Environmental Art Delivers a Sobering Message at Ecoscape

Environmental Art Delivers a Sobering Message at Ecoscape

by Klaus Bereznyak

EcoScape opened March the 3rd in a dedicated setting at Asmita Duryanjaya's InterstellART sim. Environmental Art installations from 8 Second-Life artists treat a variety of issues from the threat of biosphere collapse to human survival strategies in a polluted future scenario. The exhibits are impactful and informative and well worth experiencing up close.

One of the contributing artists, Elle Thorkveld explained to me how she'd been inspired with the seed of an idea while participating in an online class in Environmental Humanities. She highlighted a rare interview with the artist Gustav Metzger in AnOther magazine which talked of a need for artists to speak up about the issues the earth is facing.

"I mentioned an environmental art exhibit as a possibility for a different venue to Asmita Duranjaya. She liked the idea and offered to host it at her interstellART sim.  I would like to credit Asmita for all the great work she has done refining the concept, curating, organizing and creating installations herself for the exhibit. I have done much less in comparison.

Beyond the initial idea and some support, my contributions have been limited to creating an installation."

In spite of it being a difficult topic and far from cheerful, the project has been well received. It attracted a full sim for the opening event, and the level of interest has been encouraging.

The exhibits are stationed in a desert environment. Visitors can use teleport stations to get around or walk over the dunes on foot. There is information available in notecards at each station as well as in a dedicated information area, where a book about the show and some comfy chairs are free to pick up and take home.

Asmita, in a notecard, outlines the overarching intent of the exhibition:

"As artists we can neither influence necessary political decisions (except of voting for the parties and politicians, who care), nor reverse some negative developments of the industrial growth.
But we can warn, issue a statement beside trying our best in personal life to behave ecologically responsible."

I asked Elle what she thought artists can do about environmental problems:

"I think that they can raise awareness of the problems through presenting aspects in their work.  Artists have the freedom to look at issues in imaginative ways which I think can raise the public's consciousness of issues. They might even offer new solutions."

Some of the stations make use of the virtual environment to immerse the viewer in alternative visions of the future.

June Clavenham's "Overpopulation" features a city burned out and ruined, embedded with interactive media stations and leading to a brightly painted garden that could represent a better future.

Our choice is also emphasised in Duna Gant's "You Decide" and Alosio Congrejo's "To Be or Not to Be."

The diversity of approaches artists have taken to the subject is worth appreciating, both in their choice of issues and the techniques used to create their installations.

Melodie Heart has collaborated with Erico Lecker in creating "Armageddon in the Biosphere" to highlight the frightening consequences of the destruction of insect life through pollution, habitat changes, overuse of pesticides, and global warming.

It must have been challenging for artists to zoom in from all the possible environmental issues they could underline.

Elle Thorkveld's contribution, "No Ark in Sight", calls our attention to rising oceal levels and the plight of polar bears with imagery that melts together arctic scenes and open ocean, demonstrating the transition. She explained why she chose the bears:

"I like bears in general and I think polar bears, being so specifically adapted to an environment that is being dramatically impacted by climate change are sort of a canary in the coal mine for all animals and the mass extinction going on. They are beautiful animals, it is very sad."

The beauty of trees and the artists' evident love for them is poignantly presented by Lalie Sorbet on an island with cutout organic forms and by Asmita Duryanjaya in her tree-hugging trail.

Asmita's trail invites the visitor to ponder a series of quotes in a short pilgrimage and homage to trees, then to go and hug a tree in RL.

Overlooking the exhibit, Asmita has also composited an inspiring build with a focus on survival strategies, using mesh creations by Silas Merlin. It asks what kinds of alternative technologies humans might need to survive after a catastrophe.

All the contributring artists have more permanent exhibiting areas on the main part of the InterstellART sim, which can be reached by teleport from the landing area.

This exhibition is a bold foray into the ways virtual art can be used to inform, confront and offer some answers while emphasizing the worrying state of the planet. The challenge of using a virtual world to create a uniquely immersive branch of environmental art has been creatively entertained by the participants, and Asmita has done a great work in initiating and assembling the experience for Second life avatars. The exhibit remains open for visiting, and it has only been possible to mention a few of the details.

