The New Palais Orleans

By Gemma Cleanslate

At the beginning of November I was invited to Palais Orleans to view recent works by two artists. I began to do a story about it, but stopped when I learned while talking to the owner that she was about to tear the whole gallery down and build a new complex. That made me wait. Morgana Nagorski has now finished her three galleries and launched them at opening parties on Saturday and Sunday. I attended the  party on Sunday along with many other guests. I heard that about 70 attended the opening Saturday.  

Gallery 1 is a collection of lovely pieces by Morgana from several past exhibits. I found some of that art very wistful and elegant. Gallery 2 has an exhibit called “Phantasmagoria.” This gallery presentation is very different and  contains pieces that are described as an ”optical illusion produced by a magic lantern of the like in which figures increase or diminish in size, pass into each other, dissolve.” There, you will find pieces by Morgana and Kato Salyut. Gallery 3 houses an exhibit called “What a Wonderful World” and contains beautiful landscapes of second life by Morgana. There are beautiful plays of color and light in the photographs.  Morgana says that this gallery will remain essentially the same. 

Gallery 1 will always host a duet of artists and will change often. Morgana wanted those artists to have their showing without all the hoopla of the opening days so an exhibit featuring the art of  Maloe Vansant and Burk Bode called 'The Weirdo and I’ will be opening soon. Gallery 2 will have an exhibit of works by 22 artists based on the songs of Leonard Cohen beginning on January 17. You will enjoy all three galleries and they are within walking distance set with a lovely courtyard in the center. 

I met the builder of all the galleries, Zandy Oh, at the party and she is to be complimented on her work.  Morgana also has her studio there where she has portraits for clients that are special order. You will enjoy visiting the galleries and viewing the entire exhibit as it is now, but also hang on to the landmark. There will be so much more to see.When you go look for gifts in each building, or in the courtyard.  

Enter here and enjoy! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gardenia%20Islands/120/77/2501

Gemma Cleanslate

Of Sound Mind at the Linden Endowment for the Arts

By DrFran Babcock

Talk about sounds in Second Life and Lorin Tone’s name is bound to come up. Thus, when Judi Newall sent me a notecard to alert me that Lorin and his friends had gotten a sim in the Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) I knew I was in for a treat. I teleported over there, and was met by Lorin Tone himself. He told me to explore, so that’s what I set out to do. I had a wonderful, joyfully noise-filled time, and so will you.

The build is actually a series of several different environments, constructed by Lorin’s long time collaborator and aptly-named recluse, Madcow Cosmos, along with other friends: Glyph Graves, P4ndor4, Quintessa, Meriadne Merlin,Inventor Alchemi, Marcus Parrott, Mia Anais, and Judi Newall. It’s a testament to Lorin’s spirit of teamwork that so many people love to work with him.

It is difficult to describe the builds, especially because they focus on sound—a concept that does not translate well into print. The exhibits are interactive, and rely upon you to touch and walk through characters and sculptures to create and loop sounds. For example: A beach side group of singing creatures loop sounds and chorus when touched. Touch them all for a pleasing cacophony, touch them again to change the loop played, and the whole sound changes completely.

Or, go to the Obligatory Spooky Cave, and walk through the falling water to activate sounds that echo and chime through the space, but beware the monster at the end. There are so many activities: Eat Brains under the giant skull, visit the jellyfish underwater that were made by Glyph Graves , see the Boolean Sequencer by Inventor Alchemi, play full songs on The Mighty SLurlitzer, visit Marcus Parrott’s café where the staff speak to you and sing the Fishead Song, and everywhere on the sim Madcow Cosmos’ alarming, cute and frightening characters, sticking out their tongues, winking, flapping wings, and most of all making sounds, sounds sounds.

The whole point of this installation is this, according to Lorin Tone: Second Life is a place where so many different and amazing environments can be created, but what improves and enhances all of them is sound. Lorin and his friends have a mission to improve how sound is used in Second Life., and the sim is proof that they have succeeded.

