Lichtbringer's 16 Fields and the LEA Photo Contest

By Klaus Bereznyak

The tripartite collective of Lichtbringer (Light-bringer) have been bringing light to the grid through their collaborations since they first got together in 2015. Their latest installation on LEA26 is called 16 Fields, a sim divided four by four into squares, each square hosting a unique offering of original 3D work.

​There's still time to to enter the Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA) Photo Contest, open for entries until 17 August, and submit your best snap of this breathtaking show. I'm a sucker for a photographic challenge, so I loaded a roll, grabbed some lenses and set my coordinates to LEA26.

The landing point is in a cafe area (one of the 16 fields) with a well-stocked bar and equally well-stocked information points where one can find out about Lichtbringer and some of their other diverse work. Each member of the group, an artist in their own right, contributes unique skills to the collective. They work with handmade meshes, sculpts, prims, particles, lighting and scripts, endlessly experimenting with light. Beyond the cafe area is a surreal plane with tantalising cubic aurorae snaking overhead, snow falling upwards, shapes morphing and changing color. Whether you are a mouselooker or an ALT-zoomer, you need to get out and in among the lights.

​Immersing here is like being in a continuous firework display that you can get up close to without being burned. I was a little overwhelmed at first, but there are only 15 more fields to see after you have had a drink at the bar, or a late breakfast. Three other AVs were lounging near the landing point and, no doubt, camming. I wandered off in the direction of what first aroused my curiosity, a seemingly dark and static piece, beyond all the swirling light, on a corner of the sim. 

A protester stands under a towering sculpture of the word "APOCALYPSE" with arms lifted in an open gesture. Surrounded by death and dryness, the figure seemed hopeless, but I wasn't sure what the message was here. Some of the fields contain sculpted words or recognisable symbols that hint at meanings but leave it open to interpretation. For all the light in play, the dark shapes in some of the fields are fascinating too.

​
Across the fields, the light, colors and shapes that are visible are constantly changing, so that no two moments will be the same, offering endless opportunities for a unique photo capture. The scale of the works ranges from a quirky assortment of colorful polygons in a sort of 'playground' on the NW corner to epic structures that dwarf any AV and can be flown through. For the best flying experience, I recommend the high, cubic lattice of point lights, filled with a morphing funnel of particles in the middle of the southern edge of the sim.

​
To participate in the photo competition for a 1000L$ cash prize and a unique, handmade "namehopper", one must submit a picture taken within the installation. Post-processing is allowed but not essential and there's no entry fee, so it seems open and not too fussy. However, make sure you read all the rules on the competition web-page, especially the detail on perms and how to submit. 

Nobody seems to know what a "namehopper" is, answers on a postcard? I was hoping I'd find the answer somewhere on the sim, and I know what I think it might be, but we shall see. 

​
Lea26 is at: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA26/158/160/32
Details of the photo competiton: http://lindenarts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/lea26-holds-photo-contest-starting.html

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

New Installation at LEA 26

By Gemma Cleanslate

I actually was able to attend an opening of a new installation in LEA 26. I have been missing so many openings lately it was a real treat! It was a fun party with live entertainment, songs by Luke Auster, danced to by an appreciative audience.  Soon after I arrived I was invited to TP to the ground for a dragon ride  installed by Judi Newell . What a great overview of the project. There is so much to investigate, touch everything  and find out what happens. This is a huge exhibit reaching high into the sky and under the water.  After the ride, which took me over the party area, I returned for the end of the party.  Monday I went back to investigate all that I had missed or not visited yet.There is so much to see and explore! 

I happened upon Lorin Tone who explained a lot to me. Since Madcow is absent from Second Life at this time, Lorin has done most of the building and the sounds. There are many parts of the exhibit that are  pieces they did together in the past which you may recognize from other exhibits but many that have not been seen before. 

One particular part is a section of Las Vegas and I asked Lorin about that...“Ah, we did a machinima with Chantal Harvey of Eric Whitacre's 'Godzilla Eats Las Vegas.' Whitacre came into SL and was interviewed, I met him there. Asked him if I could a SL version of the piece and he said sure.” It is : A Second Life version of Eric Whitacre's "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas," produced and directed by Chantal Harvey and Lorin Tone, featuring Madcow Cosmos, Lauren Weyland and Judi Newall (and a cast of dozens).” You can see it here. Cute and funny! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ybl5JKPwU Las Vegas machinima, or you can view it at the Las Vegas set in the sim as part of your visit. 


The instruments all around the region on and ground and above need to touched and be sure to listen. Some are trampolines, which I found out as I bounced around (laughter). Lorin will be doing some performances and  demonstrations of the instruments and also discussing sound techniques in Second Life. While you are there don’t miss the singing whales, the harps, and try the evolution of a sandwich, and The Steam Dancefloor! There is so much!!

