Category: Reviews

Strawberries with Cica in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Cica Ghost: StrawberryLand
Cica Ghost: Strawberryland

Strawberryland, which opened on Wednesday, March 23rd, is the latest full region installation by Cica Ghost – and for those with a love of strawberries, it offers a feast for the eyes – a rolling field of them!

“I didn’t plan this,” Cica told me, as we discussed the build. “Every day in front of my building, I see a guy selling things [like strawberries].”  And so,as the gardener nurtures their planets and fruits (or pseudo fruits), Cica tended to this thought and a few others, growing them into another delightful installation for us to explore and enjoy, full of treats of its own.

Cica Ghost: StrawberryLand
Cica Ghost: Strawberryland

One thing the visitor will immediately notice is that this is no ordinary crop of strawberries; they are on a huge scale, as are most other things in the region (see the image below for a sense of size – not the figure standing near the tricycle). The latter take the form of stone-flagged terraces and large structures (one of which forms the landing point), connected by grassy trails.

Three of the terraces feature Cica’s familiar and delightful figures: on one, a woman pegs out her sheets to dry in a gusting wind, while on another two children stand with hands tightly gripping the strings of their balloons as the wind tries to snatch them away. Then, on the third, a man stands next to a wall, paintbrush in hand, splashes of colour on the wall – and his clothes and face – his expression suggesting he’d really rather be somewhere else.  Between two of these scenes stands a woman feeding a gaggle of geese, the wind catching her hair as she does so.

Strawberryland
Cica Ghost: Strawberryland

Nor is this all that’s to be seen; the structures can be entered and explored, while giant children’s toys sit here and there, and everywhere places to sit can be found, be it on the huge leaves of strawberry plants or oversized picnic benches, or the toys and massive furnishings, while off to one side sits a little (comparatively speaking!) greenhouse in which a single strawberry plant grows.

With Cica’s signature characters and sense of whimsy, Strawberryland is a thoroughly enjoyable visit, delightful on the eye and bound to have you smiling.

Cica Ghost: StrawberryLand
Cica Ghost: StrawberryLand

SLurl Details

Essence and existence in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
DaphneArt: We Are No One
DaphneArts Gallery: We Are No One

“In We Are No One, artists, Jammie Hill and Joslyn Benson, seek to approach the eternal existential quest of the individuals  … In the beginning, we only exist, ‘we are no one’ but material. We are nothing else but what we make of ourselves …  We, human beings, create our own values and meanings for our lives, but this responsibility may bring a sense of anxiety, anguish and fear.”

Thus Daphne Arts curators SheldonBR and Angelika Corral state of their current guest artist exhibition. We Are No One is a series of evocative (and predominantly nude) images by (and of) artists Jammie Hill and Joslyn Benson which offer a rich mix of human emotion: the aforementioned anxiety, anguish and fear, together with comfort, fragility, longing …

DaphneArt: We Are No One
DaphneArts Gallery: We Are No One

While both artists have enjoyed an exhibit in the past, We Are No One presents a series of images exclusively produced for the DaphneArts  exhibition, their collaborative approach to art resonating with Angelika and Sheldon, who also collaborate with ideas, themes and presentations, as evidenced by Shadows of a Dream, hosted by Dido Haas at Nitroglobus Hall, and which you can read about here.

“Sheldon and I like to say that our works are having a ‘conversation’,” Angelika notes of their work. Sheldon agrees, adding, “For this reason we asked Jammie and Joslyn to exhibit here at DaphneArts.” Angelika then concludes, “There is a connection between them in their work.”

DaphneArt: We Are No One
DaphneArts Gallery: We Are No One

And this is clearly evident in the pieces displayed on the ground and lower floor of the 3-storey gallery. Nude images they may be, but it is the emotional content which strikes the observer, rather than any statement of sensuality or nudity. The emotive resonance in the pieces continues through to the upper floor of the gallery, where Sheldon has a series of his RL drawings on display, and the complimentary approach to the subject matter is clearly in evidence between his work and that of Jamie and Joslyn.