It seems fitting to end with an afterthought that Elle Thorkveld offered in our discussion:

"We have a focus on finding new life in the solar system, as a great search, yet we are participating in mass extinction of thousands of living species right here on our own planet. It is ironic and rather sad, we humans are strange creatures.  I think simply shifting our attitudes towards other species, to respect them and see that they too have a right to exist, live and raise their families, to be treated with kindness, would help greatly.  As Asmita said in her installation, Hug a tree."

Links:
Gustav Metzger: "We Must Become Idealists or Die" -  http://www.anothermag.com/design-living/8123/gustav-metzger-we-must-become-idealists-or-die
About the Environmental Art Movement - https://www.theartstory.org/movement-environmental-art.htm
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nice%20Atoll/159/112/2996

Klaus Bereznyak

A Look At The Chibi Noodle Dragon Avatar

By Bixyl Shuftan

While some people stick with one avatar all the time, many people I know have a small collection of them. While usually in one appearance, they'll change to something else for a contest, a roleplay, or just for a little fun. So once in a while, when friends keep talking about a certain avatar, many are inclined to get one. Some months ago, a number of people were going after a three-headed feral canine called the "Hellhound." This month, there's a new "must have" avatar" the Chibi Noodle Dragon.

To begin with, the avatar is made by NutBusterz, which in the past has made a variety of products, including some cheeky ones. One friend called the product their effort to make something cute and innocent. The main place to get one is at the Gacha Guild Spring in Dew Drop. There are other good avatars there, such as the "Curious Critters" avatars by XuXu (Xulael Resident). If you want the Chibi Noodle Avatar, it can be found close to Dew Drop (112/116/1738). You'll have to walk to it as teleporting to the Gacha Guild, you'll end up at the entry area.

Getting the avatar is usually simple enough, paying just 100 Lindens into the vendor. But it has been known to break, which requires messaging someone to fix it. You then get not the avatar, but a voucher for one. This is non-copyable, but can be given to someone like other items in gachas. To get the avatar, you don't open the voucher, which could break it. You "add" it to your avatar, then click on it. It will appear on you looking like a small and cute dragon in your arms. Clicking on that will get you the avatar.

Like other gacha avatars, some varieties are less common than others. The common ones are the "Natural," "Thawny," "Spotted," and "Noir." Uncommon are the "Piebald" and "Runic." There are two rare ones with pronounced horns. The most rare is the "Koi," which is fishtailed. The vouchers can be traded, and the rare and ultrarare ones can fetch some good money (or you could give one to a noodle fan among your circle of friends and make them really happy).

Even if you're not a dragon fan, you'll probably think of the noodle dragon as cute and adorable. While not quite as small as most tiny avatars and much larger than a petite, it's still small. It's natural expression is to smile. It makes cute noises, especially when getting belly rubs, and it's various animations add to it's cuteness.

Moving around is much like a regular avatar, though you're usually on all fours. There is a HUD that allows you to look asleep, mad, sad, etc. There are also nine body animations, such as sitting down, rubbing a whisker, rolled over on the back, hugging, dancing on the ground, dancing on the back legs. One animation has the noodle dragon offering an egg (the Koi offers caviar). If touched, the person touching gets a copy of the egg. It can be hatched into a pet dragon that can be held. I read there is a swimming HUD, but haven't tried it out yet.

There's a number of accessories available for the chibi noodle dragon. Only a few are made by NutBusterz. Many can be found at the Gacha Guild Spring, such as hoodies and other outfits, teacups with various phrases of which adding it to the avatar gets it to drink it (the ultra-rare in the gacha is a coffee machine). There are also armors available. The avatar is also modifiable, and there are skins out for it. Someone passed me a copyable "death breath" attachment, so some of the mods are being passed around for free. There's also a large number of accessories available on Marketplace.

The avatar is Bento, so some older viewers may not be able to see it properly. The other problem is that to some, gachas can be quite addictive. "Betcha can't stop at just one," one might say. And indeed many can't. So watch your spending.

