Juanita Deharo

Ramblings - two best shows this week

2012-01-23T17:08:00.001+10:00

I've been going through new and old footage from Second Life and Inworldz, making machinima and having a lovely time revisiting exhibitions fromm the past.

This week in Second Life I visited Shellina Winkler's latest exhibition at Aneli's Gallery. Shellina is one of six artists currently exhibiting in the gallery. The owner Aneli Abeyanti is working hard to show new and interesting work and develop a following for the gallery. For me Shellina's work was by far the best in the show, but of course it's well known I like her work a lot, and the rest is well worth seeing too.

Everyone seems to be going black and white at the moment (including me) and Shellina's small sculptural works without colour resonate with her usual sophisticated and restrained approach and are a joy for anyone interested in graphic design to photograph (and see).

One of the other interesting shows I saw this week was Ultraviolet Alter's 'Mind Pageant' at torno Kohime Foundation. I'm a sucker for anything that inlcudes text, but there's also a fine feeling of colour and movement to this exhibition. Worth spending some time exploring.

I've done a short machinima of Ultraviolet's installation here.

Asmita Duranjaya at UWA

2012-01-17T20:23:00.000+10:00

It took three tries for me to finally find my way into Asmita Duranjaya’s build at UWA.
The full sim show UWA Sky Series, Between Orient and Occident, is 3 different takes on a single theme, rather than a collaborative work, and so far I have looked at Asmita’s section, as well as becoming hopelessly lost and confused when I stumbled into Chapter’s section by mistake. Perhaps it’s because I’ve lost touch with things, or am particularly dense, but I am not enchanted by puzzles and quests and artifices that make finding your way around more complicated than it might otherwise be. I came to see some art……..and I found the puzzle aspect a disconcerting sideline.
I’ve been to quite a few exhibitions where there’s a plethora of explanation or instruction, HUDs that block your view, barriers to movement, complicated pathways, and more. I don’t much like it – I immediately bridle when someone tries to control my viewing experience like this.

In Asmita’s exhibition there is purpose in the sequential and controlled nature of the experience. While the building skills and graphics in the exhibition are not always excellent, like most of her work this installation has a strong intellectual foundation and its roots are in the narrative rather than the purely visual. Her preference for using books as a means of communication fits with her academic background, her desire to inform and educate, and the strong story telling element in her work. The visuals are perhaps the weakest element, at their strongest when they are used as illustrative tableaux - a format in which Asmita excels.

While I can’t say I admired all of the build, I do very much admire the serious and intellectual approach Asmita takes to making her work. It is a pleasure to see an artist whose desire is to make and communicate something meaningful and full of thought. One can feeel and appreciate the time, effort, knowledge and questioning behind the build, the sort of strong foundation that is missing in many works of virtual 'art'.

In the cityscape I think she comes closest to integrating the visual and narrative experience into a coherent and very pleasing whole, and this is the part of the build I liked most.

For those who’d like more information, Thirza and others have written at length about the build.

My advice in viewing the work is to surrender to Asmita’s control via the HUD and various interactive elements. That is really how you see the exhibition, not just by looking at the build. By doing so you take full advantage of the powerful intellectual base in the build.

Imagination

2012-01-03T15:21:00.000+10:00

'Imagination' is the name of the new sim I am working on in Inworldz thanks to the generosity of Jeri Rahja who seems to be determined to singelhandedly make a difference for artists in this new virtual frontier.
At this stage I have no idea what might come of it, just that it's both exciting and a bit scary to now be expected to produce something/anything worthwhile.
Later in the year I'll be using my own sim for a real life project introducing some local high school students to the joys of making art in virtual worlds, so this is a great bonus to have another sim to play with to make my own art.
The bean bags are out for anyone who wants to visit, but nothing much is happening yet.

Happy New Year Ponderings

2012-01-01T13:53:00.003+10:00

Happy New Year to all my virtual and not so virtual friends.
When I look back over the year there’s been a lot of changes, a lot of things lost from Second Life, a shifting of the sands, a change in the focus of the world, and a realignment of the art and creativity sector.

I try to stay away from the rumour mills and just use what I can, but for the first time this year changes in virtual worlds have made me question how I can best enjoy my involvment. The biggest of these changes for me was the establishment of LEA, which made it less attractive and less viable for individual artists and galleries to maintain a presence in Second Life. The corporatization and commodification of creativity is nothing new, but for me it marked the end of an era.

Many galleries have closed in Second Life, including my own, and while this possibly has as much to do with the economic climate as anything else, for me, and others, finances weren’t the driving factor.

