Relaxing in an artful flowerbed

Stretching out my tired writing arms

Yesterday I was walking the stylish floors of the Palais Orleans, and just as I was about to leave I got an IM from anibrm.jung, the owner of Art By Nature! (SLurl).  I had visited the place before, and now she had a couple of new photos.

I TP'ed over, and got a nice chat with her.  

ANI is doing RL nature photographs, and as you can see she has created an SL gallery that confirms with the theme:-)  You are literally walking on green pastures while admiring the beautiful shots.  She has a nice video on Youtube presenting her art too (Video).

What I like a lot is her attention to details in the scene; like in one shot the focus is on a nail in a fence, while the horses on the field behind is blurred.  It so reminds me of one of my favorite movies: American Beauty.  If anyone of you have seen it, you will remember one of the main characters walking around, videotaping odd stuff like an old bag of plastic dancing in the wind, just because he found it so beautiful:

  "Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world, 
I feel like I can't take it, 

and my heart is just going to cave in."

ANI gives me the same feeling with her best shots.  Eveyone (including me, lol) can make a nice sunset picture, but it takes more of an artist to show us the hidden treasures in the nature surrounding us.

I have given some thoughts about the difference between a gallery mimicing RL (like the Palais Orleans) and more NPIRL-like places like Art by Nature!   Being quite a NPIRL fan I must confess to generally liking those places best.  Even so, when art itselves is clearly SL bound, it creates a nice contrast do display it in surroundings our brain holds for real.

But when it comes to displaying RL photographs, NPIRL is definitely the way to go.  So pictures set up outside in the rain, and grass growing throutgh the floors of the few buildings works so well.  Art by Nature! is definitely worth visiting, and if you bring someone special, you can relax together on a coach by the fire, sharing the beauty around you and in your selves.

Dark Night Of the Soul Indeed

I love sitting while I write...

Morgana Nagorski has an exhibit at the Palais Orleans (SLurl) you don't want to miss.

If you don't know Palais Orleans, it's a classy and classic contemporary art gallery, often housing high-quality exhibitions.  And this one is one of the better I have seen here.

I have real problem summing up these pictures.  As I walk around, I find myselves touched by each work, as if they spoke to me.  When I look at "Battered and Exhausted" I really recognize not only a battered avatar, but an exhausted human.  And combined with a wonderful lightening effect this is a true piece of art.

And then there is the screaming face of a woman clearly being abused by another avatar, titled "Don't Hurt Me" - it's just too strong for words really.

Walking further down, I find "Let's Go Get 'Em", a curious piece with a beautiful girl standing between torsos on sticks...  And futher down is "Empty", depicting an empty railway station.... I think you get the impression: This is an exhibit with lots of very different pieces that has one thing in common: A lot of work and care has been put into them, and they deserve to be studied as the great art they are.

It seems like every time I tire of the lag and the crashes and conflicts with RL and funny and useless new viewers from the Lab, I stumble upon something like this: An exhibit that showes the real power of virtual worlds: Great art that just would not be possible without virtual worlds.

Thanks Morgana, for giving us your art and talent.

Amilia at the Auggers - Artful and moving debut

Amilia Fixed has a debut exhibit at the Auggers photo gallery.  There are two series exhibited at ground level: Book of Anatomy and PostCards from My Dark.  On second floor (TP to Gallery 2) is the faun series and the reflections series.

The B&W anatomy shots are very real looking, but Amilia assures me it is her own avatar ("i preffer to use myself because i don't bitch about long hours").  She also tells me there is a lot of work involved, and that I don't find hard to believe.

There are more than technical value here though; the pics communicate emotions, and that is rare for these kind of shots.

The emotions comes throught even stronger in the My Dark series - they are dark indeed.  It may be that my background makes me understand them and really feel the pain, but I am also sure that the true understanding of the artist is very contributing to these qualities.

The Faun series almost made me cry - but then I guess I might be just too emotional for my own good?  A story of love - and loss.  

Even so, do yourselves a favour and check out Amilias exhibit - it's a truly artful public debut.

Tender and alive

Cat Boccaccio har a new exhibit at Galerie 17.  It is called "tender", and consists of several works showing love in female - female relationships.

I find these images hard to describe, or at least describe why they leave the impression they do.  The thought that yet again is foremost in my mind is "how does Cat manages to convey true emotions from avatars?"

