Open now through until December 29th is an ensemble exhibition organised by ViktorSavior. Entitled Out of Mind – Inner Galaxy, it features the work of a dozen Second Life artists.
The art is offered alongside the poetry of Alena Witt, who is also one of the artists, alongside of ViktorSavior. The remaining ten artists are: Amethystreignn, AngelinkaNega, jessamine2108, OrpheusofDarkness, RichardGrataineSuoh, Sleksanas, TaraAers, Ava Jhamin, Lanka Milligan and Vita Theas.
Out of Mind – Inner Galaxy
The setting is somewhat ethereal: a temple-like structure with columns of which hold aloft a sky of blinking star-like lights over which clouds pass, mirroring the mist the issues from the base of the columns and above a marble floor, two sides of which are limned with tear drops of light.
The art is set between the columns, alternating on each of the “walls” with poems by Alena. The latter are presented in Russian, but touch a poem to receive a note card with the poem in both Russian and English. The art – up to three pieces per artist, is displayed vertically – again, touch a picture for a note card on the artist responsible.
Out of Mind – Inner Galaxy
With the images focused on avatar studies, the exhibition offers an interesting insight into different styles and approaches to avatar art, with fantasy perhaps taking centre stage among the majority of the images presented. The theme stands as a excellent companion to the idea of expression of how we perceive ourselves and projection that inner self outwards and create a world around us we project through this virtual realm.
Small, rich with colour and presentation, this is an interesting and expressive exhibition.
Once available, Names Changes means Premium members can change their First Name, Last Name, or both.
There will be a one-time fee applied per Name Change.
First names are entirely free-form, while Last Names will be selectable from a list (“old” Last Names will not be eligible for re-use).
It is in this last regard that the contest is being run, as noted, with the Lab commenting:
We want your help coming up with the first batch of Last Names!
Three submissions per entry … From all of the suggestions, we’ll pick five (5), and those five lucky Residents will be able to change their names completely free of charge (or designate another account for the name change).
Again, previously-available Last Names (e.g. Pay, Voyager, Sideways, Starr, Young, Silverweb, and so on), cannot be suggested and will not form a part of the new Name Changes service. A complete list of previously last names is available here.
Please refer to Name Changes Contest is Upon Us! for further information, and note that entries must be made via the official contest form, and must be submitted before 15:00 SLT on January 6th, 2020. Full rules for the contest can be found here. These appear to suggest the cost of a name change will be US $40.00 – see section 5 Prize, of the rules.
You can also catch up on my coverage of Last Names here:
The team has been hard at work over the past several months putting together what we think is our most stunning release to date.
Nearly 1600 Victorian homes will launch this week, the majority of them happening today (Monday, 16 December, 2019). Plus another 500 coming before the end of the year!
With these words, via a forum post, Patch Linden stirred up considerable excitement as the latest and newest type of Linden Home was made available in what is (for the time being at least) the “Bellisseria Southern Continent”. This is currently separated from the rest of Bellisseria by a region-wide channel of water, but the general landscaping and the design of the Bellisseria SSPE suggest / show both are to be connected at some point.
The Victorian Linden Homes are integrated with the Bellisseria railway
I previewed this new type of Linden Home in The “Victorian” Linden Homes theme and a chance to win one (December 5th, 2019). As with the previous releases, the Victorian comes in four styles, three of which offer 2 floors of accommodation (the Shelley, Hardy and Verne) with a single floor house rounding them out (the Doyle). All offer different external styles (although the Shelly and the Verne have a superficially similar turreted look) and individual interior layouts.
With the his announcement, Patch reveals this latest Type of Linden Home is integrated with the Bellisseria railway network – something I noted in Bellisseria extension: new homes theme takes shape(?). They also flow into the coastal area of the region – with some being surrounded by sand, rather than grass. However, and like the coastal Traditional Homes, they do not provide direct access to the waters in or around Bellisseria – such direct access remains unique to the Houseboats.
One of the public spaces within the Victorian Homes regions
Landscaping within the regions for the Victorian Homes is in keeping with the theme – gas street lamps, kerbed footpaths and cobbled (or at least brickwork) roads. Bridges within the regions are equally as distinctive, being somewhat hump-backed in form, while community facilities within public spaces offer influences the Victorians drew upon – such as Greco-Roman style architecture, as seen around the public pools and fountains.