It’s been a year of personal decisions ….scaling down my commitment to land in Second Life and buying a sim in Inworldz being the two big ones. The availability of a cheaper and viable alternative to Second Life for artists and creative has been a driving factor in the success of alternative worlds like Inworldz.

I think small is beautiful (and manageable) and I’m pleased that these new worlds still have the sense of experimentation, raw settlement and cooperation that made Second Life an exciting place to be six years ago. Unfortunately, Linden Lab, as a larger organization, has been forced to go for lowest common demonimator, impersonal and corporate solutions for its user base, with the result that much that differentiated it from the real world has been lost.

I was over looking at Lanes List a few days ago and thought about our need to celebrate the survivors, things that have been constant over the years, those who have continued to make quiet contributions to the development of virtual world art. And there are many – like pirats, Nordan, and Rose, Arte Libera, Sasun, and………..all those artists and places we love.

Soror recently blogged about a couple of things that are pertinent to the continued development of virtual world art.

First, crossovers between the real and the virtual are becoming more and more common and real life audiences have become more accepting of and interested in virtual art. As someone who has integrated the virtual into my real life art practice from the start I can see this shift becoming stronger and stronger, and as Soror has suggested, perhaps we need to be documenting and capturing these crossover opportunities.

Second, Soror also suggested there’s a need for ‘naming’, for a category to embrace what virtual world artists do. We have ‘grown up’ there are artists doing the most amazing things, who have now had a longish career in virtual art, and perhaps it’s time we recognized that we, as the pioneers might need to develop a cohesive approach to what we do that can be recognized by real world curators and historians. Miso has pointed out in her comments just how broad this field is and how finding a name might be the trickiest part.

So….thank you everyone who has brought me joy and smiles and inspiration over 2011. I am continually amazed by the creativity of my fellow artists in virtual worlds, and I look forward to more in 2012.

Who Has Seen the Wind?

2012-01-01T12:39:00.001+10:00

Having written about a lot of other builds currently showing at pirats it's time to post about my own installation 'Who Has Seen the Wind?'.
As always Newbab and Merlina have been very accommodating and patient, allowing me to take up much more space than I should with this build, and even demolishing one of their galleries so I could be moved a little not to crowd Nexuno. Thanks Newbab!

Although it's mid winter in the Northern Hemisphere here in Queensland, Australia it's the middle of hot, humid summer and the beginning of cyclone season when we watch the weather patterns and the skies. I started building 'Who Has Seen the Wind' on the first of our windy weather in November and couldn't get the lines of a childhood poem (by Christina Rossetti I think) out of my mind. The images around the build are 16 frame animations of the Australian native vegetation in a small park near my home.

I wanted to capture that edgy, unsettled feeling you get with warm winds and cloudy skies. The blurring of vision as the world moves and moves again.
Having been a sailor I thought of boats and synoptic charts and weather vanes..........and living in the tropics I remembered the long, boring hours of waiting when there's a cyclone watch.

I've done a machinma that you can see HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR4frPARO3s

Hope you enjoy it.

pirats - Friday Ramblings

2011-12-30T11:14:00.000+10:00

Since it's the holiday season I'm doing a Friday gallery tour this week. I wandered over to pirats and there's more than enough there in this round of exhibitions to fill in a few hours. There's a heap of good stuff, especially Fuschia Nightfire's installation that makes a simple idea into something exceptional, and Robin Moore's strange domino build that has surprises everywhere you look.

My favourite was Blue Tsuki's piece (right and below). I haven't seen much of Blue's work in Second Life, but it always hits you right between the eyes. I remember the piece he did for the human rights exhibition and have used images of that build in real life presentations a few times to show how relevant and meaningful virtual art can be.

He's an excellent builder with a graphic sensibility that somehow clicks with me. Having found his work again I'm now going to try to find some more.

It was also good to see Alosio Congrejo's work again. It's a very complex and mulitfaceted piece. It could perhaps have been shown better in a separate space, as it's hard to get a good view from various angles.There's a lot to see in this piece and a lot of different approaches to making the work.

Last, but certainly not least, I spent some time in Trill Zapatero's interactive installation.
Trill has her own very distinctive style. Somehow I always get the feeling of being back in the sixties when I see her work. There's a strong retro element, and I guess her messages about caring, love and peace remind me of the bright dreams we had back then. This is a 'sweet' piece with warmth and fun and a graphic element that is zany and pure Trill. Go there to have some fun and a feel good time in a well built and well scripted piece.