We Are No Open is a powerful exhibition, and should be running through until at least mid-April, possibly a little longer. It marks the first in an ongoing series of such events at DaphneArts which will see Sheldon and Angelika inviting artist who they feel match their approach to art to display at the gallery – and potentially collaborate with them on joint exhibitions.

DaphneArt: SheldonBR's work
DaphneArts Gallery: SheldonBR’s work

I  know that on the strength of this exhibit, I’m looking forward to making return visits to DaphneArts, and reporting on future exhibitions held there.

SLurl Details

Visiting Nowhere in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Nusquam; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Nusquam – click any image for full size

Nusquam (latin: “nowhere”) is an atmospheric homestead region designed by Randi Lenroy, and which is currently featured in the Destination Guide Highlights for the week ending March 18th, 2016.

The name for the region becomes evident on arrival: the setting echoes the looks and feel of so many remote coastal regions to be found around the world – Canada, America, Europe, Australia, South America, New Zealand, it could well be anywhere. And so, because of all these echoes, it is in fact, nowhere other than where our imaginations decide to set it as we wander its rugged and open spaces.

Nusquam; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Nusquam

The Landing point is located in the north-easy corner of the region, within a barn spanning an old railway line. The tracks run from north-west to south-west, running along the eastern seaboard before rising to run back westwards along the south side of the region,  coming to an abrupt end at the ruins of a trestle bridge. This in turn suggests that the region was once connected to somewhere, further inviting our imaginations to extend or create a setting for the region.

Within the arms of this sweeping, undulating track – which frankly, has seen better days and was doubtless abandoned following the loss of the bridge to Wherever, is open farmland. This is neatly dissected into two fields by a dirt track pointing the way to an old workshop and barn, complete with a makeshift pier, the possible home for two fishing boats lying offshore.

Nusquam; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Nusquam

A lighthouse sits atop the highest point on the land, occupying a rocky shoulder in the south-east of the island. The spur of the railway line sweeps by outside, just the other side of a cement wall, to continue out along a  finger of rock, open sea on one side, narrow watery channel on the other, on its way to the bridge to (or is that from?) nowhere.

The lighthouse, barn and workshop are the only structures on the land, although it is clear this is still a place of work: hay bales are neatly rolled, a tractor has been working in one of the fields, whilst someone has been using another in an attempt to shift a fallen tree. Whether the latter came down by accident or design is hard to tell, but the way the telegraph poles are angled as they run beside the old train line suggests this place can suffer from high winds at times, so perhaps age and the weather took its toll on the tree.

Nusquam; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Nusquam

Horses roam one of the fields, their sleek coats suggesting they are well cared-for, adding a further sign of long-term habitation here, and giving the visitor more hints by which they can weave a tale of their own about the place. East of the railway tracks, the unsurfaced road continues, passing a small parking lot bearing a sign promising fried chicken and gasoline further inland.

An overgrown board walk winds its way from this to barn landing point, while the road quietly dips under the lapping waves on the east side of the island, again suggesting this is a place that was one somewhere – or at least linked to somewhere. now a young apple tree rises slowly from what’s left of the track, a silent sentinel warning the onward progress is perhaps not advisable.

Nusquam; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Nusquam

With it’s rugged, looks and open spaces, complemented by a subtle sound scape which is more noticeable along the coastline than further inland,  and presided over by a dusky windlight which plays beautifully with lighting as you cam around, Nusquam presents the perfect  destination for whenever you feel like you’d like to go Nowhere.

SLurl Details

Follow your Bliss in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Follow Your Bliss; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Follow Your Bliss – click any image for full size

For those seeking a little escape from the rush of life and a chance to recall memories of summer holidays long ago, a visit to Follow Your Bliss might be just the ticket. This homestead region is the vision of Elizabeth (ElizabethNantes) with assistance from Omkara (kazu Koray), and it is an absolute delight to visit, explore and photograph.

Resembling an archipelago, the region offers a chain islands surrounding a shallow, sandy-bottomed bay. Of varying sizes, the islands are protected on their northern flank by a natural rocky breakwater against which waves crash, the remaining compass points offering relatively unobstructed access to the sea.

