Tag: Art 2016

Fellow Second life traveller and blogger Wurfi drew me, by way of a Tweet, to a new exhibition of images by Vallys Baxter, which opened on Sunday, December 18th.

Taking place at the Club LA and Gallery, curated by Fuyuko ‘冬子’ Amano (Wintergeist), Body Talk offers a collection of 16 pieces offered in a large format. Presented as a series of monochrome images, they form an evocative study of the human form and moods – not all of them necessarily suitable for viewing at work – with equally evocative titles: Desire, Cocoon, Jeux de Mains (“Hand Games”), No Regrets, and more.

As one might expect from the title, each piece focuses on the avatar body – or a part thereof. So within the exhibition are studies of the face and head, the torso, the body as a whole, legs, arms – all of which are intended to convey a specific sentiment, mood or emotion. There is a sensuality about many of the pieces which may be obvious in some, and more subtle in others, and it appears the artist has positioned these so that their differing approaches to presenting their sensuality is carefully juxtaposed.

Take Codex and the image immediately to its left (both seen on the left side of the banner image for this review), apparently called Step by Step. In Codex, the sensuality of the piece is clear through the use of nudity the symbols on the torso and the posing of hands. In the piece to its left we are offered an image of a face partially hidden by the hood of a cloak; but what is visible – line of neck, sweep of cheek and hint of smile about the lips – offers a soft, subtle sensuality easily matching that of Codex.

The pairing of images seems to be apparent through the use of emotions – such as with No Regrets and Avec le Temps (“With Time”), or through the repeated use the a title, as with the two pieces entitled Barricade (seen directly above).

No Regrets and Avec le Temps are extraordinarily emotive, while the Barricade pair still have a sensual feel to them, but it is one perhaps mixed with other responses. The raised leg in one of them literally stands as just that, and thus is edged with a sense of confrontation. In this, it might also be paired with another piece called Step by Step, which presents a pair of booted feet, one apparently stomping downwards in a forceful stride.

Taken together, this set is an intriguing, enigmatic series, worth taking the time to visit.

SLurl Details

•   Club LA and Gallery (Amaro, rated: Moderate)

Blue Orange, is a new music and arts venue in Second Life, brought together by Ini (in Inaka), which opened its doors on Saturday, December 17th, 2016.

“[It] is project to pull together open-minded, friendly people to share time, music, RL and SL art understanding. (rl=sl=rl basically),” Ini says of the concept.  “At first it was an idea to mix urban style with something classy and create bohemian underground music club where people could hear a lot of different music styles, starting from underground alternative, industrial, grunge, indie, noise, psychedelic, folk punk and ending with jazz, neo-folk, instrumental and classical music … Later came an idea to invite creative people who would be happy to share love for art, this how they understand art, how they express themselves and to show how second life as virtual place let to us share it.”

The result is a skyborne “underground” club surrounded by art spaces. The club features a dance floor, two stage areas seating areas. At one end sit two curving arrows. One points the way down an old subway corridor, lined with art by Ini and Gitu Aura, to where ghostly trains rumble through an old station.

A bar by Eupalinos Ugajin sits between the rushing trains, offering those who dare occupy it a drink.  A set of double doors at the end of the platform direct people through to one side of the Art Corner area of the build. This comprises three display halls, of which more anon.

The second arrow in the club area points the way through a hole in the wall and a further art display area, while a set of stairs behind the DJ stage leads one up to an upper level display area.

For the opening, Ini has enlisted artists Igor Ballyhoo, Indigoclaire, Miu Miu Miu, Theda Tammas and Eupalinos Ugajin. Indioclaire and Eupa occupying the middle of the three adjoining halls accessed via the subway platform, with Indioclaire’s 2D art occupying the wall spaces and Eupa’s 3D work occupies the floorspace. Elements of the latter may be familiar to SL art lovers – such as the Dragon from Gravity Is a Mistake (read more here) – and others offer a little interactive fun (you can take a dance on Donald Trump’s hair if you like).

Leading off of this hall are two others. One houses Theda Tammas’ The Cortège, to which visitors are led via a poem inscribed on the floor. The second hall offers a isngle and highly evocative piece by Igor Ballyhoo Sacrificed Angel, which should be viewed under midnight lighting conditions.

Miu Miu Miu’s art sits in the hall reached via the hole in the wall from the club area, so when visiting, be careful not to miss it.

“I was unbelievably happy when so many people wanted to show their creativity and make Blue Orange bigger, much more ‘wider’,” Ini says of the art exhibits, “not only as music club, but as art project – which is open for all people.”

Music for the open of the club and the art exhibits will be provided by Gitu Aura (12:00 noon SLT through 14:00), Khaz Rotaru (14:00-16:00) and Niels Koolhoven  (16:00-18:00). Those interested in saying up-to-date with events can do so via the Blue Orange inw-world group. Ini informs me that artists will be displaying for 2-3 months at a time at Blue Orange, although they may make changes to the art they are displaying in that time.

SLurl Details

• Blue Orange (Empire State Island, rated: Adult)

Now open at MetaLES, curated by Ux Hax and Romy Nayar, is OpeRaAxiEty,  by JadeYu Fang. Reached via teleport from the landing point, it presents a haunting mix of ideas and images  intended to play on our anxieties – albeit at times in the most subtle of ways (make sure you have local sounds enabled when visiting).

