Category: Reviews

Within the Voice of Björk in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
DiXmiX Gallery – Cecilia Nansen Mode: Within the Voice of Björk

Currently on display within the Black Gallery hall at DixMix Gallery, curated by Dixmix Source, is a selection of images by Cecilia Nansen Mode – whom I confess is one of my favourite exponents of the art of avatar studies. Entitled Within the Voice of Björk, the selection features some fifteen images inspired by the lyrics of thirteen songs by Icelandic singer Björk.

“Within the voice of Björk, I hear the roars of a beast of the North … the beast of a woman,” Cecilia says in introducing the exhibit. “Within the voice of Björk, I hear the voice of the little girl … Within the voice of Björk, I hear the finest and most delicate tones … Within the voice of Björk, I hear passion, anger love, hope and fear. The deepest frustration and the highest happiness. The acceptance of depression, the orgasmic explosions of joy.

“I hear a woman; I hear all women; I hear myself.”

DiXmiX Gallery – Cecilia Nansen Mode: Within the Voice of Björk

It’s a powerful set of statements, encompassing so much, including reflections on the rugged, unpredictable nature of Iceland itself – a country I know well myself. Its seemingly solid, stoic outward appearance: firm and unyielding in the face of the harshness of the North Atlantic hides a turbulent core, hot and unpredictable, prone to busting through that stoic shell – the very metaphor of the moods and passions to which Cecilia alludes.

The images for Within the Voice of Björk are equally as powerful. Set against plain white or black backdrops, using monochrome, soft tints or the minimum of colour,  each image has a simple, elegant  – dare I say calm framing, within which is set the most evocative, captivating interpretations of mood and feeling, beautifully expressed through the female form.

DiXmiX Gallery – Cecilia Nansen Mode: Within the Voice of Björk

Beneath each image is a button which, when touched, will display the title of the song which inspired the picture, together with a selected portion of the lyrics. These provide depth and context to each image, allowing us to delve deeper into each in turn – although in all honesty, each image is so exquisitely executed and presented, it speaks loudly and clearly even before one turns to the lyrics.

These are also marvellous examples of the technical art of photography: the considered use of lighting, backdrop, soft focus, depth of field, angle, use of colour, framing. All are used to perfection, the various combinations within each piece doing much to capture and hold one’s attention, drawing one into the moods and feeling expressed within each – the wildness, the passion, love, hope, frustration and joy to which Cecilia refers in her introduction to the exhibition.

DiXmiX Gallery – Cecilia Nansen Mode: Within the Voice of Björk

Most of the images correspond to a single song; however there are two images devoted to Big Time Sensuality and a triplet of images inspired by All is Full of Love, and I have to confess, this triplet is for me the centre piece for Within the Voice of Björk. While every piece in the exhibit is worthy of appreciation and praise, I found the emotive phrasing of these three images, and the inspired use of android figures to convey those emotions utterly stunning.

This is a truly magnificent collection, and one to be savoured.

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Moni’s Sensuality in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Sensuality

Monique Beebe makes a welcome return to Nitroglobus Roof Gallery, curated by Dido Haas, presenting the final exhibition for the gallery’s 2017 season, with Sensuality.

I was deeply taken by Monique’s photography when she first appeared at Nitroglobus towards the beginning of 2017,  in what was the first public exhibition of her work, called Hidden Faces (see here for more). Now she returns with twelve more images for Sensuality, which are every bit as evocative and tantalising as her first exhibition, and which once again feature herself as the primary model in each of them.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Sensuality

These are all pieces with a depth of style and beauty which is as evocative as the images she presented in Hidden Faces, and which, in some cases, are NSFW. However, these are far more open in their approach and, to my mind at least, more powerful both in terms of their presentation and their content. As the title of the exhibition suggests, sensuality is the focus of the images – but what makes this exhibition fascinating is the breadth of sensuality displayed within the pictures.

There is, for example, the sensuality of the female form – dressed or semi-nude; the sensuality expressed through a look or pose; there’s the sensuality of power conveyed through expression and dress; the sensuality of intimacy between consenting adults, (one also laced with a little D/s), and more. Take Strong for example: there is both beauty and power evident within this striking study of a single woman in which the power expressed in her look is sensuously softened through the red Brocade Cheongsam Brocade Cheongsam brocade cheongsam style dress she is wearing.

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Sensuality

Then there is Spanking, and while the context of the image is clear from the title, the image itself is fair more subtle in nature. Spanking – even in adult games  – can have a hard edge to it; yet here, the unzipped dress, the positioning of the man’s hand, gives the entire picture a more sensual aspect: is he about to spank her – or run his hand gently up her exposed back?

And so it is that each of the pictures on display offers not just an expression of sensuality, but also an underlying story waiting for us to discover as we approach the pictures in turn. Again, the off-camera look in Strong raises the question: what is she looking at to cause such a stern expression? Is it something truly displeasing, or is it that she is playing a role – or is it merely the casting of the lighting within the image?

Nitroglobus Roof Gallery: Sensuality

All of the pieces have their own attraction, but for me Steampunk, also chosen to promote the exhibition, is the most powerful and sensuous. It’s a beautiful study, with layered sensuality – the cat-like litheness of the pose, with enclosing flow of the metal-ribbed leotard, her expression; all combine to present a marvellous piece of art.