These images are strong and touching. They tell a story that is both human but also deeply connected to the social structure of Second Life.  Also, the quality of the images are superb.

Do take a look at these pics.

And yes, I am still alive.  Actually, my RL is more alive than for a long time; perhaps that's why my SL suffers gravely, as this blog is a silent vitness of.  But I have not let go, and I probably never will:-)

At Nordan Art

I got a group message about an exhibition at a place called Nordan Art the other day, and figured I should take the taxi and check it out.  Om the outside it looks rather classic; a great build though with lots of details.  Notice the gorgeous glass windows in the back.

If you have the courage to face the unknown (litterally) and walk right through it, it's like you take the blue pill and walk straight into wonderland.  Luckily, I ran into Bella on the first floor, and when she made it safely through I dared follow.

"Standing, she lit her cigarette, took a puff, took a leap of faith and walked on fire for the first time. It was incredible!!."  -- from Bellas profile

After climbing several stairs we got to the top, facing the most gorgeous crystal art.  Rebeca Bashly is the artist, and here she has done some amazingly detailed work.  This is a must-see.

Bella wore the most fabulous detailed costume I have yet seen in SL.  Made by a Japanese designer that must really have worked his mouse arm to exhaution.  It led us to talk about avatar apperance as art, and further on to discuss what kind of people where staying in SL. 

We landed pretty much on the idea that SL is populated with people that has imagination and creativity above average.  At least those that stay and that you like to meet.

Also, that art in SL takes many forms, and that SL in itselves makes us all content creators, just to different degrees.  How amazing it would have been if everyone was in SL - a true global village!

But today the bombs are falling on Libya, my country are sending 6 jet fighters to that desert land so far away, and our PM is desperately trying to convince everyone that Norway is not at war with Libya.

And even though one can argue it's for the greater good of the people living there if we do get rid of their mad dictator, we all know that our government-owned oil company has been doing business with Muammar "al"-Gaddafi for a long time, enabling him to strenghten his position and continue his life in luxery. 

So now we have to bomb them.

It's a hard word.  I hope there will still be beauty and happiness around for people in Libya when this is over.  Like there is in SL between our RL battles.

I just have to love Bryn Oh

 

You  find yourself outside a pretty normal looking door. But when you get inside, it's like there never was any house there at all :-)

Bryn Oh, world renowned for her spectacular and detailed sculptures and builds, are exhibiting sketches from the build process of some of her work.  They are interesting in themselves, but what's really got to me was camming a bit outside:

Seems this was not a normal house after all:-)   Or was it just hit by a hurricane?

SL!  You just got to love it!

The Art Maze - simply amazing

Fuschia Nightfire,my first artist friend in SL, recently participated in an exhibition called the Art Maze.  Migina Miklos, RAG Randt and Neeks Moonshadow was the other participants that I noticed, but there may have been more.  Unfortunately, this wonderful build was dismantled before I managed to publish this post, but I am so happy to have kept several photos of it that I like to share.

From the starting point, a pink tunnel leads down into the underworld

Fuschias sculptures really shows their true beauty in this environemt

What a way to display a really huge lady!

Behind a dark wall I discovered this cave

Bricks floating in the air - this is just so wonderful NPIRL

A dark and scary tunnel leads to....

... an amazing underworld sea!

Sitting on a leaf in a cave, pondering the wonderful world of virtuality, was a real treat.

Not to mention sailing on one in the swift stream :-)

And finally floating in the space above I was free to marvel of the artists involved

One thing that really amazed me was the clever use of space; being able to accommodate such a large set of displays on a rather small parcel was surprising.  Apart from that, the texturing was superb, and all the caves really felt like caves; not a square prim in sight:-)  And while the build did contain pieces of art, like sculptures and paintings, this is more of a case where the build itself becomes art.  Simply amazing.

There is a page with videos from the build: https://sites.google.com/site/artmazeinsecondlife/home/art-maze-videos

If you ever get a chance to see any exhibition by these talented builders and artist, don't miss the opportunity.  Fuschia currently has an exhibit called 'Virtual Unreality' at the Fruit Islands Art. This exhibits closes at the end of the month, so make sure to pay it a visit before then!

41 of 52 - The Traveller

Hermes Kondor is an artist I discovered a long time ago. He describes himselves as

"Spiritual healer
Student of Spirituality
Digital artist
Professional Photographer, in RL and SL"

I am impressed with his used of colors; vivid and strong, yet not over the edge. The motives are often a bit mysterious; focusing on spirituality and (as I feel it) space. His new exhibit, The Traveller, is really a must-see. Grab the taxi and discover your own spirituality.

