirely layout of the city, the individual styles of structure and building, the layout of courtyards, quads and terraces – even the very grassy elevations to the north side of the city – and the placement of trees and fountains, all form a part of the whole.

This celebration of architecture and reflection on great civilisations that spawned it can also be found within a number of the central buildings. Signified by glowing orange doors, these contain reproductions of works by some of the great masters who so often celebrated the beauty of architecture. They are: Giovanni Canal (Canaletto), Hubert Robert, Giovanni Panini (himself also an architect), and two  of my personal favourites, the first being French neo-classical architect and visionary Étienne-Louis Boullée (whose proposed cenotaph for Sir Issac Newton was sadly never built, but does form one of a number of visualisation within Sansar created by John Fillwalk from the Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts at Ball State university), and Thomas Cole’s quintet of paintings known under the common title of The Course of Empire, charting the rise and fall of an imaginary city.

This latter collection could also be said to be the spiritual forebear of Arcadia (although the influence of the other artists can also be witnessed throughout the installation), with the exception that while Cole’s city eventually collapsed in destruction, Arcadia is perhaps eternal.

When visiting the instillation, due ensure you following the local instructions for the greatest visual benefit (although I would suggest a draw distance of 300 metres should more than suffice for most visitors), and keep an eye out for the balloon ride close to the landing point and the horse and carriage ride within the city (where the balloon ride will drop passengers).

Arcadia officially opens at 13:00 SLT on Friday, October 23rd with a particle show in a special arena above the installation, followed by an opening party within the installation itself.

SLurl Details

• Arcadia (Akimitsu, rated Moderate)

It’s been a while since I last updated on the Phoenix Artists Collaboration (PAC), but I’m pleased to say all to the work in consolidating the group’s presence at Cherished Melody is now complete and just about all of the artists from the Holly Kai location have now set themselves up in their new studios.

As in inevitable with moves, some opted not to make the hop, so the group currently has four vacant units, each with a 50 LI allowance. Artists who might be interested in making use of one should contact either myself or Will Harris (willyharris) in-world.

Since my August update, a couple of further changes have been made to the platform – notably, we decided to combine the two large galleries into a single (larger) building that will house both the themed Group exhibits and also exhibitions by Featured Artists – both of which will be starting up in due course.

The studios are available for artists to use as they please: display and sell their work, hold their own mini-exhibitions (with the aid of the PAC team for advertising), and so on. All we ask is that exhibitions and art are kept within the limits set by the Second life Terms of Service / Community Standards and the maturity rating for the Cherished Melody region.

As it is, PAC artists have a number of exhibitions currently in progress Second Life users are welcome to visit. These are:

• The Possible Life of Your Favorite Doll – Owl Dragonash @ Whistler Court
• Return to Life, Landscapes and Still Life – Tom Prospero @ Magritte Court.
• Floral – Giselle Seeker @ Carrington Row.
• Winter is Coming – Nils Urqhart Gallery @ Cassatt Square South.
• Sally’s 13 Nightmares Before Christmas – Kisma Stepanich-Reidling @ Gainsborough Court.

About the Layout

PAC is located on a sky platform at Cherished Melody. This has been split into a number of areas in which the artist studios have been placed so that we can break things up with footpaths, gardens, bodies of water, etc. This is to hopefully give artists and visitors alike a sense of space and room to enjoy the art that is on offer. The north side of the platform in particular – containing the main landing point, the Information Hub, etc – includes some garden walks up into the hills or along the lake shore, and various places to sit have been added.

In all, there are six locations for artist studios as shown in the map below.