Start here near the dragon ride and grab a notecard at Welcome and Information . The dragon will help you recognize where you want to be and then you are on your own. Pick up some of the wonderful instruments as you move along.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA26/134/123/27

Gemma Cleanslate

Pinwheels at LEA 26

By Bixyl Shuftan

Recently at the Linden Endowment of the Arts sim LEA 26, there's an interesting new exhibit called "Pinwheels." A display of fractal art, it takes up most of the length and width of the sim in three dimensions, and every few moments parts of the display will shift position at random. It's made up of triangular-shaped prims high over the sim, going from the starting position in a walkable twisting path consisting of steep cliffs and twisting bends.

While giving the place a visit, in mid-August, I ran into the artist, Mac Kanashimi. He had a few things to say about the place.

"So this is your exhibit?" I asked him.

"It is," Mac answered.

I looked around, "Looks pretty big. Just how much of the sim does it cover?"

"All of it," Mac answered.

"We're just shy of 3000 in the air," I observed, "Does it go all the way to the bottom?"

"Oh no," he answered, "the path (of fractals) goes 256 meters deep."

"What gave you the idea for this build?" I asked.

Mac's answer was, "After my Mandelbrot fractal art in round 4, I skipped round 5 to build fractal prototypes. This is one of the fractals for which I built a prototype. There is a list of fractals on Wikipedia for inspiration."

"Was it hard for you to create it here?" I asked.

"When I deployed it on August 2," he answered, "it was just push the button and wait. It is all scripted."

"How long was the wait?" I asked.

"Somewhere between one and two hours," Mac answered.

"To those not in the know," I asked, "could you explain a little what fractal art is?"

The artist answered, "a fractal is a pattern which is repeated on a different scale. I use 2D fractals and the third dimension is used for the art."

"About how long will this be running in Second Life?" I asked.

Mac answered, " 'till end of December,"

"So far, about how many have been coming here?" I requested.

"1743 different visitors," he responded, "including me and my alt." (the interview was done August 17)

"That's quite a number," I told him, then asked, "About how many a day drop in?"

Mac answered, "between 200-250 since this exhibition appeared in the Editors' Picks category of the Destination Guide."


"So what else have you worked on in Second Life?" I then asked him.

Mac thought for a moment, "Round 6 was Dragon Curves, Round 4 was 3D Mandelbrot Fractal Art. SL8B - SL11B, and an exhibit of small 3D fractals. (The) SL birthday exhibit was a 3-ring gyro with a seat, 88 polyhedron skeletons, a 3D maze and a small dragon curve."

"Sounds like you've been busy," I told the artist.

"Since my SL birthday," he answered.

I had noticed Mac's headwear was done in a style I recognized. So I then asked, "By the way, whom did your hat?"

Mac answered, "the hat was designed my Mikati Slade-san. The hat was a gift during her 'Pico Pico Life' exhibit. I am her scripting advisor."


"Interesting, so you both work together at times?" I asked.

Mac told me, "I assisted behind the scenes with her SL9B Cake Stage."

We were temporarily distracted by a naked visitor dropping in. I commented to the artist, "Heh heh, looks like you get no shortage of interesting visitors Mac."

The streaker then vanished, Mac saying, "I put him on the ban list for indecent exposure."

 I chuckled, "Heh heh, so who have been your most interesting vistors here?"

"Reporters and artists are interesting," he answered, "SaveMe Oh was interesting."

I recalled SaveMe as having gotten the boot from a few places, including Burn2. "What did she do here?" I asked.

"She specializes in wearable exhibitions," the artist told me, saying this time she wore, "dressing cabins with wait-in-line cords and a queue of waiting NPCs, also a complete house and a herd of zebras."

I chuckled, "Heh, sounds funny."

"Oh yes," Mac commented, "but I did move the landing point, otherwise visitors landed inside the house. If someone is hogging the landing point, I always move it to a different spot."

"Sounds like you've been busy here," I told him, "I take it you're already at work on future plans?"

"I am," he answered, "but I have not chosen the definite subject yet."

Before leaving, I asked, "Anything else you'd like to mention about Pinwheels or any other project?"

the artist answered, "for every project, something interesting pops up. For the Mandelbrot fractals, it was the link limit. For Pinwheels it was letting each object know what the direct neighbours are. For Dragon Curves, how to fit 10 curves together like a jigsaw puzzle."

"Okay, well, thank you for your time, Mac."

"You're welcome."

I tipped my hat, and we parted ways.

Pinwheels can be visited at LEA26 (118/5/2969).

Bixyl Shuftan