This is another stunning exhibition from an artist with considerable talent and the ability to project and evoke mood and feelings through her work. Not to be missed.

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Sisi’s Mystery of Nature in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Paris Metro Gallery: Mystery of Nature

Now open at the Paris Metro gallery in Second Life is Mystery of Nature, an exhibition of art by Sisi Biedermann, presenting 14 pieces of work for our appreciation.

“I joined Second Life in 2007, and back then I never realised how much this would mean to me, ” Sisi says of her art and her time in Second Life. “Back then I had just started painting with acrylics after a very long break where I raised my children and looked after my family and my work. I started taking photos in Second Life in 2008, and have developed my style ever since.

Paris Metro Gallery: Mystery of Nature

“Over the years, I have amassed several hundred paintings,  and I still get a lot of inspiration from nature, Second Life and northern islands such as Faroe Islands and Iceland.”

The pieces selected for this exhibition reflect Sisi’s love of nature, whilst offering pieces with a slight fantasy twist to them, complete with a touch of the abstract. From landscape studies to works focused on people / avatars, it’s a remarkable selection, rich in colour and depth, broad in style and composition. Nature is reflected in all of them, from being the focus Fern through to the autumn leaves framing The Chinese Tower or the mountains and Moon seemingly forming the backdrop of Top of the World.

Paris Metro Gallery: Mystery of Nature

The fantasy elements are perhaps clearest in  Faery Land and Magic Book, but so too is it event in other pieces as well – such as The Bridge, with its rich symbolism, and the framing of The Edge. Similarly, the abstract nature within the pieces is both obvious and beautifully subtle.

This is a superb selection, of art, one well worth visiting and the individual pieces very collectible for hanging at home.

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The Mill at Christmas in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

The Mill; Inara Pey, December 2017, on FlickrThe Mill – click any image for full size

It’s always a pleasure to visit The Mill, the homestead region designed by Shakespeare (SkinnyNilla) and Max (Maxie Daviau). It’s a place we’ve paid numerous visits to, on account that it receives a seasonal rebuild, so when Shakespeare dropped an invitation for Caitlyn and I to drop in and see the Winter 2017 build.

The Mill; Inara Pey, December 2017, on FlickrThe Mill – click any image for full size

As is the tradition with The Mill, a visit commences at the titular location for the region:  the great stone mill, currently located in the south-east corner of the region. From here, track runs through the snow, circling a little café serving welcome hot drinks. From here, steps lead up and to the west, where a snowy little cabin sits, overlooking the region’s frozen river. An old pick-up truck is struggling to the cabin, trying to deliver a Christmas tree, having driven past a little row of houses beyond a rocky arch.

The Mill; Inara Pey, December 2017, on FlickrThe Mill – click any image for full size

Alternatively, a decorative bridge reached a short walk from the landing point offers a way across the river to where a church keeps watch on a deck built out over the ice, and a little carousel. Here the route divides once more, one track leading up a hill and under the boughs of a giant Virginia Oak to a house atop the hill, the other running around the base of the hill. This lower road follows the high bank of the river to where a set of stone steps leads up to the lower end of a sleigh run – the upper end not far from the hilltop house.   

The Mill; Inara Pey, December 2017, on FlickrThe Mill – click any image for full size

With riverside camps, hillside look-out points, horse, deer and sheep wandering throughout, The Mill presents a perfect rural winter scene, with plenty of places for people to enjoy taking photos or enjoy the setting. Accompanying the region is a superb audio stream in the form of Martini in the Morning – one on my personal favourites, and with which I share some history, having helped introduce Brad “Martini” Chambers to the world of Second Life.

The Mill; Inara Pey, December 2017, on FlickrThe Mill – click any image for full size

For those who prefer not to explore with the audio stream active (as we generally do), there’s a gentle ambient sound scape for the region, complete with some seasonal touches with the help of Nat “King” Cole, Dean Martin and  – I believe – Matt Munroe at the carousel.

As always, The Mill is a joy and a pleasure to visit – make sure you do, and don’t forget to offer a token of appreciation via the little bear by the landing point to help Shakespeare and Max continue to offer the region for visitors to enjoy.

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  • The Mill (Pale Moonlight, rated:  Moderate)

A 1928 trip to the north pole in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
1928 Polo Nord

Now open at Solo Arte, curated by Melania (MelaniaBis), is 1928 Polo Nord, the latest installation by Terrygold. Best known for her evocative avatar studies, for this installation Terrygold has turned to history. Working with the assistance of Melania and Annalisa Muliaina, she has built an installation commemorating the ill-fated polar expedition of the airship Italia in 1928.

Italian aviator, aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile was one of the pioneers of airship design in the early 20th century. In particular, he was responsible for the airship N-1, the Norge, which, in 1925 was used by Norwegian Arctic explorer Roald Amundsen for a flight over the North Pole. Nobile helped arrange the expedition and served as the pilot. While it was a success, he and Amundsen fell out over who deserved the greater credit for the feat.