I'm off for some live music; Max is in town:-)

In memory of Shamen Galleries

Rune Shamen and Cierra Loxely buildt and ran the Shamen Galleries. They always strived to attract the most amazing artists, but not only that: Using themes, they managed to make exhibits where the works of different artists buildt each other up. I will never forget the Religous themes exhibit for instance:


Now the gallery is no more. Cierra told me the reasons behind the closing, so I know this is not a bitter ending. No complaints about the lab, the lack of visitors or griefers. They have had a great time running the place and working with the amazing artists in SL.


Will I miss the place? That's for sure. But on these occations, it's important to focus on the positive. This couple has spent countless hours giving us amazing art experiences. I am grateful for that, not taking it for granted. Other projects and activites are lining up, and I know it's exciting and important stuff they will fill their lives with.

"Everything that has a beginning, has an end". Now, Cierra and Rune are cleaning the slate a bit, making room for new beginnings. And who knows, some time in the future one of those may bless us in SL again.

So thanks for all you gave us, and best of luck with all your plans!

Thread Softly on my SL Dreams

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

--- William Butler Yeats

Julianna Jonstone has a great exhibition in the Palais Orleans Studio. Dreams, one of the pictures in the exhibit, has this beautiful poem of Yeats written in the background, in a print hardly readable. But that only made the discovery more joyful.

Dreams and Offering (not shown here because I won't scare off any nipple-sensitive americans, peace be with you all) is now on my wall because in combination they managed to make me understand AND feel how a loving bsdm relationship in SL could be.

It's true in any relationship that sometimes we do not tread softly, even if we really want to. But in SL, where a lot of the nuances in communication is lost because of the text-only medium, it's even easier to trample other's dreams with muddy boots. I find this poem a good reminder to be careful.

Go see this exhibit if the thought of some pencil-draw nude woman's breast don't make you uneasy. If it does, then I pity you; you should probably not read this blog but be content with Linden Lab's official sites, like SL7B.

27 of 52 - What is True SL Art?

One avatar losing it? "Identity Crisis" by Cat Boccaccio is a must-see.

When I discovered art in SL a little while after I first rezzed, most of what I found was RL pictures being scanned and uploaded as SL textures, displayed in a frame just as they would in a real life art gallery. This kind of art is still thriving, and it's a great to be able to use SL to experience exhibits one would normally never get the possibility to see. But there are other levels to art in SL.

One such dimension that is growing stronger is the use of SL to create pieces that would be impossible IRL. 3D, scripting, movement, dynamic texture changes and transparency are all examples of techniques that is used to create this new kind of art.

But another dimension is art that expresses the SL society; situations, personal behaviour, limitations and possibilities that are unique to avatars, and how these facets of virtual worlds touches the human soul, mind and body.

When you combine these two dimensions, you got art that can not be created nor understood outside of a virtual world. That is what I would call true SL art. It's still rather rare, because not only do the artist need to master the techniques; she would also need to have a life experience in SL; he would need to really immerse her selves in the environment; she would need to have his heart broken by losing people.

Gender confusion is deliberate :-)

Luckily, several of the talented people that joined SL in the boom some three years ago have understood what SL does to a lot of people, both good and bad. Cat Boccaccio is one of them. She is still the only artist that I know of that can make truly erotic avatar art, and now she has taken that understanding of SL into the NPIRL sphere. Her work "Identity Crisis" should be experienced by anyone into art in SL, because amongst all the other great works at the UWA exhibit, hers is the only (or the only one I saw I should rather say, its a large exhibit and I may have missed a few...) that takes 3D art to a personal level.

Go vote!

24 of 52 - Art with a sting

Kick a noob - or a griefer?

Is this art? Very often, Second Life art are beautiful, but rather uncontroversial. When visiting Shamen Galleries the other day, I found that Miso Susanowa have created a few items that raised my eyebrows a bit.