Pirats Art Network -Nexuno Thespian

2011-12-30T10:37:00.000+10:00

I wandered over to pirats galleries in Second Life this morning to have a look around. They always have an exciting line-up of excellent artists (including me this month!), and this round is no exception.

As I was finalising my build last month I met Nexuno Thespian, who apart from

being a nice guy, has a brilliant piece on show next to mine.

It's more like a mini gallery filled to the brim with Nexuno's works than all one piece, and it's an interesting wander through the spaces, coming across the work. It's also amazing how much Nex has fitted into the space.

There's two levels, with several works on the lower level, and one large installation on the upper level.

The upper level piece makes reference to Greek and Roman mythology with a bit of wry humour thrown in. I enjoyed the pieces on the ground level more, but even by itself this upper level work would have been a pretty impressive installation.

Sunday Ramblings -Morlita Quan, Eupalinos Ugajin, and Nexuno Thespian

2011-12-11T09:39:00.000+10:00

The highlight of my ramblings this week was Eupalinos Ugajin's installation at Two Fish 'Someday My Cow will Come'. I can't pretend I had the time to fully explore all the facets of this amazing build, but if you're looking for an hour or more of total immersion in another place this is a good place to start.

Eupa says ' one prim made (or found), attracting others, one idea leading to another, it became a sort of city.......a playground to test things.....'
and it has that feel, that you are on a journey of discovery, that any time you turn around you might find something new, something to make you smile, something you hadn't though of before.

There's also a feeling of deja vu a familiarity that's hard to pin down, until you realise, that like any city Eupa has included 'multiple intentions, multiple brains' by incorporating the work of many other SL artists into the build.

It's a work with many facets, interesting parts, excellent technical skills, and is sure to make you smile (even if just a little).

I also wandered over to the Orc cafe to see the work of Morlita Quan (below). This is a tiny venue and the works are a bit cramped and piled in. The display is outdoors and sometimes the vegetation is coming through the work. There's a lot here - probably too much for the space, but there's some inetersting pieces that subtly cross the divide between 2 and 3 dimensions. I wouldn't call it a must see exhibition, but Morlita is certainly an artist whose work I'll be watching.

My ramblings this week also took in the work of Nexuno Thespian whose build is beside mine at pirats in an exhibition that will open tomorrow. I'll write about Nex's amazing build at pirats later.
Today I had a look at what (must be?) his earlier work in 2D at Colore. I wasn't much interested in the imagery, although it's very nice, but the gallery itself (below) is a work of art worth seeing, if only to inspire others on how to show 2D work in an imaginative way.

I also visited Tornio Kohime Foundation where Nex has a 3D build 'Life Dance' - an interesting steam punkish, clockwork build that incorporates some of the elements of the pirats build, like the use of light and sound.

Enjoy Life - Shellina Winkler at MetaLES

2011-11-13T09:55:00.000+10:00

I've blogged many times about Shellina Winkler's work, so it's no secret that I'm a great fan. She uses abstract form, colour, light and scripting with great control and restraint to make artworks that simply take your breath away. Her latest installation, Enjoy Life...this is not a rehearsal, at MetaLES is no exception. Every part of it is carefully crafted and thought out.

It's the biggest work I've seen by Shellina (perhaps her biggest to date?). It begins with a haunting pure white construction 'Birth'...and leads on to 'Life' and 'Passion'. Each stage is a beautiful build in itself, but the whole also merges together as a complete and integrated work .I was dreading coming upon 'Death' but if it's there it's only alluded to with a walkway that disappears behind you as you leave the installation.

This is an important new work in Second Life and a must see for anyone interested in virtual art and how it is developing. Shellina Winkler is an artist who has mastered the techniques of making art in virtual space.

Congratulations Shellina and thank you MetaLES for showing this work.

InWorldz Dreamz and Visions - Art Festival

2011-11-11T10:22:00.000+10:00

jeri rahja

I finished my build at the Dreamz and Visions art festival in Inworldz last night. I've never been part of a festival build before and have discovered what fun it is to be part of a collective creative energy and the excitement of seeing everyone else's builds go up around you.

I intended having an explore of the builds this morning but Soror came over as the first visitor to my completed build (above), and I then got thoroughly intrigued by the beautiful and very intricate tableaux created by La Toymaker for the festival (top and bottom images). This is brilliant building and there's so much to see on her small 30X30 plot I didn't get to anyone else's work yet, but I will be visiting and blogging over the next week after the festival is officially open.

Congratulations to Jeri Rahja, the festival team, and Inworldz for holding the festival. I'm looking forward to weeks of exploring.