At the time of writing, these locations feature the following Second Life and physical world artists:

• Carrington Row:
  • Zach HerrMann; Giselle Seeker; Inara Pey; Audie Spade.
• Cassatt Square:
  • West: Skye Joubert; Suzzanna LaRue; Mathehilde Vhargon and Looker Lumet.
  • East: Angel Heartsong; Tara Aers; ArtandSoul Constantine; Kayli Ilali and Victor Savior.
  • South: Nils Urqhart; Seiko Blessing; JudiLynn India; Layachi Ihen.
• Gainsborough Court:
  • The Other Thing; Hamsa; Sophia Joubert; John Huntsman; Tempest Rosca-Huntsman; Kisma Stepanich-Reidling; Vanessa Jane; Uleria Caramel.
• Magritte Court:
  • Zia Branner; Alex Riverstone; Rachel Magic; CybeleMoon; Loegan Magic; Sisi biedermann; Patrick Ireland; Tom Prospero.
• Rembrandt Court:
  • Etame; Sisse Singh; Sophie Dunn; Dhyezl Ravenhurst; Slatan Dryke; Raging Bellls; Anouk LeFarve; Melusina Parkin; Shakti Adored.
• Whistler Court:
  • Sheba Blitz; Cullum Writer; Michiel Bechir; Ethan Hawkins; Tresore Prada-Hawkins; Anibrm Jung; Ilyra Chardin; Owl Dragonash.

For ease of getting around, the Information Hub includes a teleport hub that will take visitors directly to any of the  studio areas, as well as to the main gallery building. The Hub also provides information on the artists at PAC – just click on the portraits for biographies, and provides links to the PAC group, the PAC website, and so. on. In addition, visitors are also welcome to take the teleport link down to the ground level of cherished Melody, which is also open to the public.

So, do please feel free to pay PAC a visit and enjoy the art!

SLurl Details

• Phoenix Artists Collaboration (Cherished Melody, rated: Moderate)

I’m not familiar with portraits; objects, details or landscapes are my favourite subjects. I’m not aware of the many secrets one needs to know to catch expressions, feelings or bias in a body or in a face. But sometimes I try that. It’s when a place, a dress, a pose, suggests an atmosphere or meaningful emotion.

– Melusina Parkin

These are the disarming words Melusina Parkin uses to introduce her latest series of images, Just Melusina, an enticing set of 34 self-portrait / avatar studies that are uniquely Melusina in appearance, tone and style that fully underline her use of atmosphere and emotion – and demonstrate she indeed has an eye for pose and look.

“Traditional” portraits tend to be exercises in power and / or ego, however subliminal. The subject and their pose is what counts, the clothes they wear, the backdrop to their sitting, etc., are all merely accoutrements to the central theme of look at ME. Even self-portraiture can follow a similar route, although they can also lean the other way, projecting too much of the artist’s own self-reflection in a piece; even so, the end result tends to be the same: to push their audience into a single track of emotional response.

Within avatar studies, ego can also play a role – who doesn’t want to have their avatar looking its stunning best? – but leaving aside things like Profile photos and personal shots, avatar studies within SL tend to focus on narrative: telling a story in a single frame. But often, rather than allowing the image to speak for itself, the artist will directly lead their audience into an interpretation of a piece through the use of an intentionally descriptive title that sets the foundation of what they are trying to convey. There’s actually nothing wrong with this where the story is the intent, but where the interpretation might otherwise be broader, it can focus too much on generating the primary response rather than – as with the likes of landscape images – allowing the audience to take in the whole and allow their thoughts and reaction to be more freely driven by what they see and perceive.

This is where the 34 images found within Just Melusina differ from the more “usual” forms of avatar study. While each and every one has obviously been posed, none are titled by anything other than by a number), so there is no leading by the hand when it comes to interpretation. The result is that what we see within each image is entirely a matter of our owner observation and emotional response – and this is broadened by Melusina’s skill in lightly (and sometimes indirectly) touching on smaller specifics within an image, as well as in using dress, poise and camera angle, to offer the way to larger stories our imagination might frame.

Take Just Melusina 34, for example (above). In a muted, soft-focus monochrome, it presents a woman sitting, perhaps curled with her knees up, on a sofa of some description.  But is she at home or some public place? Just the hint of the chair is sitting on suggests a sofa, but could it be a vinyl-covered bench seat in public place that she has chosen to make her own. And is she alone or with someone? The turn of her eyes could suggest either; is she looking at someone whilst listening to them? If so who? A friend? A lover? A stranger? And if so, what does the neutral set to her expression suggest? Or has something outside of the frame attracted her attention? Is it something she is witnessing outside of wherever she is and seen through a window? Or is it closer, within the space she occupies, but not something with which she is directly involved? Or is she just lost within her own thoughts, unaware of either the sideways glance or the expression on her face? If so, what might be the thoughts she is lost within?

