Category: Reviews

Bridgewood Barrow: a cosy corner of Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Bridgewood Barrow; Inara Pey, July 2016, on Flickr Bridgewood Barrow – click any image for full size

I’ve said in the past that it is not always necessary to have an entire region in order to create something worthwhile, either as your home or as a place for others to visit. Such is the case with Bridgewood Barrow, a 8192 sq m parcel offered as a place to visit and spend time within by Aby (Abysinnia – also known as Harper Quinne), with a little help from Darthenian (DarthHill) and Marcus Keown.

Located in the south-east corner of its home region (Aurore), Bridgewood Barrow offers visitors a cosy corner of Second Life in which to relax or wander – without having to worry about breaking out the walking boots in the case of the latter!

Bridgewood Barrow; Inara Pey, July 2016, on Flickr Bridgewood Barrow

The landing point is a small pier located over a little beach. Here visitors can collect a note card about the parcel, and update themselves with the latest news.  Facing this and a very short walk away is a brick-built house offering a place to dance, a little café and, up on the roof (reached via the fire escape ladders at the side of the house), Greedy, Greedy and cuddle loungers are available.

A small lawned garden sits behind and to one side of the house, a tree-lined track pointing the way east from it. Following this will as it passes above a small lake will lead visitors to a dirt track switch-backing down to a second building sits partially nestled among trees, the bedroom looking out over the lake.  A footpath runs around the back of this, pointing the way to a short climb to a bridge crossing the entrance to the lake, and so back to the beach and the pier.

Bridgewood Barrow; Inara Pey, July 2016, on Flickr Bridgewood Barrow

Within this deceptively simple layout, there is a lot to enjoy, both indoors and out, with plenty of places to sit and cuddle, and views to be found. There is a Flickr group available for the latter, although it was looking a little forlorn when I visited; which is a shame, as couple with the right windlight settings, Bridgewood Barrow offers a picturesque setting for photography.

The parcel notes make it clear that Bridgewood Barrow will remain as it is through until the end of August, after which Aby will be working on a new project, which I gather will also be open to the public. So, if you fancy spending a little time in charming surroundings, either on your own or with a close friend, one without the need to explore an entire region, Bridgewood Barrow could be just the ticket.

Bridgewood Barrow; Inara Pey, July 2016, on Flickr Bridgewood Barrow

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Giovanna’s Last Harbour in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
The Last Harbour: Self control and Eve
The Last Harbour: Self control and Eve

“I had been thinking for some time about having a place,” Giovanna Cerise said as we stood at the landing point of her new exhibition space, The Lost Harbour, which officially opens on Thursday, July 14th. “Some time ago I had a gallery, and many people have asked me if I would have a regular place where they could see my work and so I decided to make one.”

If I’m totally honest, Giovanna having a space in she can freely display her art once more is well overdue. Whether it takes one of her large-scale immersive pieces such as Tristan und Isolde or The Eternal Suspense (to name but two), or her smaller pieces, as seen in her recent Retrospective , her work is beautifully exquisite and quite marvellous to see. I was therefore excited to learn about The Lost Harbour, and delighted to spend time visiting with her ahead of the opening.

The Last Harbour
The Last Harbour

Occupying the north-east corner of a region, The Last Harbour is a fabulous setting for Giovanna’s work, beautifully laid out and presented to visitors. From the landing point, a series of platforms sit on the waters of the parcel, connected by transparent and translucent tiles from the aforementioned Tristan und Isolde. These form both a display space and a walkway passing across the parcel.

On the seaward side of the parcel sit four pieces which those familiar with Giovanna’s work may recognise as being from some of her past installations. On the landward side, against the boundary wall, are more pieces, notably her black pen line images and forms mindful of installations like Line, together 3D pieces, such as Breeze, a piece best appreciated by camming around and through it, rather than simply regarding it whilst stood still.

The Last Harbour
The Last Harbour

Between these two sides is a stepped platform on which are displayed four new studies, comprising single and paired figures. “I wanted to do some new work,” Giovanna told me as we studied them. “In recent times I have worked mostly for large installations. I wanted to focus my ideas and my inspiration on smaller works.”