Status Update - The Slow Retreat

2011-11-08T13:37:00.000+10:00

I can't help wanting to share the great feeling I have to be down to half a sim in Second Life. I'm now thinking of selling the rest of my land until I'm down to just a 512 with some XStreet boxes - but that's probably going to be a slower retreat.

How strange that the catalyst for this retreat and personal disenchantment with SL should be LEA. I'm sure LL have in mind a positive contribution to the arts with LEA, but like many other individual artists I see it as the end of an era and the signal to change my own involvement and commitment to SL. That's not to say I will not be working in SL - I just will be minimising my financial commitments and seeking to take part in more sponsored arts events rather than running my own gallery.

Meanwhile I'm enjoying the energy of InWorldz and the freedom from worrying about running a business to pay my tier. Sure, it costs me more than SL ever did, but somehow it's worth it for the joy of having all those prims to play with and no customers to deal with. I'm working on a new exhibition for Pirats in Second Life and a few smaller exhibitions and will also start a full sim work in Inworldz and a rl crossover project in December, so there's lots to do, but there's always time for experimentation with new ideas. Not much is happening at ground level on backstudio sim, but Victor and I have been playing up in the sky on our build platform making objects, landscapes and stuff from textures created from his paintings and my drawings.

There's no 'artworks' yet it's all just fun experimentation at the moment.

Friends Inworldz

2011-10-10T19:11:00.000+10:00

What a great pleasure to have Soror, Alizari Miso and Wizzy at Backstudio Inworldz today.

Taking the Plunge - Backstudio Inworldz

2011-10-03T06:47:00.000+10:00

I've been doing my fair share of deleting in Second Life, saying goodbye to my beautiful gallery and a useless wooden clubhouse I was very fond of, as I downsize my presence there (yes, Miso, disaffected......the economy...)so it was a greatfeeling to take up a new sim in Inworldz yesterday. There's something special about that blank slate before it gets filled with prims and builds you become so fond of you can't bear to delete them. I'd only just landed on the sim when Alizarin became the first visitor. What a great way to start.

I'd spent the day in Second Life terraforming, deleting, packing,setting land for sale and helping customers....all horribly mundane stuff,so it was great to go back to Inworldz last night and do something totally frivolous and creative, and to discover Soror had left a beautiful tree as a welcome present. How fitting that the first thing on the sim should be one of Soror's trees.
Backstudio sim is going to be a place for experimentation. Victor Vezina and I are going to be working on some ideas together, and I'm going to use it as a place to have fun and explore ideas. You'll be hearing a lot about it, and about my experience of Inworldz as a virtual space for creativity. Here's last night's play.

To Be or Not to Be an Inworldz Artist/Land Owner

2011-09-24T11:17:00.000+10:00

I had a conversation with a few people today about buying into Inworldz- why, as an artist, you would and why you wouldn’t.
Some like the smallness, the peace and quiet of inWorldz – they like being left alone to build. I am wondering why they’d pay for that when they could have a lag free sim on their hard drive or a stick. So, I have to think they are also looking for audience, recognition, companionship and the chance of a sale. Are their chances of this better Inworldz or in Second Life?

I think it’s a question of being a large fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond. The chances of ‘making it’ are much bigger for the big fish in the small pond than the small fish in the big pond, so Inworldz can give artists a profile, a feel good experience and sales that are much harder to attain in Second Life.

Some people think InWorldz will grow and provide the same sort of exposure and economy that exists in Second Life….that we should get in now and wait for the expansion. A sort of ‘if you build it they will come’ approach.

I would be surprised if Inworldz population increases substantially in the short or long term. It seems to me most of its users are disaffected users from SL, and most people arriving there have already been in another vitual world. Developing the sort of infrastructure that can support users new to virtual worlds is a major undertaking that can’t be done with scarce resources. (Being pointed to a shop of freebies is hardly the sort of induction necessary for new users.)

So InWldz is competing in a limited market – for disaffected users or cross virtual world explorers, competing with Opensim, OpenLife, Craft and any other worlds that develop, and with the whole array of vw applications that are becoming part of the real world.... Inworldz is always going to be a niche market in the scene.

There’s nothing wrong with having your own small group and your own social scene inside a friendly world you feel comfortable in, and there’s nothing wrong with being an artist who enjoys being part of a small, supportive community. These are things many would find worth spending $70 pm to attain.

For me as an artist I want a platform I can use to get in touch with a much broader base than exists in InWorldz. I am not so much interested in peace and quiet to build (I have a sim on my hard drive). I want an audience much broader than the audience that would see my work in InWorldz, and I don’t live in the US, which means IW’z is largely empty when I am there, so it doesn't provide any sort of community for me.