1928 Polo Nord

Possibly to cement his reputation as an Arctic explorer, Nobile decided to organise his own polar expedition, this time using the airship Italia, sister to the Norge, and which he also designed. After preparing the expedition over some three years, Nobile and his crew departed Svarlbard, the launch-point for the expedition on May 23rd, 1928. After a 19 hour flight, they arrived over the north pole in the early hours of May 24th. The plan had been to hover over the pole and drop off a team of scientists and equipment to establish a temporary polar base. However, strong winds prevented this, and after two hours circling the pole, the airship started on its return trip to Svalbard. It never made it.

Thanks to the strong winds and worsening weather, Italia crashed on the Arctic ice on May 25th. Seven crew were killed in the crash, one when the control gondola stuck the ice and was ripped away from the airship’s envelope and six more, who were in the envelope at the time of the crash and were carried away with in the winds, never to be found.

1928 Polo Nord

Seven of the surviving crew were eventually rescued in the world’s first combined polar air-sea rescue operation – although it took almost two months for all of them to be recovered (one man died of exposure). The survivors were able to use the equipment intended for the temporary polar base, equipment salvaged from the control gondola and – thanks to the quick wits of the chief engineer – additional supplies and equipment he threw out of the ruptured airship envelope, even as it rose back into the sky after the crash, carrying him and the others trapped aboard it to their deaths.

In commemorating these events, 1928 Polo Nord presents a two-part installation. At the landing point is a photographic record of the expedition, neatly displayed within the frame of an airship’s hull. Each picture is accompanied by text captions in English or Italian, which can be triggered in local chat by clicking on the appropriate country flag. The photos are of the expedition itself, the Italia, the crash site and the support ship, the Città di Milano – the crew of which were partially responsible for rescue operations being delayed by a week as they failed to maintain a proper radio watch, and so didn’t pick up the SOS signals from the crash survivors.

1928 Polo Nord

At the forward end of the airship hull is a model of the Fokker Dr4 flown by Einar Lundborg of the Swedish Air Force, who effected the first rescue (Umberto Nobile himself, although he wanted Lunberg to take his injured mechanic). Lunbborg himself became stranded with the remaining survivors when he returned to attempt a further rescue, and his aircraft crashed.

A teleport is located in front of the ‘plane leads down the to second part of the installation – and Arctic ice where the survivors awaited rescue following the crash. This includes the wreck of the control gondola, the crashed Fokker Dr4 and the famous red tent which gave the survivors a degree of shelter. And don’t miss the poem by Judy Barton commemorating the crash.

1928 Polo Nord makes for a most unusual – but still engaging – installation.

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Home For Christmas at Calas, 2017

Posted on by Inara Pey
Home for Christmas

Open now and through until the end of 2017, is the Calas Galadhon winter regions offering visitors a traditional Christmas experience called – appropriately enough – Home for Christmas.

Spread across two regions, Home For Christmas has all the familiar touches from Ty Tenk and Truck Meredith those familiar with their Christmas arranges know and enjoy: the Christmas Pavilion, entertainment, sleigh rides, skating, balloon and reindeer tours. In addition, this year offers visitors the chance to ride Bento reindeer around the regions.

Home for Christmas

A visit starts on the southern side of the build. From here it’s a short walk to the teleport to go directly to the Christmas Pavilion; however, taking it means missing out on much of the scenery. Instead, we recommend a short walk along the path leading east from the teleport board to where the sleigh rides await.

As with previous years, there is a choice of sleighs, one for couples and the other for up to four people to share. Simply sit in a waiting sleigh, and when set, touch the back of the sleigh to start the ride. You’ll be taken around and through the regions, along the trails to eventually arrive at the Pavilion, where you’ll be dropped off. If you prefer, the balloon tour is also available short walk from the landing point, and four couples in particular be a romantic way to see the regions as you drift through the air above them.

Home for Christmas

Reindeer and horse rides can be found at barns in the regions, and I recommend that rather than relying purely on the tours and rides, people explore by taking a reindeer for a ride, or walking the numerous trails and paths between the trees and rocks – sign boards will ensure you don’t get lost. This is because there is much to see and  even if you take a tour there are places you’re going to want to stop and look around  / enjoy. There’s the snowy house, for example, offering snuggles for couples or the warmth of a fire as a break from the cold. Then there is also the old stone temple, where cuddles and dances can be enjoyed.

The core of the regions remain, of course, the Calas Christmas Pavilion, with the great tree before it in the middle of the skating lake, camp fires and seats, and Santa’s Schooner sitting just off-shore. Keep an eye out, as well, for the look-out points and the various critters around the landscape, and which bring in to life.

Home for Christmas

“Things have been crazy for us lately,” Ty informed me as we discussed the build. “It looks like, for the first time in nine years, we wont be able to turn the Calas sims to a winter theme as well. But there is plenty of snow and skating at home for Christmas, and we hope people will enjoy themselves there.”

We’ve little doubt people will enjoy a visit – and quite possibly more than one, because Home for Christmas is a fabulous place to enter into the Christmas spirit and ready yourself for the holiday season in a most traditional way.

Home for Christmas

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