Of Sound Mind is open now on LEA Island 19. Did I mention freebies? There are several scattered around the sim. I found a harp and some other goodies to play. There will be events and lectures and sound seminars throughout the installation. Check the Linden Endowment for the Arts website for schedules: http://lindenarts.blogspot.com .

LEA19, (123, 187, 22)

DrFran Babcock

Burn2: The Temple Burn

Sunday November 4th was the second of the two burns at the Burn2 festival: the Temple Burn. Like the burning of "The Man," it was scheduled to take place three times, morning, Noon, and evening. Due to the technical glitches that weekend, the early morning burn was postponed until the following day. So the first one that day was at Noon.

At Noon, the Temple begins to catch fire.

The temple brazier, which had been lit the entire time of the festival, is now joined by other flames.

Before lighting, people had been sending various messages to the temple, which it read aloud before and the early part of the burning.

"Peace love and friendship to all," "Love and light," "Life and love are best when both made fresh dailey :-D ," "I will always love you M," "Computers are useless. They can only give us answers. (Pablo Picasso)," "May the God and Goddess bless us all," "Pip is the greatest/Christ is the bestest," "Beautiful Dreamers~May love always lead your way," "I was never able to tell you how much I love you, it was always there deep in my heart, and will stay there till the end, I love you .. I wish you would know it!"

"May the long time SUNSHINE upon you, all LOVE surround you, and the pure light with in you GUIDE your way Home," "Truth and Love are gifts from the Universe to us! Reach out and receive Love," "Kindness is free share it!" "Hope for a gentle warm wind blown upon your mind and sail away to a dream state of harmony!" "I love Second Life, and all it's creative bliss," "We are spirits having a human experience!" "For those who burn, those who wish to burn, and those that have burnt before, (love), ""Which ever way I end up here I'm always home, Burn On, Burn on ツ "It is well to be born in a decadent age, one may obtain a reputation for virtue at a bargain price - Voltaire, " "Goodbye Paul David Addis, the dark impish soul of Burnin Man."

The sims adjacent to the burning Temple were packed. Among those were was blogger Daniel Voyager in his owl avatar, "I'm really excited!"

It wasn't long before the whole temple was afire, "Here comes the flame, boy!"

The Temple was soon consumed by the virtual flame, and began coming apart, "There she goes!" "Hot grits a'flyin, y'all!"

"Moar C4!" "Whoah!"

Parts didn't just fall down, but sometimes flew off a short distance, "Ow! I got hit by falling burning temple!"

Eventually, the Temple had completely collapsed.

And the all-clear was given, "Rabbit Hole is open now!" "Be brave and enter." And it was quickly filled with enthusiastic burners, "It's not letting me in." "Damn, this sim fills fast!" "Please try to take turns going in and out so everyone has a chance to enter." "Rabbit Hole is a homestead sim, so only 20 allowed at a time. Please take turns."

A close up of one of the Burners, a few items on her face still not completely showing, but the light made for a picturesque view.

People darted around, and even in, the virtual flames, "This temple burn was, and is, beautiful!"

One Ranger approached with a fire extinguisher.

With the flames dying down, some left. Others hung around, a few offering words of thanks and poetry, "Rebith, renew, not the same, better, again, brighter, for the past, renew, another opportunity, gifted, like each day, we burn, we renew."

The temple burn would take place again in the evening, and the next morning. After that, the Burn2 festival was officially over, although the sims remained up for a few more days and there were some smaller parties.

And so, the largest art and music festival in Second Life came to a close for another year. But fans won't have to wait a whole year for another taste. Saturday the 10th is the Skin Burn. And some smaller Burn-related events had been organized between the 2011 and 2012 festivals, so there will likely be more. But there's only one Burn2.

"Can't wait till next year, goodnight everybody!"

For more pictures, check the Burn2 Flickr. 

Bixyl Shuftan