She continued, “Each of them expresses an idea; a thought emotion. Pandora, Eve, Self Control, Stranger, The Unbearable Lightness of Being … symbolic names.” Symbolic they may be, but they are also deeply intimate; one doesn’t so much observe each of these figures; one becomes a part of each of their stories, a confidante in their expression, if you will.

The Last Harbour: the beach
The Last Harbour: the beach

This is a place where wandering, sitting and contemplation are welcomed. “I imagined a place to walk among the works of art and even then relax by the sea,” Giovanna said, indicating the arched wall along one side of the exhibition space. Passing through this will indeed bring you to a little beach, beautifully landscapes and with seats in which visitors can relax, as well as little beach house, while hovering over the sandy tide are the sirens from Il Folle Volo (The Mad Flight).

The Last Harbour formally opens at 13:00 SLT on Thursday, July 14th at 13.00 SLT. My congratulations to Giovanna in establishing the space, and my thanks to her as well, for allowing me to pop over and spend time with her discussing it.

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Garden walls in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set
Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set

Alex Bader is perhaps my favourite landscaping content creator in Second Life. His kits cover everything from creating a sandy beach right the way through to building cliffs and peaks, with trails, woodlands, hills, rivers, woodlands and more featuring in the mix. His kits and other items form one of the largest sections of my inventory devoted to building and landscaping, and for the last year, his forest cabin and his beach house have been our preferred choices for our in-world house designs – and I can’t actually see us swapping away from them.

In mid-June, Alex generously sent me his latest creation, the Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set, although it took me until the last week and a bit to actually have the time to really start playing with it. Even so, I can say up front that if you’re looking for the means to create a garden which features eye-catching and beautifully organic walls with sweeping curves, unique shapes, tiered or otherwise, this is simply a must-have set.

Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set
Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set (image: via Alex Bader)

The kit comprises 17 primary parts – straight walls, curved walls, S-shaped walls, sloping walls, butas, “eyes” steps, etc., most of which are mirrored or offered in “tall” or “short” versions, some of which include attached grass slopes, to present a complete set of 28 wall sections and steps. Add to this three matching terrain elements (flat, sloped and irregular), and you have a very comprehensive set with which to create walled elements in a garden or against a hill. Alex even includes three unlinked samples to get you started!

The pieces range between 1 LI (basic steps) through to 4 LI in their default sizes. They are supplied as copy / mod, so resizing is possible – although care is needed, as doing so can significantly increase the other LI on items when enlarged. The wall segments are scripted to provide 4 stone styles:  granite, light stone, dark stone, and grey stone, each of which can include a moss effect as well, giving a total of eight different finishes.

Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set in use at Holly Kai park, together with the Skye Water System and steps from the Stone Stairs kit
Skye Tiered Garden Wall Building Set in use at Holly Kai park, together with the Skye Water System and steps from the Stone Stairs kit (plants and seating, etc., not a part of the wall kit)

The various shapes fit together extremely well for the most part, although there are some slight differences in width in the capstones on various segments.  However, it is in the gentle slopes and sweeping curves in several of the pieces which make this set a treat to use; as I mentioned at the top of this piece, they allow the creation of very organic walls and tiers.

How artistic you might get with the set is down to you and the lie of your land; the two designs I’ve created so far are relatively simple, but the end results are still – if I say so myself – eye-catching. It also works exceptionally well with other kit Alex has produced, particularly those which are materials enabled, such as his Skye Stone Stairs and the Skye Water System.

The kit provides three sample builds (17, 24 and 29 LI respectively) to help with ideas for what might be achieved
The kit provides three sample builds (17, 24 and 29 LI respectively) to help with ideas for what might be achieved

I’ve already seen this kit in use at a couple of events, and I’ve little doubt it is destined to become a staple and distinctive part of many regions across SL. It can be purchased in-world via Alex’s store (which is well worth exploring in its own right) or via the Studio Skye marketplace store. The price, at the time of writing, is L$699.