Thus, through each image, Melusina beautifully and lightly sets a scene – not an entire narrative, and certainly not a shout of “look at me!” – but a scene. One in which we are invited to step and allow our eyes and emotions construct the narrative beneath.

And there’s more besides. Whilst all of these images open a veritable storybook of possible narratives to hold our attention, so too do some have other aspects to them. There are those that seem to have a more playful edge to them as they offer hints of other mediums – such as a possible call to Liza Minnelli in Cabaret or Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Others meanwhile, seem to offer hints of famous works to be found in the physical world – Just Melusina #17, with the use of pose and hair colour might be seen to offer an echo of Whistler’s Mother without actually ever being a direct take on it, but remaining true to itself.

Wonderful in scope and depth, this is another superb collection from Melu, and I hope you’ll take the time to see it.

SLurl Details

• Melusina Parkin – Just Melusina (Time Portal, rated General)

October currently sees three expeditions in progress at Club LA and Gallery, curated by Fuyuko Amano (Wintergeist), although I believe two will be closing at the end of the month. Between them, they offer three very different displays of art and perspectives, making all three an engaging visit.

The ground-level exhibitions both opened on October 3rd, and so many have a limited time left in their runs. They feature the work of Kapaan and Blues Rocker (BluesrockerResident) respectively.

Kapaan presents art that often carries a narrative theme, usually with a fantasy / dark fantasy element to it – and such is the case with several on the pieces here as they cast what might called Scenes from the Seed, presented in primal tones and featuring the character of Orobas (the Orobas, in human form?) and a glowing, seed-like orb.

Accompanying these is a set of more colourful avatar studies and a trio of landscape images. these again have treads of connection running through them, the colour red and umbrellas in the case of a couple of the landscapes, and the manner in which the avatar studies are mounted.

Across the hall, Blues Rocker presents an evocative set of images rich in colour, each standing on its own and strikingly unique when compared to the rest. Again, each has a story within it, hinted at by its title and ready to jump into the mind on viewing each piece in relation to that title. These are richly imaginative works, that reflect Blues’ philosophy when dealing with Second Life and his art.

I much prefer shooting out on location in the multitude of amazing sims which populate SL than in a studio, as I feel I get much better results that way. Since starting seriously taking photographs in SL, I have broadened my horizons in what wonders this virtual world has to offer. Really, the only limits are those of the imagination.

Blues Rocker

The most recent of the three, having opened on Sunday, October 18th, is Spectrum by David Silence (JemapelSilence). Reached via a teleport station outside of the ground-level gallery space, this is also the most intriguing of the three, offering what might be said to be a display of personal introspection woven into other apparent contradictions – such as the title of the exhibition being a word that tends to first suggest colours, whilst the images themselves are entirely monochrome.

Of course, “spectrum” can be used in other contexts as well, such as “running the full spectrum of emotions” – and it is in this context that David uses the word, as he explains in Spectrum’s introductory notes. He combines it with that unique sense of self-awareness when we can perceive ourselves simultaneously in two ways: both from within, as we listen to that inner voice that can question our actions, motivations, emotional state, etc., and from without, as if we are projecting ourselves into the body of another and witnessing our actions / state of mind through their eyes.

The result is a series of images that might be subtitled Conversations and Observations with Myself. They comprise two figures  – one dressed, one naked – in various locations, clearly conversing and as if seen by someone else. This external view manifests the idea of projection beyond ourselves, but it would b a mistake to consider the figures as individuals.  Rather, they are one in the same: the dressed figure representing the externalisation of how we would like to be seen by others, and the naked representing out inner self, freed from the need to clothe thoughts and emotions. Thus we have a series of images depicting our relationship with ourselves, and the full spectrum of thought and feelings that can come with it.

Three excellent excellent expeditions from three engaging artists.

SLurl Details

• Club LA and Gallery (Amano, rated Moderate)