Category: Reviews

The Argument in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Argument: Liquid, Sommer, Tim Timaru, Anke Zamani and Mistero Hifeng

Opening on Tuesday, November 28th 2017 is The Argument, a collaborative exhibition featuring eighteen artists, taking place at Serena Imagine Arts Centre (the exhibition space is south of the landing point across the water).

“It is the second competition I have run,” the centre’s curator, Vita Theas, informed me. “Its a way for me to give a little prize to the artists, to thank them for letting me share their art with visitors here. The theme is about how many unjust things are in the world today, and how many feelings of hostility are festering among our global neighbours.”

The Argument: Nino Vichan

The eighteen participating artists are Aldiladeisogni, Aniwitt, Birdguru, Dilligaf, Lilarya, Maura77, o0Crystal0o, Lin Carlucci, Mistero Hifeng,  Scotsgraymouser Janus, Daco Monday, Blip Mumfizz, Liquid Sommer, Theda Tammas, Otekah Timaru, Tim Timaru, Nino Vichan, and Anke Zamani. Each presents a single piece on the subject, either as 2D or 3D art.

Given this, the pieces on offer take the core subject from a wide variety of angles and offer a broad range of interpretations. There is a focus on the complexities of personal relationships  – the most direct form of argument – are represented through portrayals of domestic disagreements, the consequences of a rushed marriage, the question of who we really are within a relationship and the masks we wear. But broader “arguments”, those brought about by racial discrimination / genocide, and war are also tackled.

It’s an eclectic, diverse collection of images and pieces, each one offering a unique perspective on the subject matter, making this an interesting exhibition.

The Argument: Otekah Timaru, Dilligraf and Lin Carlucci

As well as participating in The Argument, Italian artist Aldiladeisogni – a favourite of mine, to be honest – is the subject of a second exhibition at Serena Imagine, located just across the water from the group display (take the covered wooden bridge and cross the island between the two display areas). Six of his extraordinary avatar studies are on display, one offering a direct link to The Argument, being a sister piece to his submission in that exhibit.

The island between the two exhibition offer a route to a reproduction of the French Château de Chenonceau, built by Louis-Jean-Marie de Bourbon (Cedric Hansome) and donated to Vita so it could live on in Second Life following his departure. This is a marvellous period build, and one not to be missed.

Serena Imagine Arts: Aldiladeisogni

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Winter at Cherishville in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Cherishville; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrCherishville – click any image for full size

Cherishville, designed by Lam Erin, currently sporting a winter setting, has been openedfor around two weeks for visitors to enjoy and photograph.  Sharing a Homestead region with a private residence, Cherishville forms an L-shaped parcel running along the north and east sides of the region, which is surrounded by tall, snow-covered mountains but separated from them by frozen water.

There is no enforced landing point – although one has been set; as this delivers visitors on a snow-clad hill, I’ve offered an alternative land mark which – unless the landing point is enforced – will deliver you to the little parade of establishments on the east side of the region. It’s a charming, almost period setting, vehicles from the 1930s sitting on a snow-covered road, a steam train rolling slowly towards the local station.

Cherishville; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrCherishville

Looking at this little parade, with its cafés and shops, I couldn’t help but be put in mind of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life  – particularly when seeing the setting in black-and-white – to the point where I wouldn’t have been surprised to see James Stewart as George Bailey running along the little street shouting, “Mary! Mary!” In colour, the setting is cleverly themed, with red,  white and green window frames, gables and roof-tops matching the colours of the season.

Follow the road northwards and the buildings give way to a country road, bordered by fences on either side. Here the land is blanketed in deeper snow, trees frosted and white, dog roses offering clouds of red colour between tree trunks. A pick-up truck – of a later period than the vehicles at the village – sits on the road, which leads the way to a frozen pond. Here, skates can be obtained from a sign board. But when skating, do mind the lantern posts set out across the ice! Steps on the far side of the pond offer a way up to a band stands converted into an open-sided snug, comfortable armchairs ranged before a roaring fire.

Cherishville; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrCherishville

The land above and behind the little row of shops – reached via a set of snowy steps rising from a pair of gabled gates or via snow-covered slopes – presents a broad open area, again deep in snow, with just a sprinkling of silver birch trees and pale bushes. A delightful little bar sits to one side, offering mulled wine and other hot drinks.

Further steps climb up to a further small plateau, where sits a house with – rather surprisingly – the entrance and exit to / from a subway station. The house is perhaps a little rough around the edges, however, it is furnished in something of a shabby-chic manner, a look which fits well with the aged look of the interior décor. Open to the public, one half of the house offers a small photo studio awaiting use – and it’s not the only place suited to photography. The little hamlet, the bandstand, the train – all offer backdrops for photographers to take avatar-centric shots, while the landscape itself invites photography. Those who do take pictures are asked to consider submitting to the Cherishville Flickr group.

