Category: Reviews

Out of the Looking Glass in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness

Featuring six levels to descend through, and presenting a community take on Lewis Carroll’s  classic tales, Out of the Looking into the Madness offers visitors to The Dirty Grind Independent Artist Community the opportunity to join Alice on her adventures, which comes with a twist of Halloween about it.

The journey starts up in the sky on an autumnal platform. A path indicated by a hand-written sign points the way towards a sloped bridge formed by a book open at the illustration of a certain tea party. The bridge leads to a neighbouring platform. Here the adventure proper starts, with and invitation to jump down the proverbial rabbit hole.

Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness

Doing so will take you into the adventure proper – but don’t expect a traditional journey through scenes from Carroll’s tales as seen through the artists participating in the build. What you will find is a more imaginative ride featuring compositions which present the spirit of the tales in a unique format.

The first destination is inside a vast vessel with chalk illustrations of Alice and more on the walls, floating chess sets, time pieces, chairs and more, presided over by the Cheshire Cat and the Caterpillar. A translucent path spirals downwards to a funnelled point, a sign daring you to carry on down. And this is how you progress through the various settings – by dropping down holes, or following airborne walkways, passing through various settings, most – but not all – of which offer a particular take on Carroll’s tales.

Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness

I offer the caveat because one of the levels is distinctly non-Alice in tone: a row of spooky shops sitting close to a giant tree of skulls and a horse-drawn hearse. Other twists can be found a well – such as in the Queen of Heart’s hall.

Elsewhere, you can find your way to the tea party, rich in symbolism, and eventually to a garden again celebrating the Queen of Hearts, but with another twist on the Halloween theme. Alongside of this is a separate walled garden; this offers both an imaginative route down to ground level (just follow the instructions on where to stand), and the chance to ride a hot air balloon. Should you take the former, do take the opportunity to explore The Dirty Grind if you haven’t previously done so. If you take a ride on the balloon, I do recommend your heed its warning, I’d wear this, if I were you, when it offers you a package to wear…

Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness

With art displays, live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, The Dirty Grind always makes for an enjoyable tarriance, and Out of the Looking Glass into the Madness offers a cleverly seasonal twist to a childhood tale, making it a more than worthwhile visit.

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Cica’s Land of Owls in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Land of Owls

“Take a cart through the land of owls,” is the invitation to those arriving at Land of Owls, Cica Ghost’s installation which opened on Monday, October 30th, 2017.

The carts in question seat two, and quaintly resemble little wooden boats on cart wheels, with a parasol raised in imitation of a sail, perhaps offering a little shade for those riding them. Stationary when empty, they will start rolling over the landscape when someone sits in the “a” seat – so if you’re going to ride one with a friend, make sure you both jump into the seats together!

Land of Owls

Cast beneath a twilight sky, this landscape is typically Cica; a mysterious mix of gently undulating, and broken up by needle like hills and copses of bamboo. Also to be found here are trees denuded for leaf and branch and little tower blocks, standing alone or in little clusters. Among the needle hills, bamboo copses and little groups of tower blocks are small expanses of tufted grass and bright, happy daisies.

It’s a whimsical setting with perhaps a hint of seasonal mystery created by the windlight. And the owls? They are to be found scattered around the setting, keeping an eye on things as they sit in the branches of the old trees, or perch atop an old wardrobe, one of a number to be found sitting out in the open. They are not the only avian locals to be found here; patrolling the south side of the island are a group of crane-like birds,  also being watched from a distance by the owls.

Land of Owls

Is there a story to be told here? Perhaps, but not all of Cica’s installations are necessarily heavy on message or meaning; they can also be as much about fun and whimsy as anything else, and that certainly seems to be the case here.

Do keep in mind that while the carts can save your feet from doing all the work, they may not carry you everywhere – so it is worth having a wander on foot as well. There are also plenty of places to sit as well – another Cica hallmark – so its worth mousing over things while exploring. All told, another enjoyable exhibition by one of may favourite SL artists.