Be advised - you don't want to make your confession here

[2010/05/12 12:16] Cristopher Lefavre: Now you are supposed to say "father forgive me, for I have sinned...."
[2010/05/12 12:16] [
(this converstation I really can't share with you...)
]
[2010/05/12 12:22] Cristopher Lefavre: You did WHAT?
[2010/05/12 12:25] Cristopher Lefavre really wanted to be part of that fun
[2010/05/12 12:27] Cristopher Lefavre: That will be 5 ave Lindens
[2010/05/12 12:27] Cristopher Lefavre: every night
[2010/05/12 12:27] Cristopher Lefavre: in a week
[2010/05/12 12:28] Cristopher Lefavre drops hustler on the floor and picks up playboy

The things you hear when taking confessions in SL!

Building this kind of installation IRL would be a much bigger hassle, so in practice the RL artworld is kind of lacking in this type of art. Its more Not Practical In RL that Not Possible.... Again, SL makes a huge possibility to create new kinds of expressions.

I'd better take my own advise...

... or I might end up here?

"Foundation of guilt"

This work really got to me; at first the dark red colour theme drew attention, but it's more than that. It's like it contains a vision, something I don't really understand. Why make such a lively depiction of the catholic teaching of hell? In the midst of installations that somehow makes fun of the church? But I guess these are just my interpretations. Go see for yourselves!

Miso has an installation called State of Mind. You can see it at the Excalibur Studios. Be warned though, I was TP-ed home by some script, maybe because I did not enter my social security number at the keypad? LOL, jokes aside, State of Mind is worth going through, there are lots of pokes at the modern internet based society, kind of thought provoking.

I've got the Pnigalion!

Ever since I saw this piece I have wanted it on my wall. And today my wish came true! Cat herselves came over and helped me set it straight (its a complicated unlinkable multi-prim scritped work). But it does not matter. It's in my living room to stay!

Excuse me while I find a chair to sit on and enjoy this moment:-)

(You can find out more about Cat Boccaccio on her blog).

21 of 52 - Fuschia again

I really don't know where she gets it from. But Fuschia Nightfire never ceases to amaze me.

Yes, I've seen all-white environments before, but they have all been huge skyboxes or full sim places. Fuschia has managed to fit the entire installation inside a 20m sculputured megaprim on the ground, and it still captures the whole screen when you are inside.



I'm usually very involved when I'm inworld, that is I have a strong sense of "being" my avatar. Ener had a blog post about this that I found very interesting. Just like me, she use to position her avatar facing the one she is talking to. It feels kind of right to keep your av aligned to the actual action. When I'm around looking at art, I mostly walk around, letting my av "look at" the work, even if I use the Cam controls to zoom a bit. Somehow it does not feel right to just let Cris sit in a corner while I cam around the whole place.

It's really not just emotional either. The main difference between virtual worlds and the Web is NOT that everything is in 3D (there are 3D web apps around, and lots of 2D content in SL). No, the main difference is that everyone viewing a location is also represented there for everyone else to see. And that's really huge. Even if it's just an avatar without any Real Life info being viewable, it still breaks the normal anonymity people are used to on the Web.

So, as a courtesy to everyone else around I feel it's right to let my avatar indicate what I am looking at and what I am doing. Because a virtual world is all about participating, not just looking.

Anyway, when the SL window goes all-white I really feel I am enclosed in a bubble of white. It's like walking inside the work of art.

Again, art in SL is evolving at a furious pace. It's a great showcase for virtual worlds, because the medium offers possibilities not available anywhere else. Not just by viewing 3D art, but also by being able to participate in the art. There is a freebe white skin available inside the gallery, and by dressing more appropriate than I did, you can add yourselves to the artistic expression other gets WHILE watching it!

The installation is currently available at PiRats. She has also made a machinema of this installation, it's on You Tube.



PiRats is an interesting build btw. It's not spectacular in itselves, but it had a quality of design and build that I find rare.

@Palais Orleans Photo Studio

Coming online tonight I got an invite from Cat Boccaccio, offering champagne and a chance to look at some new works. I took the taxi to Tasogare, and was greeted by Cat and a nice lady called Chasity that looked anything but:-) The wonders of SL!

Cat showed some pieces that was new to me, and that I really liked. Stunning effects of water distortion on the detailed tattooed body:-)

madison Arnahan is not only the owner of this nice gallery, she is also an artist, and I really liked her work:

The combination of the B&W wood background and the delicate skin and lace colours was something new in avatar art (at least for me). I just love to spot creativity!


Again, one thing so great with SL is the possibility to meet the artist and talk about their work and emotions, even if they live on the other side of the world. This will certainly not be my last visit to her place.