In just a short time, the Chibi Noodle Avatar has become quite popular in some circles. At some events, I've seen close to a dozen of them. To make matters more interesting, a Noodle Dragon themed sim has sprung up. Called "Noodle Kingdom," it's on the sim on the map appropriately named "Cute." The sim has some Asian-themed structures up. But there are also some definitely non-Asian places such as a Subway-themed restaurant. The sim is fairly new, with shops moving in. So there will likely be changes in the days and weeks after this article.

So what's the future for the Chibi Noodle Dragon? As there have been "must-have" avatars before, one can easily dismiss them as another fad that after a short time in the spotlight fades into the background. But that someone was willing to put down enough cash to get a noodle dragon themed sim is evidence that some are willing to bet money that the demand for the avatars and their products will be around for a while.

I've heard comparisons to the pony avatars, which eight years after their introduction still have a strong following. Unlike the ponies however, the Noodle Dragons don't have stories to help backup roleplay in the fandom. But as the stories the pony sims base their RP off of are from cartoons aimed at young and teenage girls and young women, it's fair to say the dragons have greater appeal to guys.

While nothing is certain, it's a good bet the Chibi Noodle Dragons will have a following for some time to come.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cica Ghost's Drawn Town

By Klaus Bereznyak

Imagine you had a magic pencil that could draw 3D lines in thin air so they became real objects ... what would you draw? Cica Ghost has been busy with her magic pencil creating her latest installation, Drawn Town, in Second Life - giving us a taste of what it might feel for a whole town to come to life from a sketch. Coming as it does, so soon after her last immersive offering, Lullaby, this new sim reveals a creative mind at play, recombining elements and ideas in fresh ways that are nevertheless instantly recognisable as classic 'Cica'.

When the sim opened at the start of the month, white lines in a black, starry night outlined the moonlit town. Visitors landed in a box high above and were invited to jump through a hole and fall through the darkness into the drawn wilds surrounding the town. A short walk through the trees and plants brought them to the town where there are alleyways to explore, ladders to climb, and even a cafe where one can relax and drink drawn coffee.

It seemed as if you were walking into a child's drawing on a blackboard but, up close, everything seemed to be outlined with frosted icing. Some of Cica's installations have stories to follow, leaving space for the avatar to also make up their own. This one was introduced with just a simple quote from the Irish Actress Maureen O'Hara: "In the beginning it was all black and white."

Last week, members of Cica's group received a notice that the whole town had switched black and white: what was black was now white, and vice-versa. I went back to look and it was a very different experience in the 'daytime'. For one thing, the sun now looked down where the moon had flickered before.

Visitors to the installation will keep tripping over the cats that make an appearance, wherever Cica has been at work, but the town is also inhabited by her signature, sketched figures who have even hung out their washing to dry between the tall houses.

For the curious, there is plenty to click on and look at, including places to sit high up with great views of the streets.

Cica cars are available to drive, and easier to maneuver than many SL vehicles. Time spent here is rewarding, and I mean not popping in for a few highly unusual selfies but immersing in the playful fantasy and pondering the stories that might be behind the doors. The little details, like stars floating up from the chimneys, characters looking out from windows, and huge street lamps that look more like the standing lamps you might find in a living room, are all worth spotting.

Cica Ghost is an SL artist based in Serbia and has been drawing marvelous landscapes filled with fantastical whimsy and bringing them to life in our virtual world since 2010. Many of her creations can be bought at her store and found all over the grid, especially the cats. Virtually every single month last year (2018) saw a fresh creation unleashed, some dark, some playful, all compellingly unique and imaginative. We look forward to seeing what comes next.

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Draxtor Despress did a short video of the place: (click here if the video fails to play)

SLURLS:
Drawn Town - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Koro/169/128/22
Cica's Store - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Appalachian/141/139/3502

Klaus Bereznyak

Burn2: "Seasonal Perceptions" Brings Snow and Dust Storms to January

By Klaus Bereznyak

The Playa at Deep Hole lit up again last weekend, bringing warming sparks of creativity to our virtual world and proving there are still great artists out there doing amazing things with prims and particles.