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The Silent Mind in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

The Silent Mind; Inara Pey, October 2017, on Flickr The Silent Mind – click any image for full size

The Silent Mind is a beautiful retreat occupying a Homestead region. It was suggested as a place to visit by Shakespeare and Max (once again! ♥), designed by Belfana, who describes it as “A quiet, cosy place.” I actually think she undersells it; The Silent Mind is an absolute delight, mixing multiple elements – the every day,  fantasy, fairy tale and even a little hint of seasonal curio and a dash of whimsy.

The setting is that of a rugged island, temperate in looks and feel,  where a visit begins on the west side, mid-way up the tall cliffs that rise step-like from a curved beach. Here sits the first hint of fantasy: the landing point occupies a ring of elven arches, a friendly troll standing in greeting. A bicycle, basket laden with sunflowers, offers a subtle pointer that this is not purely a realm of fantasy. A look over the edge of the cliffs to the beach below will further confirm this, parked on the sand is a little VW Beetle and camper parked, a surf board lying in the waves.

The Silent Mind; Inara Pey, October 2017, on Flickr The Silent Mind – click any image for full size

A stone path and stairs offer a route down from the landing area, passing a look-out point complete with dance machine (one of several to be found across the island), to eventually arrive at a low-lying coastal track, offering two routes of exploration to the east and north. However, walk out onto the cinder shore, and you’ll be able to see the southern spur of the island, apparently reached by wading through the shallow waters.

At the time Caitlyn and I visited, part of this southern headland was given over to a little nod towards Halloween, with mists lying around arched thorns, a cloaked figure and two Gothic vampires waiting to greet those treading the path under the thorny arches. Beyond these, across a greensward, sits a charming wooden house built out over the water, a ribbon of beach passing under it. The house is open to exploration, and the beach offers a way to where the little Beetle car and its caravan are parked.

The Silent Mind; Inara Pey, October 2017, on Flickr The Silent Mind – click any image for full size

For those wishing to follow the tracks from the foot of the cliffs, the one pointing inland quickly brings you to a small lake, crossed by wooden walkways. It is here that another taste of fantasy can be found: ancient ruins built back into the cliffs and seemingly guarded by the skull of a dragon – one of two to be found on the island. This is also a place for romance as well; a little seating area can be found within the ruins, close to where water tumbles down from ancient aqueducts, and a dance machine is close by.

One of the wooden walkways connecting the ruins to the rest of the island re-joins the main track to the north. It’s along this track, and it curves around the island from the foot of the cliffs, that the fairy tale touches can again be found: more friendly trolls stand by the track and story books wait to be read. There are also delightful touches of whimsy as well – keep an eye out for the chinchilla enjoying a bath and a tropical drink.

The Silent Mind; Inara Pey, October 2017, on Flickr The Silent Mind – click any image for full size

Sitting off the north side of the island is a little green house, reached by a path of foam over the waves. facing it, beneath the shade of a great tree with leaves turning and autumn red, is a garden picnic watched over by chipmunks. Nor is that all. Across the island are little scenes worthy of discovery – although some might take a little careful walking / climbing to find – and places to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.

The Silent Mind really is superbly designed and laid out, and as Belfana says, it is an ideal location for those seek peace and relaxation, whether on their one or with a friend or companion. All-in-all, a genuinely delightful visit. Should you enjoy your time visiting, please consider tipping one of the trolls!

The Silent Mind; Inara Pey, October 2017, on Flickr The Silent Mind – click any image for full size

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A Dissected Soul in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Split Screen: Dissected Soul

I don’t know how many souls I have.
I’ve changed at every moment.
I always feel like a stranger.
I’ve never seen or found myself.
From being so much, I have only soul.

This is the opening stanza of Fernando Pessoa’s lament about our relationship with self, I don’t know how many souls I have, the first two lines of which serve as an introduction to Theda Tammas’ Dissected Soul, now on display at Split Screen, curated by Dividni Shostakovich.

