Betty Tureaud’s LEA27

By Gemma Cleanslate


“I have packed my suitcase

walk out the door without looking back
Leaving hopelessness and take the bus
to the city

With the hope of a better life
I stand in the dust, waiting for the door to open
on the way to the city

My last money is used for a plane ticket

Hope and uncertainty awaits me in the foreign
I am on my way without looking back.”  

This is Betty’s poem and vision, as expressed in the invitation I received.

What a surprise I had when I visited Betty Tureaud’s installation, The City, in LEA27. I had  stopped by about two weeks ago and roamed the city, however, not enough it seems. The entrance is a desolate desert  landscape littered with animal skulls and other remnants of the past. I was instructed to board a plane I could see in the distance so made my way there .

After landing and making my way to the distant city, I rezzed a plane and circled around  to see all the different stark white buildings. There are many copies of important buildings you will find in various cities around the globe and some by architects of note, all gathered here for you to click and learn . I walked the streets and viewed some sculptures in the squares. I took a trip to the top of one building to peer down. Then began the surprise. I found a building on the outskirts with an glowing orange door. This was a tp to the beginning of what turned out to be  distinctly different and enjoyable levels to explore. So the city became more of a city than I expected. 

I visited all the levels and enjoyed each one, distinctly different and interesting. As I reached the last level, another surprise. I entered the next sim to find it also was part of this same endeavor. Betty was near so I reached out to her for answers. She explained that this is a collaboration with four artists in four LEA attached sims. Tansee had the one that I landed in from Betty’s. The other two connected sims have the work of Gem Priz and Mandel Solano. 

I was able to make my way to several of Tansee’s Dimensions (there are ten) but have decided to do my article before I continue.  As you know Tansee is a master of particles, and they are evident in her enticing dimension.  There is so much to see and do in all the sims and I want you to be able to get there and start your  journey through. I can’t wait to have the time to continue on my own travels. I will be going to Gem’s after March 7 since there is a change of the presentation taking place on that date. 'Wrecks' opens then.  

http://slurl.com/secondlife/LEA27/164/159/1003   Follow the footsteps to the plane. Bon voyage!

Gemma Cleanslate