I got to meet Peoney Feld, an artist that "...enjoy a little humor in my work...." Indeed she does, "postcard from SL" hit me right on target:-) Hmm this was a dangerous evening for my L$ account:-)


She had some sharp observations about peoples sexuality that I quite liked. I am looking forward to touring her main gallery.

Also on display by Cat was "Pnigalion", "...a scripted work that was entered (and won) in the then Perspectives 2010 competition.".


During my years in SL, I have seen several artists explore the possibilities of scripted art. It's often fancy to look at pictures with wheels turning around, clocks ticking, water flowing or blood dripping. But too often, it's effects for the sake of the effects. That does not make great art. But here, Cat has made great art. The work tells a story in a subtle way, so subtle indeed that I overlooked the effect first time I saw it.

This is truly where classic art meets modern virtual world technique in a novel and irresisteble combination (at least for me; I have a copy on order LOL) . If you have not seen this piece yet, go have a look. And if someone ever doubts that virtual worlds are a serious tool, show them this piece. In all its artistery, its also truly NPIRL, and shows us the way art is evolving.

Just some time off :-)

I really needed to slip out tonight, so I slid American Beauty into the DVD player, fired up Hagrid on the sofa table and dived into SL.

Nice new garden outside

Rune Shamen and Cierra Loxely runs Shamen Galleries - not long since I was there. But I've been getting these group messages about a new exhibit closing soon, so I made it my first stop on my list tonight.

Trasgo Beaumont has made this great classic statue - with some SL twists

Redecorated inside shows the fabulous range of artists these curators knows

I'm not really very knowledgeable when it comes to art. But every now and then I encounter works that just seems to reach some spot deep inside me.

gliding gulls in black sphere - I am enchanted

Who other than my favourite SL artist, Fuschia Nightfire, have made this innovative work? Fuschia , thanks for beeing in SL still. You give me a reason to stay too.

While looking at art I started getting group chats from Maximillion Kleene, a singer I have heard before. He was about to start a live concert at the Romantica Yacht Club. The black glass sphere was burning in my Recent Item pocket, but I felt for some music before rezzing it at home.

The one and only Tipping Cow:-)

"What a day for a daydream" is making me smile even as I write this:-) I just so enjoy this artist.

I do love watching Kevin Spacey finding his second youth, quitting his job, working out, flirting with his daughers girlfriends. But a great concert in SL is just such a nice end of the day too.

Now, this strange neighboor is throwing out his son because he thinks he's gay - and he runs away with Kevin's daugther LOL - but who did really shoot him at the end? The freak and the daughter? The wife? The poor mad gay colonel? hmm, I have wathed this movie several times, but I'm still not sure:-)

Ener wrote a great post the other day (she often does btw; she is just so productive, I can't really understand how she manages, something strengtening in the poutine?) Anyway, she wrote:

because LL is shifting does not mean it is evil

So true. LL is focusing. One may not like the focus, or the lost opportunities to make easy money (wow, I remember the fun I had, buying land at the auctions and selling it for profit, was so easy I almost got a bad concience LOL). Those days are long gone. But SL still grows. Art and music is thriving. And there are lots of places to explore.

I will add:

because competition grows in virtual worlds does not mean SL will not be able to compete in lots of areas.

Now Kevin is undressing his daughers GF, not understanding how bad he is off until she reveals she's a virgin. Now, they're sitting the kitchen, drinking coffe, he asks her if her daugher is happy. So cute.

SL's strenght is in the social networking sphere. But being strong there will keep other markets away. Because if you do education, you may want to keep the flirting and the dancing a bit distant, just to ensure seriousness. If I ever want to convince my employer to use virtual world technology to communicate, it seems much easier to use a grid that is not seen as a kind of game. That's just one reason I have faith in OpenSim grids like ReactionGrid.

The man is dying wathcing a photo of his lost family, finally being happy and content with the life he had lived.

The other reason is standardization. If you create content targeted to Second Life, it will not neccessarlily work in any other grid. If you create content in any OpenSim based grid however, it will be portable to any other grid or hosting provider. You can develop offline, just giving the provider a single .oar file to publish your complete region. You can copy your region to other worlds, or just move it. The lack of such possibilities have allways limited creators.

Yes, that thing of beauty is finally home in my living room!

"It's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world." says the dead Kevin. I guess that is true regarding Linden Lab as well.