The poem examines the idea that throughout our lives, we never really know precisely who we are. Are we ever really just one person? Or are we an amalgam of experience and reaction – reaction to what we’re feeling, the environment around us, the situation we are in – and the way in which those around us perceive us at that point in time? And how are we affected by the masks we willingly wear according the circumstance – the parent, the lover, the work colleague, the confidante, et al? How do they affect our perception of who we might be – or who we think we are? Is it possible that throughout our lives, the only one who knows the mystery of who we are is God?

Split Screen: Dissected Soul

Against this backdrop, Theda presents an intriguing series of sculptures reflecting this idea of multiple selves. They are fractured, dissected, even presenting one face whilst holding aloft another. Through them wind red lines – heart lines perhaps, a reflection of the time we are given in life. Curling around these lines are strings of barbed wire; a metaphor, possibly, for the blades and sharpness of life which can so easily cause us to change our perception of self and step further away from really knowing ourselves. Central to all of this is a shattered heart, seat of the soul, further echoing the idea of dissected self, broken by our confusion over who we really are.

Given that Second Life is a place which allows us to wear whatever mask we choose and express ourselves in so many different ways, the lament perhaps has special significance; just how many of those masks we use within Second Life, the identities we adopt, further distance us from our core self – or soul?

Split Screen: Dissected Soul

Dissected Soul, is a fascinating, thought-provoking piece, both questioning who we are and presenting a new facet on the discussion of Second Life and identity.

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Once more down The Well in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Well: Ultimum

After a two-year absence, Loki Eliot’s The Well has returned to Second Life for the Haunted Season. This is the fourth instalment of hat had been intended to be a 3-part series, as Loki explains, ” I thought that, with The Well Infirmos, that was it with regards to The Well. But here we are again with a 4th and this time (I promise) final chapter!”

The Well The Well first appeared in 2012, offering a horror themed mystery adventure centred on attempts to rescue a little boy who had fallen down an old well and into the labyrinth of tunnels and caverns which lay beneath it. In 2013, he followed this with The Well: Sollicitus (see here for more). There then followed a two-year break before the aforementioned The Well Infirmos appeared in 2015 (see here for more).

The Well: Ultimum

With each iteration, Loki has expanded The Well to incorporate various capabilities which were, at the time, either new to Second life (such as materials and Experience Keys), or new to Loki. The latest instalment continues this tradition, Loki having used  photogrammetry to help him develop the build:

I went out into real woods and took photo surveys of muddy pathways. These were then used to create 3D models of the woods which I then used in The Wells woodland scenes in the hope of adding realism to the spooky atmosphere.

Having spent well over an hour within the latest instalment in the series, I can say the Loki’s efforts in modelling this way were well worth it. His woodlands look and feel “real”, and are about as confusing as walking at night through a dense woodland can be.

The Well: Ultimum

So, what is The Well: Ultimum all about? To start with, it is something of a prequel to the other instalments, the story focusing on a young boy (the one from the original 2012 instalment?). He perhaps doesn’t live in the happiest of households, as we learn through his diary. It’s a place where strange activities take place, and even the youngster himself seems to be drawn to the dark things that may be creeping through the woods – and to the mysterious well of the title, which he sees as a maw waiting to devour people, spurring him to wonder what it might be like to be eaten alive…

Those who have played previous instalments of The Well will recognise the basic format: read the information regarding viewer settings, join the game experience (if you’ve previously played The Well Infirmos and have not revoked permissions, you’ll already have the Experience permissions enabled), pay a fee (L$200) to gain the game HUD (which will attach to the bottom of your screen and needs to remain attached through your visit), then read the instructions which are initially displayed on your screen once the HUD is attached.

The Well: Ultimum

I don’t want to give too much away as to what you’ll find / encounter along the way. Suffice it to say, the game is interactive – there are items scattered around  the various locations you must stand near – or avoid.

Those you must stand near are located in the first two locations in the game  – the boy’s bedroom and the woodlands outside his home. They are signified by rising orange particles, and when close to them, an orange-on-black information icon is display on the game HUD – clicking it will display instructions or a page from the boy’s diary. Returning to any of these information points will display the Information icon as yellow-on-black, indicating you have previously read it.