Most of the artists now using InWorldz are also still exhibiting in Second Life. They have not given up their day jobs. They are trying to extract the best of both worlds. But by spreading themselves over two worlds are they diluting their impact, their work, and their audience? Would they really prefer Inworldz if they had to make a choice of one world only?

I'm still undecided................

Kelly Yap Gallery - Head Art

2011-09-11T09:30:00.000+10:00

Kelly Yap is known for putting together fun and creative shows at her galleries and the current 'Head Art' show is a must see and a must buy andwear. We had great fun at the opening, and I am fast becoming another one of Kelly Yap's many fans. Get along to see this show and pick up some headgear that will make you stand out from the crowd.

'Pool' by Rod Mandel

2011-09-04T14:18:00.000+10:00

Sunday Ramblings -Aire Ville Spatiale

2011-09-04T14:10:00.000+10:00

Ecologia has always been one of my favourite places, and it's great to see some major new works since last time I visited. It can be confusing. There's so much to see and it's not all laid out for you in a familiar fashion. For me this is the great attraction. While the art works are the main feature, if they were exhibited in another place and another way they might lose some of the impact they achieve here.

It is such a pleasure to visit a place where the architecture is an integral part of the display. It's great curating, and the very best way to use the tools available in Second Life.

We often see good art plonked into extraordinarily dull spaces or into a situation where it has to compete for attention. Such is not the case here. Sledge Roffo's sculpture 'Rebuild' (below) shines as we come on it unexpectedly in just the right place.

There was lots to see. I particularly liked Alpha Auer's 'Uranomeria' (below). Reading the notecard is a must for understanding the full context and conceptual underpinnings of the work, but it can also be enjoyed and understood on a purely superficial, experiential level.

I need to go back and explore more. There was much I didn't see, or didn't go into in depth.
My attention was taken by Rod Mandel's beautiful 'Pool', and I ran out of time. There's a machinima of my interactions with this work HERE:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ronr2qb8ITM

Gender Identity in Virtual Worlds

2011-07-23T09:00:00.000+10:00

Lots has been said and written about gender shifting and identity in virtual worlds. I’m revisiting the question after visiting the pages of MetaLES Per4mance ..O.. – a group that says it is set up for ‘women artists and creators of Second Life’.
http://metalesperformance.blogspot.com/

It started me wondering - what makes one a woman? Is it a fundamental of identity or is it a costume that can be assumed (like an avatar)? Can I become a man by assuming a male avatar?

If you are going to exclude or support on the basis of gender I think you need to be clear how and why you are doing it, not only for members of your group, but also for your audience.

I am wondering what are the essential male characteristics that a group like MetaLES is trying to exclude, and what are the essential female characteristics it is trying to support, and why? Are those characteristics themselves just stereotypical or are ‘woman’ and 'man' defined by bodily shape (real or virtual).

We know that many female avatars (inlcuding female avatar artists) in Second Life are real life males. Is this a group for ‘women artists and creators in Second Life’, or would it be more appropriately described as a group for it “for female avatar artists in Second Life? “

Freed from the societal and physical restraints of the real world, avatars adopt and experiment with shapes, genders, racial characteristics and behaviours. This freedom to ‘shapeshift’ questions and explores the fundamentals of identity, how we categorise and make judgements about others and how we find our own place and identity within a group. That’s a great thing, but once we start setting up barriers that exclude or support on the basis of gender (just like in the real world) then I have to question whether we we should remember that these are avatars of physical beings who may or may not (probably not) resemble their virtual beings.

Papermakis - Romy Nayer

2011-07-23T07:50:00.000+10:00

Sometimes I fall in love with artworks. I fell in love with Romy Nayer's installation 'Papermakis' currently on show at metaLES. http://romynayar.blogspot.com/
Exploring this installation was the best time I have had in second Life for a long time.
It's quirky, fun, serious and beautifully made. You enter, assume a papermaki avatar and become part of a world within a world. It's the ultimate in interactive art, combining audio, a stunning build that can stand alone as a work of conceptual art , with elements of performance and interactivity. It makes you smile, it makes you think, and it transports you to another place.
That's what good art does- it takes you to another place. It's an interesting concept when you're already in a virtual world.