The theme for this year's Winter Burn was 'Seasonal Perceptions'. Builders' imaginations were challenged by the brief:

Our perceptions are a driving force in how we interact with the world around us. But imagination is also a strong influencer. Given all that, how would you perceive the seasons? Would you reflect the environment around you... or imagine something completely off the wall and different? Show us your "Seasonal Perceptions!"

The burn kicked off with a weekend full of performances starting from the moment the lamplighters walked onto the Playa early Friday evening, and continuing through Sunday night. Events included a fashion show by the Burn2Fashionistas, a collective of non-professional virtual models lead by Vickie Maidstone. The builds are still up this week to be explored and enjoyed.

Arriving at Deep Hole, visitors could choose to go left towards Summer or right towards Winter and to follow a wide circle around the builds showing the responses of some twenty different artists to the theme. Though much smaller than the main Burn, and only occupying one sim, a good hour or two could agreeably be passed delving into the builds. Whether made from scratch or by clever use of prefabricated components, the builds displayed a generous array of imaginative interpretations.

Providing a walk through the seasons of the year, there was a good balance of 'warm' and 'cold' from installations like Serra Quendra's surreal and summery beach hangout through to the mythological magic of Andrea Jones' ice-bound viking longship and the snow globe by ღ Dreams ღ.

Other installations sought to capture the experience of multiple seasons.

At the core of the sim, an interactive Weather Machine, created by iSkye Silverweb dominated the atmospheric conditions. Many of the builds featured interactive elements, including Suzie's melting snowmen and rideable snow bunnies and Leroy Horten's Sun Man popping out from the ground.

For added interest, visitors could participate in a scavenger hunt to find 10 prizes dotted about the installations. The variety of responses to the theme was impressive. Some, such as Melodie Heart and Erico Lecker's Wonderful World and Marcel Mosswood's Back Ton nature installations, not surprisingly sounded a warning about global warming.

True to form, Burn2 has provided us with yet another memorable feast of radical self expression and been a beacon of grassroots virtual artistry. Well done, everybody!

Slurl: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/224/92/25

Klaus Bereznyak

Arcadia Asylum Living Library

By Gemma Cleanslate

One of the most fascinating sites to visit in Second Life , in my opinion, is Arcadia Asylum Living Library.  Prof. Grey (BrianL61 Landar) built and owns this place . Originally it held the works of Arcadia, Aley (the same). . Prof . Grey has been updating it to add all the Yadni Junkyard vendors to it along with items made by Moard Ling , some of his own creations  and a few others early  creators.. Yadni’s Junkyard was such a fun place to visit in Second Life for years. He has closed it and has retreated to real-life to further his art projects. However he left all his junk behind with love.

Arcadia Asylum built so many fascinating installations during her many lives in Second Life. She is gone now and sorely missed. I met her several times at her builds underwater, at her pirate town and in LEA . She was lots of fun to visit. So many of her pieces I see every where in SL to this day. Her many avatars are great to play with too.

I call this library a museum because it holds so much of the early days of  Second Life. Prims that made everything before mesh was even thought of. Every item you see in the vendors there is free! Not only is it free it is full permission. One can take anything there apart and create a  new item from the parts. The only thing one cannot do is sell any item. I have seen many of the items used as decorations in regions, clubs, homes across the grid. Some of Yadni’s buildings are the basis of some shops or decor outside in town centers.

Prof. Grey says,”My goal is to help preserve the works of SL's Great Creators and Collectors like, Aley.Resident,  Arcadia Asylum,  YadNi Monde, Moard Lin and help to distribute them for all to enjoy.I ask nothing in return, if you'd like to help Please let me know.If you would like to have/start a library of your own, Please drop Me a notecard.”

I asked Prof Grey how many items he thought he had there and his answer was, “we are at least 8000+ items now i started taking a count but it will be a while til i can have a total, i figure safely between 8 & 10 thousand items total.” He is also looking at gathering more Greenies items. Go enjoy looking through the vendors for anything you may want.

There are other libraries across the grid helping him make the items available and you can pick up a list of them at the library. Some of the actual exhibits are still available to visit in Second Life and you can find out about them there too.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Anilis/37/160/113

Gemma Cleanslate

Windlight Gallery

by Gemma Cleanslate

I have been outside so much in the cold and wintery air exploring winter and holiday places I felt the need to take a break and go relish some art inside a gallery. I had not been over to the Windlight Gallery for a while and there was revamping going on so I decided to check it out.