Follow Your Bliss; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Follow Your Bliss

Directly behind the breakwater, and curving gently around the north and east sides of the region, is a chain of mostly low-lying islands linked one to another by a series of bridges. These present a sunny walk through knee-high grass, over warm beaches and across the bridges to reach either a final low-lying sand bar, or in an eastwards turn and across the sturdiest of the bridges, access to the largest and tallest of the islands.

Each of the islands offers something of its own to occupy visitors: places to cuddle, places to sit and while away the time watching the tide or in conversation, swings on which to have a little fun, shady sports and shacks and cabins in which to escape the light of the sun. Two of the latter sit upon the largest of the islands, a twisting climb of stone steps linking them. One is a two-storey cement structure at the foot of the island’s main hill, the other a wood framed atelier perched on the top of the hill, with commanding views all around.

Follow Your Bliss; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Follow Your Bliss

The atelier in particular attracted me, not only because it is a design I like, but also because of the beautiful map of Sir Lanka (then Ceylon), dating from the 1690s and the period of the Dutch Governorate. With north to the left and east at the top, the map makes for an interesting view of the island, the names the Dutch offered for places I’ve been fortunate enough to visits as exotic as their Sinhalese equivalents: Anurodgburro (Anuradhapura). Trinkinmaly (Trincomalee), Battacilow (Batticaloa), and so on.

In order to reach the remaining islands in the group, visitors have a choice: swim, take one of the rezzable paddle boats available from the dock near the landing point, or join the local group and avail themselves of one of the group motorboats. Flying is also an option – but to do so isn’t really in keeping with the spirit of exploration.

Follow Your Bliss; Inara Pey, March 2016, on Flickr Follow Your Bliss

These islands, to the west of the region, between them offer more places to relax, including a charming little café and a touch of the oriental. In all, Follow Your bliss is aptly named; exploring the islands, it is easy, even natural, to leave worries and cares behind and simply enjoy the carefree bliss offered by the region, and all under an almost tropical sky.

SLurl Details

 

Shorelines and Solitudes in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Holly Kai Art Garden - Shorelines and Solitudes
Holly Kai Art Garden – Shorelines and Solitudes

Currently open at Holly Garden Art Garden is a joint exhibition by Derry McMahon and Bear Silvershade.

Shorelines and Solitudes presented on the Art Terraces in Holly Kai Garden, features the contrasting but complimentary styles of Derry and Bear. For her Down the Shore Everything’s All Right exhibit, Derry presents a series of colour images of shorelines and coastal scenes. Bear, meanwhile, offers some more of his stunning monochrome images under the title Solitudes.

“When I began work on this exhibit, it was cold dark winter,” Derry says of her exhibit. “I wanted very much to be at my happy place – by the water; but there were snow storms and flooding and other nasty weather events. Second Life gave me the answer. Plenty of lovely warm pretty beaches to photograph.  As Bruce says in his Jersey Girl song:  …down the shore everything’s all right…   It’s true!   I hope you enjoy!”

Shorelines and solitude: Derry McMahon
Holy Kai Garden – Shorelines and solitude: Derry McMahon

Derry started in Second Life in 2007, initially working as an event coordinator and DJ at the West of Ireland. In 2008, she founded, as librarian and storyteller, the West of Ireland Library, which is today known as Seanchai Library. More recently, she retired from the Library and started to focus on her creativity as a photographer, exploring this virtual world with camera in hand, working hard to develop her skills and create expressive images that revel in the interplay of colour, light and form, and now tells her stories via images instead of words.

The images selected for the Holly Kai Garden exhibit offer us a tour of the shorelines and waterfronts of many picturesque regions in Second Life, each of them demonstrating Derry’s eye for detail and rich in her love of vibrant colour. each really does tell its own story – although I confess, I was very drawn into Seagull Seats, which had me contemplating who might have strolled along the pier under the gaze of the seagull, or sat in the seats to be found along it and what their thoughts might have been…

Holly Kai Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes - Derry McMahon
Holly Kai Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes – Derry McMahon

“Jean-Paul Sarte one said, ‘if you’re lonely when you’re alone, you’re in bad company’, and loneliness and solitude are two different sides of the same coin, with isolation being their common thread.” Bear notes in introducing his exhibit. “But while loneliness brings wretched feelings of estrangement and something missing. Solitude, though, is a chance to explore our inner selves,  our passions, or just enjoy the tranquillity of union with the universe.”