Sunday Ramblings July 17th

2011-07-17T16:43:00.000+10:00

Nessuno Myo's work often has that quality that reaches out and grabs your soul, and the work currently on show at SAS Gallery at Pirats in Second Life is no exception. 'The Hope Beyond the Door' is a small installation of poetic imagery, dark and questioning, impossible to ignore, and sophisticated in its attention to the detail of its underlying message.
Apart from the message of the piece itself Nessuno's approach to construction has an element of physicality not often seen in Second Life. It leads us to question our understanding of the nature of volume, and the notion of presence versus absence - ideas that fit nicely back into the message of the artwork itself.
It's an interesting technique to include images within imagery in a reitertion of the theme and one which had me wondering whether to take images of the images for the blog post - or not. In the end not- you can see the installation yourself of see images on Nessuno's Flickr site http://slurl.com/secondlife/SAS%20La%20Rochelle/92/101/23

On my usual Sunday morning rambles I also wandered over to Nordan Art and saw work by Cherry Manga, Igor Ballyhoo and Anley Piers.It's interesting to see how, after years of whirling, glowing bright colours, monotone and back and white are becoming more common in Second Life artworks.

I loved Anley's white flowers in the 'Fantasy' installation (but my favourite image made them pink!). I'd seen this work at UWA and tried in vain to take some good images amidst the clutter there, so it was great to see it here with nothing but a backdrop of sky.
I ran away from too much contemplation of Igor's strangely disturbing images of (mainly)plastic dolls and took a walk down Kelly Yap's artwalk, something I've never done before. It's a great idea to cluster galleries like this.
I can't help thinking the idea of putting fields of flowers all over gallery floors is becoming too common(at Nordan and a couple of the galleries here and elsewhere). Perhaps it's a symptom of the Northern Summer and when I'm feeling all flowery they'll have snow on their gallery floors.
Avatar porn/sexualisation called art came to mind in a couple of the galleries and I began to think back to Igor's plastic dolls.........................
Which is enough said for me this Sunday. To each his own.

Sunday Ramblings

2011-06-26T11:06:00.000+10:00

I headed on over to Nordan Art this morning to see what was showing and found the work of Simotron Aquila upstairs. What a delight to discover something new and an artist I have not come across before. The work is graphic and sparing and makes excellent use of the possibilities of the platform. The Nordan gallery setting might be just a little decorative for this work, but the exhibition shows restraint in the content how the work is placed so it works.

It made me wonder why it is I am so drawn to the work of Italian artists and I was idly wondering what Shellina Winkler had been doing lately when I walked outside to find myself unexpectedly immersed in her ‘All Rules Disrupted’ chess game installation. It’s no secret Shellina is one of my favourite artists and I’m yet to see something of hers that doesn’t appeal to me, but it seems her work just keeps getting better as she finds her strengths in the genre. New artists coming into virtual worlds would find an excellent demonstration of how to use the medium in Shellina’s work.
Also at Nordan I visited Claudia 222Jewell’s installation which I’ve blogged about over on the Treeline blog, along with a sneak preview of Soror Nishi’s installation at Arte Libera. But having rediscovered Shellina and said hello she invited me over for a sneak preview of her work(below) in ‘Light and Gravity’ at Caerleon. This looks like being a show not to miss. I didn’t get to see it all, but Pixels Sideways has done an excellent job in curating and setting it up. It opens tomorrow and I’m going back next week for a more leisurely view.
The reason I didn’t get to see all of ‘Light and Gravity’ was that Artee Despres invited us as a group to preview her new installation about Fukishima that opens at Caerleon in early July. Apart from the objects and the messages the most amazing thing about this build is the sound, which is produced by scripts and works exceptionally well with the tone and content in the work. Despite its somber message it is a piece to be enjoyed and experienced, so don’t miss it when it opens.

Inworldz -A Choice One Might Have Made?

2011-06-23T20:51:00.000+10:00

I have heard others extoll the virtues of In Worldz, but I am yet to find it anything but eerily uninhabited - a strange ghost town of hollow promise with the few inhabitants quick to defend a less than perfect system and government.
There are apparently 64 people on at the moment (according to the log-in screen) and some of these are ghosts or models or really don’t seem to be here at all. There’s the newbies arriving at Desert isle and a mentor there. They start in a flurry of freebie shopping and expectations, but if they are going to log in at this time of day regularly what will they find - Ghost World except at the entry point. Is it different at some other time of day?
What does one do in Second Life when one is bored and no friends are on-line? Map Surf. Open the map in InWorldz and what do I see- NO GREEN DOTS. Am I the only one here? I finally see a few green dots– but not 64 and I can find no one to talk to in a half hour except the folk at the entry point .
I know some builders say that’s the whole point – they can build in here uninterrupted, but then why not just a stand alone sim? Isn’t the whole point of this virtual world about interaction?
I’ve heard so many sing the virtues of this place that I began to wonder if I am the ONLY disenchanted person, but I am NOT. I talk to others and I get these quotes:
‘I'm giving up, going back to SL now’
‘Like, the bugs that upset people in SL are 'loveable quirks' of IW?’
‘But they're doing nothing that LL didn't do 8 years ago’
‘Let’s just say that IW is less a commercial venture and more a personal grid that they let others play in.’
There’s been so much written about how bad Second Life has become, but is this really the answer? I hear the cries of denial from those who find what they’ve been looking for Inworldz, and I wish them well. It’s a nice place to build when you want to be alone – but what else? Perhaps they are looking for different things.
I want ‘at least a ten dollar cheque and a family peck of a kiss’