Cherishville; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrCherishville

Word is already spreading about Cherishville – and I’d like to thank both Shakespeare and Stavros Gracemount for alerting me to it being open so Caitlyn and I could visit – as such, it is proving popular with visitors. However, given it is only open to the public for a brief period, a visit sooner rather than later is recommended.

Just as a final point, a line of hills towards the middle of the region, running west to east and north to south to form another L, separate Cherishville from the private parcel on the region. This is protected by a security orb to maintain the owner’s privacy, so should you opt to visit, it would perhaps be best to treat the hills as the boundary without climbing them, and help the neighbours keep their privacy.

Cherishville; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrCherishville

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Respect in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
2Lei – Respect: Ciottolina Xue

Respect is the title selected for the 2017 2LEI art recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked on November 25th. Open now through until the end of 2017, this is one of the most involved art installations I’ve visited in Second Life, presenting the work of some 71 visual and music artists either directly or in supporting roles, with no fewer than fifteen primary art display areas.

While marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the subject for the installation casts a wider net for Respect – including as it does respect for women, children, individuals, sexual orientation, race, self, and those around us. This makes for a very involved series of installations which requires time – possibly over more than one visit – to fully take in and appreciate. To help with this there is a range of events scheduled through the rest of the year, details of which can be found at the 2Lei blog.

2Lei – Respect: Nino Vichan

With so many displays and levels, coupled with the quality of art on display, a comprehensive review of the installation would be extremely long-winded; similarly, picking individual elements for consideration is equally difficult. What can be said is that there is a rich mix of individual focus on the broader topics noted above, some of which are deeply thought-provoking, others are visually impressive while other may appear to come at their subject from a slightly unexpected angle and one or two, frankly, might confuse or perhaps seem more a generalisation than a focus.

The ground level features the works of fifteen artists, with 2D and 3D pieces ranged around a watery setting under a bright sun, together with the landing point, presentation theatre and teleport boards for reaching the fourteen sky platforms for the installation. Artists on this level include Rebeca Bashly, Dido Haas, Mistero Hifeng, Desy Magic, Ciottolina Xue, to name just a few.

2Lei – Respect: Lagu Indigo and Stardove Spirit

The teleport kiosks provide access to 14 sky platforms, each one featuring the work of an individual arts or a collaborative team. These are – in order of ascent through the levels: Theda Tammas, JadeYu Fhang, Pale Illusion, Laug Indigo and Stardove Spirit, Aneli Abeyanti, Patrick Moya, Nino Vichan, Daco Monday, Black Label Exhibitions Corner, Nevereux, Pol Jarvinen, TerraMerhyem, Red Bikcin and Mona Byte.

Each level is of a fixed size, which the artists have been able to use as they choose, arranged so that visitors arrive on one platform (with teleport options for returning to the ground), move through the display area and out to a second teleport options for returning to the ground or continuing up to the next level. As with the ground level, there are small 2Lei boxes alongside the artist name boards which will offer a folder with the artist’s biography and – perhaps – an outline / description of the work they are displaying.

2Lei – Respect: Rebeca Bashly

As noted, there is a lot to see here – and I admit that in viewing the sky platforms, I was particularly drawn to Nino Vichan’s installation, and the Black Label Exhibitions Corner piece. The latter, largely focusing on GlitterPrincess Destiny’s images. This is perhaps the most involved, and shows a considerable amount of expression on the subjects in an environment that is semi-interactive, requires exploration and offers a lot to see.

In all, a thought-provoking series of exhibits, rich in interpretation and presentation.

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UWA Art of the Artists: machinima challenge – update

Posted on by Inara Pey
Poster by Eliza Wierwright

In July I was able to break the news that the University of Western Australia would be retaining a presence in Second Life, and that in recognition of this, was launching a special UWA machinima challenge, Art of the Artists, sponsored by LaPiscean Liberty of SLArtist and Singh Albatros and The Writers Centre, Singapore. On offer is a combined prize pool of L$350,000, including two special prizes.

The closing date from entries is December 31st, 2017, and videos for the competition are being hosted at the SLArtist website. Given there is just over a month to go before submissions close, I thought I’d take a look at some of the entries to date – with no personal preference implied – and run through a reminder of the main elements of the contest. However, as the SLArtist website utilises raw tags (which are considered a no-no by Automattic on WordPress.com hosted blogs), I’m embedding the videos as uploaded by the artists to YouTube.


Isabelle Cheren’s Before The World Was Made, featuring the work of artists Noke Yuitza, Otcoc Resident & Phillysmaybe Resident, Peli Dieterle, Igor Ballyhoo, and Rosie Dimanovic

In short, entrants may choose individual pieces of art or a collection around which to weave a story. However, the art must be a relatively significant part of the story, and not merely something glimpsed in passing, and films to be considered for any of the prizes must not be any longer than 8 minutes in duration (longer films can be submitted but will not be eligible for any of the prizes).