A photojournalist by profession , Bear discovered Second Life by chance towards the end of 2010 after what he refers to as “getting twitchy three days into a ‘relaxing’ vacation. Enthralled by a world by a world where there is no limit to creativity and imagination, he has taken the traditional tools of the landscape photographer and uses them to abstract the line and form of Second Life, distilling its complexity into elegant, evocative imagery.

Holly Kai Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes - Bear Silvershade
Holly Kai Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes – Bear Silvershade

I confess that I’ve always had a deep admiration for Bear’s work. His monochrome images are, to me, some of the most emotive art I’ve witnessed in Second Life, the imagery always matched by a powerful and appropriate title, such as evidenced with his Lonely Man series – and now with Solitudes.

Each of the images Bear has selected for Holly Kai Garden offers a rich, layered narrative which contrast yet complements the monochrome approach taken to it. The framing of each piece is exquisite to the point where it is impossible to remain simply an observer; one becomes a part of the story being told, a witness to the private thoughts of the sole subject (Bear himself) who appears in some of the pictures.

Holly Kai Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes - Bear Silvershade
Holly Kai Garden: Shorelines and Solitudes – Bear Silvershade

Together, Down the Shore Everything’s All Right and Solitudes are a perfect pairing of styles and images, and it is an absolute delight to have Derry and Bear exhibiting Shorelines and Solitudes as the second Art at the Garden series at Holly Kai Park through until Tuesday, April 5th.

SLurl Details

The universes of Barry Richez in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Retrospective Barry Richez
Retrospective Barry Richez

Open through until the end of March 2016 is Retrospective: Barry Richez, an expansive exhibit reflecting the vast catalogue of work by this expressive artist, who works in both 2D and 3D.

Barry opens his introduction to the exhibit with the words, “Welcome to my Universe,” and thus we are thrust into an environment with a distinctly science-fiction edge to it, in which he has framed his work for visitors to appreciate.

Retrospective Barry Richez
Retrospective Barry Richez

This is actually a journey through three “universes” of art, undertaken via teleport, with the artist recommending visitors proceed through each in teleport order from the arrival point (teleport 01), with station 02 – 11 taking visitors through the Centaurus galaxy, stations 12 – 14 through the Tourbillon galaxy, and 15 – 20 though the Sombrero galaxy.

Station 19 is worth an additional note, as it offers a special exhibition of art by Barry’s partner Lou Robinson, in what I believe is her first public exhibition.  The remaining stations are also split into two groups, with 21 through 25 presenting “relaxation places” with Tai Chi, meditation, and dancing, while 26 – 28 teleport visitors to additional poseball spaces in each of the three galaxies, where they can simply float around, meditate or observe.

Retrospective Barry Richez
Retrospective Barry Richez

For maximum impact, visitors should set their viewer to midnight and make sure particles are enabled. I’d also recommend Barry’s suggestion of running through the teleport stations in numerical order as far as station 20, and then perhaps taking more of a random look around.

The sculptures on display tend to be one per level, and some offer opportunities for interaction. The 2D art is displayed in a more gallery-like form, and everything is presented against a galactic backdrop of turning stars, the spaces filled with planets, space ships and space stations (some of which can also be explored at which may contain little treats of their own) alongside of the art.

Retrospective Barry Richez - Lou Robinson
Retrospective Barry Richez – Lou Robinson

This is a fascinating trip through the art and mind of the artist; the items on display a veritable kaleidoscope, but in terms of the use of colour and the narrative in the pieces on display, some of which share a gentle humour with the visitor, while others challenge our thinking. The inclusion of Lou Robinson’s art adds a further touch to the exhibition, and has certainly left me hoping we’ll be seeing more of her work in the future; Her fractal images are captivating.

SLurl Details