A misty landscape awaits visitors, across which web-like lines faintly ebb and flow and the air throbs with a steady beat, warping at times into the high-pitched beep of an electrocardiogram. These combine to offer the first play on feelings of discomfort.

In the distance, a huge structure glimmers its way into the sky, figures limned against its glow while darker shapes sit on the horizon. Closer to hand, a hill rises from the surroundings, crowned by twin human torsos atop stilt-like legs, each holding a sphere in which two more figures, back-to-back, stand surrounded by eggs as large, blood-red spiders sit on their abdomens as if about to suckle. Apparently genuflecting before this scene on the slope of the hill, is a crystal Arachne (as perhaps popularised more by fantasy than mythology).

A web forms a bridge from these figures to the floating crystalline structure, its arches and general form suggesting a temple. Here, green female figures fade and form as one cams around them, bright trails of light curling and twisting around their bodies, kneel in a circle as a black arachnid female offers up eggs to a female human. Above all of this, watching, sits another crystal Arachne.

Elsewhere, human figures lie wrapped in webs, tended by more arachnids, while before the glimmering, cathedral-like structure stand three android torsos raised on great plinths. Within the arches (vaults?) of the “cathedral” white human forms float over their barbed wire doppelgängers. Flanking this, on either side, are two groups of plinth-mounted female forms, heads encased in televisions sets / computer CRTs.

With the ebb and flow of the webs on the ground at this point giving way to flickering data displays (which also form the walls of the cathedral), and data wrapping itself through the misty air, OpeRaAnxiEty offers an ethereal, fascinating environment. But what might it all mean? The artist offers few clues; it is for us to create our own narrative.

To me, the arachnids are a metaphor – albeit perhaps a multi-faceted one. There is the obvious spider-as-phobia element. Many of us are put on edge on seeing spiders, and it would seem that is the intent here. But it is also true that we are by nature complex creatures;  we weave and create so much that often it can ensnare us or confuse us – hence the webs. This idea is also perhaps manifested in the armless figures with their heads encased by screens: they are helpless to prevent their total immersion in a media-driven overload of information which creates is own reality around them.

Thus, OpeRaAnxiety might offer a warning: that the unequal blending of humanity and technology may give rise to something potentially unpleasant. Hence (again) the use of arachnids and their link to images of gestation and hatching / birth (might even the heartbeat throb in the air and the ECG be indicative for new life?).

But perhaps there is also hope here as well. Might the figures floating over their barbed wire doppelgängers within the data-walled vaults of the great “cathedral” be a metaphor representing the potential for technology to yet free us from the mortal constraints  imposed by our own bodies?

OpeRaAnxiety will remain at MetaLES  into the New Year.

SLurl Details

• OpeRaAnxiEty, MetalLES (MetaLES, rated: Moderate)

“We’re trying to show new people much of what is possible in Second Life,” Damian Zhaoying informed me. “As part of that, we want to promote art and music. We’ve already held recitals by Latin singers – Merkabah Oh, for example.”

“Art must be present in the new user experience,” Mona (MonaByte) added, “It’s an important strand of Second Life.”

We were standing in the foyer of one of two galleries spaces hosted by the Ayuda Virtual Community Gateway, which has been designed specifically for Spanish-speaking people around the world, and which is part of the Lab’s Community Gateway programme.  Both Damian and Mona are prime movers behind the project, and our conversation came about after I dropped into the region to see the art space – which is curated by Mona – after artist Storie’s Helendale (GitterprincessDestiny) pointed me towards it.

Two artists are currently on display within the galleries: LeMelonRouge (LeMelonRouge Onyett) – aka Francesc Palomas – and Desy Magic. They present very contrasting exhibitions which illustrate the breadth of 2D art potential in Second Life, whilst also touching on 3D art in-world as well.

In one, LeMelon displays BCN, LON, NYC, a selection of his physical world paintings of the cities of Barcelona, London and New York.  Presented in bold, striking colours, the paintings show street scenes, parks, public walkways and café views, their rich colouring perfectly capturing the vibrant nature of all three cities. For me, and having spent more time in them than I have Barcelona (which I’ve only visited the once 😦 ), both London and New York are instantly recognisable, and not just because of their respective taxi cabs! I’ve wandered through Camden Market often enough to instantly identify it, even without the sign, while Piccadilly Circus and Brewer Street are unmistakable, as is New York’s Times Square.

The second gallery space is exhibiting Desy’s art, which features both 2D and 3D pieces. The former are primarily avatar studies presented in a range of styles and finishes, from “straightforward” portrait style studies through nudes to abstract works. Again the use of colour is vivid and striking, with the images amply demonstrating what can be achieved when using SL as a medium for artistic creativity. Also on display are a number of 3D works, at least two of which are prim-based, with all of them further demonstrating the versatility of the platform for creating / displaying sculpture-based art.

Including art within a Community Gateway is a welcome idea, and I was pleased to hear from Damian and Mona that Ayuda Virtual consider art – visual and performance – as an important aspect of Second life which should be showcased to new users. Which should not be taken to mean the Ayuda gallery spaces and these two exhibitions are intended just for new users coming into SL through the gateway. Both are richly expressive, are open to visit by anyone – and are worth taking the time to see.

I’ll be covering more on Ayuda Virtual at a future date, as there is a lot to see within the region.

SLurl Details

Ayuda Virtual Galleries (Ayuda Virtual, rated: General)