Sunday Solace at UWA

2011-06-19T07:52:00.000+10:00

After a less than satisfying art fix at Free Wee Ling's UWA build (previous post) I tp'ed over to the UWA competition platform for some Sunday morning solace.
Sledge Roffo's 'Here Comes the Sun' was just about what I needed (The sun rose in my real life garden when was looking at it). A nice piece, but one thing to note please - the instruction sign imposes itself in images, and it's a work that is otherwise great for 'photographing'. (Maybe this was intentional? - some artists don't like people taking images.)
Nino Vichan's 'Plume di Pavone' is also a pleasant work to look at, but I wonder if he knows the peacock feather denotes bad luck in some cultures?
The work that took my fancy, gave me something new, and made me smile was Haveit Neox's 'Serendipitous Kitchen'. Very nicely put together with great graphic sense and a quirky sense of humour. I liked it so much I wandered over to Haveit's sims and took a LM to explore later. Looks like hours of fun there. Maybe next Sunday.

Free Wee at UWA - Not My Cup of Tea

2011-06-19T07:25:00.000+10:00

If there's a message in the bottle then it says 'Help,I am Trapped'.
I wandered over to Free Wee Ling's sim wide build at UWA on a (real life) cold Sunday morning looking for a little warmth from something beautiful. This is a build so full of desire to control the experience of the audience that I gave up.
From the moment you arrive (a BIG sign saying 'YOU MUST FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS - and btw they don't work for Viewer 2)to the somewhere in the build where you, like me, will probably give up trying to make your way through it, the imposition of constraint makes itself known. If there's a strong narrative in the build I understand this desire, but it still irks, and if there IS a narrative it was lost on me for the time I walked around the hills populated by skeletons. I can sorta guess that I have to go through all this angst and stuff to earn my angels wings, but......maybe it's not the right build to visit on a Sunday morning.
It's a build for a certain viewer, that requires you have settings that your connection speed or computer may not be able to deal with, that won't let you fly and demands you walk long distances, that is hard to navigate, and ......if you lose your way there's nothing for it but to start again. Maybe it's great, Free Wee is certainly a good builder, but the cost of seeing this build is high, and not one I was prepared to pay. I know lots of people like mazes, but they've never appealed to me. They remind me too much of the old HaHa walls in the mental asylums.

Second Life - The White Sliced Bread Theory

2011-06-01T20:21:00.001+10:00

It seems that every day I hear about someone else closing their sim and leaving Second Life. Sometimes they are sims I’ve known and loved for quite a while, or artists and galleries that have made significant contributions to the virtual world art scene.
I also hear people say that because of these people leaving or these sims closing (and other things like Viewer 2 and a lack of customer focus and a borked search etc) Second Life is doomed, on its last legs, bound to fail soon. It may be so, but I don’t see a lot of evidence for this. Somehow my business there not only survives but has started (after a glitch with the GFC) to thrive again. There are new people coming into Second Life, buying land, setting up house, finding the whole thing a wonder.
What I do see is change. The sort of change that happens when organisations or technologies mature and find a level in the everyday. I don’t expect my businesses to thrive forever, but I do think Second Life will continue to change and survive, and I am not so sure (as many seem to be) that they are on the wrong track.
Virtual Worlds are no longer new or cutting edge. They are pretty mainstream. They’ve been around a long time. It’s no longer the smart avant garde set that dominates. Virtual Worlds like Second Life are now ‘normal’. They might still be wondrous and lots of fun, but you can happily tell your spouse or your kids or your boss about them and they won’t bat an eyelid or say that you need to get a life.
So I think of Second Life as the white sliced bread. Pretty cutting edge and exciting (and maybe dangerous) when it first appeared but it soon becomes the mainstream choice. The early adopters have gone off to Open Sim or InWorldz or wherever, or maybe into transmedia or augmented reality or Kinect hacking. In effect they’ve gone off searching for the next best thing to sliced bread – the new thing that is not yet mainstream, but will be soon.
Maybe Second Life has had its day, but there'll always be those people who prefer the safety and security of tried and true white sliced bread, which is where LL seems to be pitching its market these days. Good luck to them I say.