Art, women and war in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
I was born in Kurdistan
I was born in Kurdistan

“This was special to me to feel the bravery of  woman soldiers,” Storie’S Helendale (GlitterPrincess Destiny) states in the introductory notes to I Was Born in Kurdistan, her latest immersive piece. “(They don’t cook in the kitchen).  (Instead they fight Isis).”

This is a difficult piece to quantify, presenting a war-torn environment as a backdrop for images depicting women caught within various combat situations, clearly drawn from the unfolding situation in Iraq. It is undoubtedly an atmospheric build – a chart at the landing point provides advice on the best viewer graphics / windlight settings for viewing it as intended.

I was born in Kurdistan
I was born in Kurdistan

Central to it stands the concrete skeleton of a war-torn building. Fires burn in old oil drums, the ground is rough and pitted and burned-out cars and other detritus resulting from the passage of combat are scattered around. Around the walls of this environment, and mounted in the skeletal remains of the building are images by Storie’S depicting woman in combat. Some are in traditional-look middle-eastern dress, others is more “homespun uniforms”, others in combat fatigues.

The mix of images presents both colour and monochrome pieces, with the content ranging from actually scenes of combat, through scenes from the aftermath of fighting to very personal scenes of comrades supporting one another or combat veterans simply trying to get some respite and rest.

I was born in Kurdistan
I was born in Kurdistan

Since is the approach taken to the piece, that interpreting it is a very subjective affair. There is no doubting that many of them do echo the privations and sadness of war; there is a subtle condemnation of the suffering it brings present in many of the images.  But this seems to be somewhat offset by an uncomfortable sense that women in combat is being celebrated to a degree.

While there are – sadly – time in this world when the only recourse is for people to take up arms and stand against the forces which would otherwise overwhelm them and their way of life. To be clear, I Was Born in Kurdistan is more a reflection of this than anything else; but the “celebratory” aspect of some of the images might give rise to a negative reaction among some visitors.

I was born in Kurdistan

I was born in Kurdistan

However, it is these juxtapositions of viewpoints and emotions which makes I Was Born in Kurdistan an installation which needs to be seen directly, rather than simply related through a blog post like this. There is currently no closing date stated for the exhibition, which opened on July 9th; I would anticipate it remaining open for at least a month.

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When Pink Floyd eats your sim in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Furillen: Pink Floyd Ate My Sim
Furillen: “Pink Floyd Ate My Sim”

Furillen, Serene Footman’s homestead region, is a beautifully atmospheric place (see my last post on it from December 2015). Given this, it is quite possibly the last location you might expect to come across a celebration of English rock band Pink Floyd. But for a short period of time, that’s exactly what has happened.

“I enjoy transforming the sim for events – the Bowie and Radiohead weekends will always be highlights for me of the sim’s first six months – but this one really did get out of hand.” Serene says of the region’s current incarnation, as he introduces it in a post he’s called Pink Floyd Ate My Sim.

Furillen: Pink Floyd Ate My Sim
Furillen: “Pink Floyd Ate My Sim”

In place of the region’s normal sombre skies and brooding landscape (some of the familiar buildings remain), sits a marvellous tribute to Pink Floyd which includes iconic album covers through to commemorations of live tours and scenes from the group’s music videos – and more.

“It was carnage as some of Furillen’s biggest landmarks were hoovered up into my inventory,” Serene states. “When this is over, I’ll be taking full advantage of the option to ‘restore to last position’!”

Furillen: Pink Floyd Ate My Sim
Furillen: “Pink Floyd Ate My Sim”

In the meantime, visitors can variously enjoy Battersea power station, complete with pig floating overhead (Animals, 1977), which brackets the landing point between itself and that iconic wall from the 1979 album of the same name, whilst alongside the power station sit the rows of beds from 1987’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason. And that’s just the start of things.

With Pink Floyd songs playing in the music stream (a 13 hour play list featuring every studio album made by Pink Floyd, in chronological order, no less!), a spinning CD of The Wall forming the landing point (courtesy of Tizzy Canucci) and a terrain texture taken from the album, Furillen is a veritable nirvana for Floyd fans. So much so that it’s hard not to get entirely snap-happy as you wander / cam around!