In all, some 1600 Victorian Linden Homes were promised for release at the start of week #51, with a further 500 promised later in the week, together with a further 1600 Traditional Homes, Houseboats and Campers (in fact some of the Houseboats can be seen from the Victorian Homes already available).
Two of the new houses on their own little island, with a new batch of Houseboats beyond. Some 1600 new Houseboats, Traditional Homes and Trailers and Campers are due to be released in week #51 2019
As Patch notes, the Victorian theme is perhaps the most stunning Bellisseria Linden Homes release to date, and I’m looking forward to finding a rez zone and tootling along some of the railway lines. However, as nice as they are, the Victorian Homes – lacking as they do the direct water access, even when on the coast or along a river bank – won’t see me jumping to one from my Houseboat – at least, not just yet!
The New homes are available to Premium members via the Premium upgrade page / their Premium Linden Home page at secondlife.com. The same rules of abandonment and swapping apply as will all Linden Homes (you can swap up to 5 times in a 24 hour period), with house types listed subject to their availability¹.
The Victorian Type of Linden Homes and landscaping
Note that at the time of writing, it had been requested that people avoid abandoning their homes due to a queuing issues – check the release forum thread for updates.
A look at the new house design, inspired by the Sky Tower from 2013’s Oblivion, (see More on a Sky Tower home in Second Life) as I get back to updating my video capture and editing capabilities.
Once again, Ramin Djwadi’s music from the Westworld series formed the basis for the video, this time the hauntingly beautiful Take My Heart When You Go, from season 2, and which comes courtesy of an arrangement via Lunar Black.
Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation
Updates for the week ending Sunday, December 15th
This summary is generally published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:
It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog.
By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.
Note that for purposes of length, TPV test viewers, preview / beta viewers / nightly builds are generally not recorded in these summaries.
Official LL Viewers
Current Release version 6.3.5.533275, formerly the Wassail RC viewer, dated November 5th, – NEW.
Release channel cohorts:
No updates.
Project viewers:
Copy / Paste viewer updated to version 6.3.5.533365 on December 9th.
Now open at Club LA and Gallery, curated by Wintergeist are two very contrasting exhibitions of art; the first in 2D and the other in 3D. Both will remain open through into the new year, and make for an interesting demonstration of art and creativity in Second Life.
The 2D art is presented by Reesla Chau, a Second Life photographer from Japan, who offers a portfolio of 16 avatar portraits focused on her own avatar in various locations around the grid. It’s a fascinating series of images richly showcasing Reesla’s eye for creating a scene and her use of angle and soft focus / depth of field.
Club LA and Gallery: Reesla Chau
In terms of the latter, I’d particularly draw attention to Summer Visit, on the wall immediately to the left on entering her exhibition space. But for one or two giveaways around the trees and leaves. it could so easily have been taken in a park in the physical world. Way Back is similarly engrossing due the the sheer realism folded within it.
Others in the series offer a digital take on classical portraiture-as-paintings – notably Windmill, The Moonlit Night and Country Road During Summer Vacation, the latter two of which again demonstrate Reesla’s marvellous use of depth of field. However, what is most engaging about Reesla’s work is her ability to tell a story with her photographs; every one of the 16 here whispers and entire story to those who stand before them.
Club LA and Gallery: Reesla Chau
The 3D art is presented by Moki Yuitza is entitled Rainbow Flakes. It’s a piece best seen with the viewer set to midday, rather than the region’s default time, and with local sounds enabled in order to hear the specially composed music by Daddio Dow.
Describing this piece isn’t easy; perhaps the best means of doing so is to refer to it as a coloured mobile of geometric forms set within a rainbow grid and turning slowly, it’s motion seemingly driven by the the gentle tones and vibrations of the music.
Club LA and Gallery: Moki Yuitza
It’s a fascinating piece, potentially hypnotic in form, colour and tone, and should be seen equally from both inside and outside of the surrounding grid in order to be full appreciated. However, fully quantifying it is something that’s very much an individual task. If not a mobile, I’d personally view Rainbow Flakes as a living kaleidoscope, free to change form and colour at will.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 