Selected art for a film may be filmed in its current location. however, films do not need to be restricted to these locations, as long as the art is the focus of the story being told. Entrants may contact artists about filming their works in other locations and / or collaborating with them on a film.


Joseph Nussbaum’s Alcyon and Ceyx featuring the artwork “A Virtual Wander in Two Dimensions and a Half” by ErikoLeo

The prizes run from L$75,000 for the first prize, through to five prizes of L$7,000 each for the films judged in 6th through 10th positions. In Addition, there are two special prizes:

  • L$50,000 UWA Art of the Artists Special Prize: this will be awarded by Jayjay Zifanwe on behalf of the University of Western Australia
  • L$50,000 The Merlion Special Prize: this will be awarded by Singh Albatros on behalf of The Writer’s Centre, Singapore to the film which – in the view of the judge –  best represents the The Merlion,  the national personification of Singapore.

The 10 main prize winners will be selected by a selected panel of judges. Details of the full panel will be available on the UWA website soon. Each of the special prize winners will be judged independently to the judging panel, and as such, may be eligible for a prize in the general classification as well.


Bryn Oh’s Cerulean featuring the artist’s own work “The Cerulean”

Art which can be used in films submitted to the Challenge can be found in the following locations:

  • The UWA Main Gallery – the primary exhibition space for art at UWA, including entrants to the most recent challenge, Transformations, which is expected to remain up at least through the end of this year.
  • The UWA Main region – this is the home of the iconic Winthrop Hall clock tower, Somerville outdoor cinema, the Moreton Bay Figs, and Sunken Garden. Some of the art from the UWA regions which will be closing will be relocated to platforms above this region. The relocation work is expected to be completed by the end of July 2017.
  • The Merlion – celebrating Singapore’s iconic Merlion sculpture, the full-sized version is hosted by the Monash University in Second Life. The smaller version at te UWA offers information on Merlion Portal Project concerning cultural, literary and artistic significance of the Merlion. It also provides a landmark to the full size installation.

Gerhard Helmut’s 3rd Eye Open. Artworks featured are “The Pineal Gland” by artist Ub Yifu, “He Holds Her Heart” by LunaEnigma – Luna Cobain, “Skeleton” by JointVenture Resident and “The Merlion” by Rebecca Bashly.

Additional Requirements:

  • Completed films should be uploaded, preferably YouTube or Vimeo, and a link to the film sent to  Jayjay Zifanwe and LaPiscean Liberty.
  • Entries should acknowledge all art featured and acknowledge / have the authorisation for any music used.
  • Rights to all films should be held by the creator, but by entering the challenge permission is given for films to be shown on the UWA Blog, the Slartist Website and to be played on UWA lands.
  • The ten winners of the general prizes will be adjudicated by a panel of 5 judges. The special prize winners will be selected by Jayjay Zifanwe (UWA Special Prize) and Singh Albatros (The Writer’s Centre prize).
  • If you have questions, want to discuss anything, or add to the prize pool,  please contact Jayjay Zifanwe.


Suzie Anderton (Inworld Films) Never Say Never, featuring the prize-winning installation by Sharni Azalee.

For full details on the contest, please refer to the original UWA blog post.

 

 

Return to the Outer Garden in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

The Outer Garden; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrThe Outer Garden – click any image for full size

It’s been two years since my last visit to The Outer Garden, designed by Bisou Dexler. At that time, the build occupied a sky platform above a quarter region. It now occupies a full region, both in the air and on the ground.

Visits start in the air over the region, on a wintry platform which – for me – brought back memories of my last visit to The Outer Garden. Trees of green or frosted with snow sit on a landscape blanketed in white, through which tracks and paths  – some obvious, some simply  marked by the trees themselves.

The Outer Garden; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrThe Outer Garden – Winter Garden

Under boughs and alongside tracks lie points of whimsy and rest. Some of these hold strong memories of the former iteration of the garden: an ice cream stand with seating outside of it. Not far away sits an artist’s easel. For the whimsy, giant Christmas decorations are scattered around, while teacup rides appear to have been tossed into the air around an old carousel.

More whimsy can be found in the little club for chicks (the feathered kind), complete with a cabaret floor show, tables and a bar tucked away into a tree trunk. For the romantics, a copse of multi-hued trees hides a cosy snug of a lounge with plush chairs and a canopied bed.

The Outer Garden; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrThe Outer Garden – Winter Garden

Close to the landing point is a mirror, a teleport; it provides access to three more areas: the skyborne tuki reirou platform, home of 月玲瓏 – The Moon is Serene – the latest addition to The Outer Garden: an altogether intriguing setting.