Furillen: Pink Floyd Ate My Sim
Furillen: “Pink Floyd Ate My Sim”

As well as the references to album covers visitors will also find references to individual songs by the group and to members of the band – Serene helpfully provides a list of all the points of interest if you don’t want to miss anything.

This is a spectacular, fun exhibit Whether viewed as a tribute to Pink Floyd or as an artictic statement or simply as a little bit of fun, the end result really is eye-catching and a must-see. So if you haven’t done so already, now is the time to hop over to Furillen. Serene has promised to hold off hitting the “restore” button until around mid-week after July 10th; and when you visit, do please consider making a donation towards the region’s upkeep so Serene can continue to provide us with delights like this.

Furillen: Pink Floyd Ate My Sim
Furillen: “Pink Floyd Ate My Sim”

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Beautiful Bizarre: art and emotions in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Beautiful Bizarre - DaphneArts
DaphneArts: Beautiful Bizarre

Opening on Sunday, July 10th at 12:00 noon SLT, is Beautiful Bizarre, the latest ensemble challenge presented by Angelika Corral and SheldonBR at their DaphneArts Gallery. The exhibition features individual works by Gwenarielle, Maghda, Terrygold, Angelika Corral, SheldonBR, Leeleu Lemondrop, Paradox Messmer, Rainbow Mubble, Sabbian Paine, Loki Silverson and Asa Vordun, with Theda Tammas providing both a 2D and 3D piece for the exhibition.

“Art is an expression of our emotions, the way we see and experience the world, and beauty has been depicted as an artistic value.” Angelika and Sheldon note in their introduction to the exhibition. “In the Renaissance, artists developed theories of ideal proportion and harmony, having and the painting of Venus, portrayed by Botticelli, and the sculpture of David, by Michelangelo, as the idealisation of beauty. “Modern art came to bring another perception of a world devastated by two great wars, and it reflects in the asymmetry of bodies and distorted faces. But there is always a place for beauty, even in the bizarre things. Schiele, Picasso, Matisse, the Surrealists, all are great example of this.”

Beautiful Bizarre - DaphneArts
DaphneArts: Beautiful Bizarre

And so it is that the artists here have been invited to present their interpretations of the “beautiful bizarre”; and the result is a highly eclectic mixture of pieces; far more eclectic, I would suggest, than exhibitions such as  Surrealism and Imagine. Which should be taken to indicate anything negative in my view of the Beautiful Bizarre. Art is, after all, an expression of our emotions, as Angelika and Sheldon note, and thus encouraging a subjective, an emotional response to these works is perhaps as much a part of the exhibition as the artists’ own interpretations of the “beautiful bizarre”.

So it might be said that this exhibition operates on two levels. On the first, we are asked to explore how the artists have presented their interpretations of the subject; while and on the second, we are asked to consider our response to each of the pieces offered in the exhibit.

Beautiful Bizarre - DaphneArts
DaphneArts: Beautiful Bizarre

For my part, I was struck by how broad in scope  the pieces are in presenting the theme, whilst at the same time several also appear linked to other another through their underpinning inspiration. This is perhaps most noticeable in the pieces presented by Gwenarielle, Rainbow,, Sabbian and Terrygold; so much so, that I doubt it is by chance that the pieces by three of these artists are all presented in a single room within the gallery.

Elsewhere, reflections of a common point of inspiration might also be glimpsed in both Asa’s piece and the 2D work presented by Theda.  I’ll also confess that the latter piece (seen in the 2nd image from the top of this review), together with Theda’s 3D piece and  Paradox Messmer’s Eyes Unseen (seen in the image directly above), drew the strongest emotional responses from me.

Beautiful Bizarre - DaphneArts
DaphneArts: Beautiful Bizarre

Beautiful Bizarre is another extraordinary exhibition featuring some of SL’s most extraordinary talents; one I have no hesitation I recommending. As noted at the top of this piece, it officially opens at 12:00 noon SLT on Sunday, July 10th, 2016, and will remain open through July and early August.

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