There is one piece of information you must obtain before you can leave the boy’s bedroom, while the woodlands have multiple information points scattered through it, although the goal is to reach the titular well. It’s worth spending a little time in the woods to make sure find most or all of the information points. There are also additional interactive points in both the bedroom and woods, which give insight into the boy’s interests.

The Well: Ultimum

The well itself drops you into a labyrinth of tunnels. It is here that the SANITY bar in the HUD comes into play, as you are warned on arrival Do Not Touch The Shadows. These are blood-red apparitions which will appear and attempt to touch you (so don’t stand still for too long!). If they do, you’ll find your sanity slipping away. There are other things in the tunnels which can drain your sanity – but oddly, they can also give rewards!

As with the woods, the aim is to find your way through the tunnels to where another portal lies. This leads you on to – well, I’ll let you find that out on your own.

The Well: Ultimum – for those from England, there are some Easter eggs to be found: poetry by Robert Duncan and an appearance by Michael Parkinson (above). “He’s a throw back to when I was a kid watching Ghost Watch,” Loki said. “It was one of the first ever reality TV shows. The fact Parkinson was presenting it convinced many it was all true.”

The Well: Ultimum is as enjoyable as the previous instalments of The Well, and well worth the L$200 HUD price to play – although I’d recommend giving yourself at least an hour to do so, particularly as this really is the last instalment in the series.

“Next year will be even more terrifying with Animesh!” Loki informed me as we chatted about the adventure. “But I think I’ve done enough with wells. It will be something new!”

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Dementophilia in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Vordun: Dementophilia

“We are chased by evil throughout our lives.” Federico Sosa (TheBDKX) states in introducing Dementophilia, his new exhibition at The Vordun Museum and Gallery. “Devils we try to hide, and slowly eat us up from inside, draining our strength. The worst of all evils. Ourselves.”

Dementophilia is described as “an abnormal, obsessive attraction towards insanity, and it is the perfect title for this exhibition. Located in the rear hall of The Vordun, it features eight paintings and eight sculptures, together with a large central mixed 2D and 3D element – the Vortex. Together they personify the darker imaginings from the depths of the mind

The Vordun: Dementophilia

The eight images and eight statues are paired, the statues physical manifestations of the paintings, brought forth by the vortex bursting forth from the rear wall of the hall. Each painting / statue represents a creature – or is that an elemental aspect, a beast if you will, of our psyche? In addition, each painting is partnered with a description of the demon it represents:  Enktrik, Zatrunnya, Beltaka, Fenniaq; Nelikaw, Trezykoy, Melkyze, Yiennak; each description reads as the writings of an unsettled mind – and what mind wouldn’t be unsettled seeing creatures such as these rising from the subconscious.

Thus, entering the hall is akin to entering those thoughts beneath our reasoned consciousness; a place where our personal devils reside; parts of our being alien and terrible – yet playing a vital role in forming our personality, again as Federico notes: “Locked inside, they can heal our wounds. Out in the open they reign. Beasts from within. Beasts of love and Pain. Beasts that are on the loose, fighting against the external consciousness.”

The Vordun: Dementophilia

Within this exhibition, these beasts have been named, their nature understood, suggesting their keeper is long familiar with them. Their presence speaks to that battle with an “external” consciousness, a mind acutely aware of their existence. A mind willing to make them manifest – or, perhaps, a mind succumbing to their dominance. It is down to us to decide which.

Dementophilia is intriguing in both its concept and interpretation. As manifestations of darker thoughts and desires, they capture the unreality of the subconscious. As pieces of art, they offer an abstract hint of demons from the realms of Hieronymous Bosch.

The Vordun: Dementophilia

I did find myself wondering how much deeper the impact of the exhibit might be if presented in a more tailored environment / setting and with an appropriate Windlight, but nevertheless, it still makes for a thought-provoking visit.

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