The Gallery just reopened on Jan 6 with artists for the month.

I really like the look of the new gallery. Each artist has a wall space with a lovely name placard and a picture of the artist below that give a notecard about the artist. This is so helpful to people viewing the pieces who might like to contact the artist for more information. I always like to find one when I visit galleries around the grid. There are an eclectic selection on the two floors of the gallery of rl and sl art . It is a good place to view the many genres artists have in their  creative passions.  It is also a wonderful place to purchase works that you like for your homes. There is always something here for anyone’s taste. Outside the gallery on the road you will find small galleries of artists that are mostly permanent to visit.

 I always take a walk around and then stop off at the  Ristorante Ivanna. This is a charming dining site where anyone can visit and enjoy your choice off an extensive menu. It makes for a great dining place for friends or lovers. I believe it can be booked for parties . The bar tender is always there to help and listen if you need to talk.

I ran into the owner , John Brianna (johannes1977 Resident), working on the revamp of the Black and White Gallery, The Edge, while I was there . The Edge  will be reopening  Sunday the 20th of January. There will be a big reopening party as usual. I am sorry to say I missed the last weekend one for the Windlight.  I always look forward to the new art that appears here every month. A list of the currant artists can be found on the Kultivate Magazine website :  https://kultivatemagazine.com/artists/  

 This is the entrance to the gallery.

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%20Haven/69/134/26

Gemma Cleanslate

Feral Furry Theater Returns to Sunweaver Space

By Bixyl Shuftan

In the past, one of the weekly events in the Sunweaver community was the showing of movies by Shockwave Yareach at the Feral Furry Theater. Originally a screen on a skybox with a few chairs, it was later made into a place that resembled a real-life movie theater, thanks to Felina Fermi. But over a year ago, a viewer update "broke" this and presumably other movie screens. So the theater was closed.

But on Sunday January 6, Shockwave had an announcement in Sunweaver chat, "As it is now a new year, it's time for the return of an old tradition.... We *now have movies again!*" The Feral Theater was now open again. Dropping over, I asked him if the theater was truly back in business. "Yes indeed!" he answered, "New servers, new streaming solution, took a while to solve."

"What's the max number that can see?" Shockwave went on, "I have NO idea. 100M to the backbone.  Dual 3Ghz server. I can probably host a *lot.* So now we have movies again! And Spry.com can kiss my left one!" The wolf growled, "They cancelled me when they saw I had videos on board. Didn't bother to see they were 1/4 size, etc. So I have a new host. It's deliberate.  Can't pump the raw data here -- nobody would have the bandwidth.  So it's transcoded to 300kbps video, 96kbps audio. Fine for SL ... of course, everyone still has to have their media turned on in the viewers."

"I should update the movie posters out there," commented Felina Fermi, who was there. Someone else asked, "So Life Of Brian for Easter again?" "Yep!" Shockwave grinned, "Gotta get those traditions going again!" It was observed Rita Mariner wasn't there yet. Shockwave responded, "I've messaged Rita's phone to tell her." Of the theater entrance, someone had rezzed a number of chairs in front of the concession stand. Shockwave joked that was just one of the problems, " I know the popcorn is stale.  The theater's been closed over a year."

The movie shown was a recent release that was not a particularly big box-office draw. Shockwave commented he originally thought it would be mediocre, but he liked it.

The videogames in the front lobby no longer work, at least for my viewer. But the theater does have points of interest besides the main event. The projection room is accessible, and has a good amount of detail. The bathrooms however were always occupied. Of the seating in the theater, people have the choice of sitting in theater seats to watch the movie, or mats for couples.

The Feral Furry Theater will have events every Sunday at 6 PM SL time, baring complications. Upon hearing of the theater's opening, the Sunweaver venue that had been doing Sunday evening events, the Happy Vixen, rescheduled to 3 to 6 PM SL time.

Sunweaver Space (243,192,451)

Bixyl Shuftan