On teleporting to it, visitors are invited to walk through a garden path which seems to be floating among the clouds. Flowers border a walk  in turn lined by candles and screens, between which sit paper umbrellas. Overhead, rather incongruously, hang lighting grills without a ceiling, together with a hand-pulled cart. All of this points towards a beckoning Moon, inviting you to walk to it.

The Outer Garden; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrThe Outer Garden – The Moon is Serene

“You go through the moon, to the garden of a picture scroll,” Bisou says of this. “You are a character of the scroll, what kind of story can you tell me? I hope for a good story!” The scroll itself, the huts and grasslands stretched out along it, forms a brightly lit setting, reached by a set of Torii gates winding down from the back of the Moon.

The second destination point is the Rose Garden, located on the ground level. This, for me. also carries with it strong echoes of The Outer Garden as it was in 2015. Within a huge crystal palace is a marvellously atmospheric rose garden with lower and upper levels, halls to explore, and places to relax.

The Outer Garden; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrThe Outer Garden – Rose Garden

Also on the ground level is the Boat House, another snowy garden spot, where you can take a boat to the Rose Garden – although oddly, instructions on how to get from the Boat House to the Rose Garden can be found at the latter. I assume this is because it may have once been the original landing point. Both face a third ground level area, which given it has no teleport link, may not be completed yet – but it does offer another intriguing setting – complete with diesel locomotive hanging in the sky.

In 2015, I felt that, by only covering a 1/4 region, The Outer Garden was an absolute treasure, a tour de force demonstration that less is very often more when it comes to designing an environment. Despite now being an entire region, this still holds true, largely because of the way in which Bisou has used the space available to her.

The Outer Garden; Inara Pey, November 2017, on FlickrThe Outer Garden – Winter Garden

For example, the winter garden doesn’t cover the entire area of the region, but keeps to a size of just over a 1/4 of the region’s area, and so reflects much of the feel of the earlier iteration. Similarly The Moon is Serene stands as an independent setting, divorced from the winter garden and the ground, providing an immersive setting – although the use of glow might impact the performance for some.  Similarly, the lighting on the ground allows the developed areas there to stand apart from one another, adding depth to each of them.

As such, it remains a rewarding visit.

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Art Project 3 at Blue Orange in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Blue Orange: Xirana Oximoxi

Currently on display at Blue Orange, the music and arts venue in Second Life curated by Ini (In Inaka), is Art Project 3, featuring work by Aicha-Tubal Amiot, Gitu Aura, Rebeca Bashly, Chibbchichi, Jadeyu Fhang, NicoleX Moonwall, Nevereux, Bryn Oh, Xirana Oximoxi, and Theda Tammas.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, part of the delight in visiting this particular venue is its subterranean look and feel, which offers something of a warren of spaces which take time to explore, and make the discovery of what lies within them more interesting. This exhibit is no exception, although my visit did leave me with a feeling the art spaces have been expanded, with everything turned around a little, making navigation this time around a little harder – the LM I regularly use delivered me within the club space itself, rather than out on the subway platform as used to be the case (there’s no official landing point).

Blue Orange: Gitu Aura and NicoleX Moonwall

The art on exhibition is split between four main areas. The first of these is the Art Corner hall just off of the club, featuring a sculpture by Rebeca Bashly, art by Ini herself, and Mindgames by Gitu Aura and NicoleX Moonwall, a display area above the club, featuring pieces by JadeYu Fhang. A hall leading off of this area leads to Alchemy by Nevereux, defined as, “a series of visual allegories meant to detract you from a physical plane and deliver you into mysticism via transformation and criticism.” Note there is a warning to those who are sensitive to flashing lights with this exhibition, but it only applies to the hallways leading to it.

The second Art Corner hall, accessed via the subway station platform outside of the club, features Waiting Box by Theda Tammas, while a further hallway from this again leads to a section of Alchemy. This shares the same warning for those with a sensitivity to flashing light, which again only applies to the entrance hall.

Blue Orange: Nevereux

Above the club is a further hall, this one featuring elements some may recognise as being from OpeRaAxiEty (see here). The final art display area is devoted to 2D art, and split between the hall connecting the club with the subway station platform, while art and drawings by Xirana Oximoxi can be found in a hall down the stairs running down from the hall featuring Rebeca’s art.

Such a broad mix of art makes highlighting individual elements that much more difficult, particularly given the calibre of the artists brought together here. As such, these are displays best enjoyed individually as you pass through the halls and hallways of Blue Orange. However, were I to pick one with a particular appeal, it would be Alchemy. There is a depth of interpretation to be found within it – which is not to in any way diminish any of the others; for example, it’s always a delight to see Bryn Oh’s 2D art.

Blue Orange: JadeYu Fhang

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