Wizzy Gynoid at UWA - the Beauty of Geometric Form

2011-05-10T17:40:00.000+10:00

It was great fun to get a sneak preview of Wizzy Gynoid’s full sim build at UWA. Thanks Wizzy, and congratulations.
Wizzy says her artwork tends toward the geometrical, but that’s an understatement. Her artwork is a homage to geometry, to the beauty and form found in the physical representation of points, lines, surface, numbers.
In the tradition of her muses M.C. Escher, H.P. Lovecraft, Gibson, Rudy Rucker, Neal Stephenson and Buckminster Fuller, Wizzy builds complex and colourful geometric constructions that intrigue, entice, and create wonder.

I don’t begin to understand it all, but it’s a pretty amazing build with what might be the most complex object ever created in SL.
The opening is Saturday sometime – I think around midday - IM JayJay Zifanwe for exact details. Be there or be square (or perhaps polytope?).

When you're there make sure you go to world map and see a birds eye view of the sim.

Second Life Photography and Machinima- Ethical Questions

2011-02-17T10:08:00.000+10:00

It's possible to take really brilliant images in virtual worlds - of builds, of landscapes, of avatars, and of artworks. At what stage does the image become the work of the 'photographer' rather than the intellectual property of the person who made the build, landscape, avatar, artist etc?
I know the legal question is answered in the LL Terms of Service (and I imagine in the TOS of other VW's) and it's understandable that we can't expect the providers of the platform to spend an inordinate amount of time policing publication of images.

It's legal, but is it ethical?

I've seen images of AM's work for sale on the internet, watermarked with the mark of the image maker so noone can copy them.

I've just been to visit an exhibition in Second Life that seems to be made up of images of other people's builds or artworks. Is it ethical to be selling these images without even passing reference to the original artist?
In the real world galleries usually do not allow visitors to take images of artworks. The artist usually owns both the copyright of the work and the rights to any images, unless they have sold or given away those rights. It's not possible to police such a system in virtual worlds.

As the virtual art world matures, as it becomes more an more a part of the real world art scene, and as artists begin to create and make works that cross the boundaries between real and virtual is this going become more of an issue?

I take images of other people's artworks in virtual worlds. I publish them here on my blog when I talk about them. I use them in real life presentations about virtual art. I always give credit to the artist. I think it would be unethical to try to sell those images as artworks of mine. Other people seem to think it's OK to sell images of other people's artworks.

Machinima is another whole world. If an artist makes an installation and someone makes a machinina of it is that OK? Is it OK that they may win money or accolades for the machinima and the artist gets nothing? Is the art all in the video or is some of it in the artist's work?

Pop Art Display in Second Life

2011-02-08T16:57:00.000+10:00

While we were looking at Rose Borchovski's new work at 'Pop Art Display'(PAD) in Second Life today we were joined by Zorro Hirvi and Matteus Taurog, two of the founders of PAD, who proceeded to take us on a tour of their 10 level gallery that celebrates the development, history and fun of pop-art in all its forms.
The gallery (or is it museum?) is enormous and I only saw three floors of the massive display of recreated pop-art works, and I was impressed.

The building itself is well designed and unobtrusive and the graphics exceptionally good and it's fun to see these works of art displayed virtually as if in a rl gallery.
But therein lies the conundrum for me.
The creators of this gallery are using virtual worlds to recreate what already exists rather than create new and otherwise impossible art. Yes, they are making this real life art more accessible, and they are recreating it in a new and more interactive environment. Does it matter that this is not 'new' art that has grown out of the medium itself.
I guess the answer is yes and no for me. I can enjoy this museum as I would enjoy visiting a pop art museum in real life. I am revisiting the ideas of artists from the past and paying homage to them. And in visiting this in Second Life I also pay homage to the the virtual world builders who have used their skills to bring it to me in such a visually attractive and easily accessible format...................
but it is a museum of someone else's art and the builders and curators here are working with the tools of virtual worlds to recreate real life, not to create new unheard of art that can only exist in virtual worlds.

I can enjoy both, but my artist's heart is in seeing if the medium might take us where we have never been before, not in paying homage to the past, however wonderful it may be.
I am looking forward to going back to Pop Art Display to look at the rest of the levels. It will be like visiting a museum of the past - but it's the only way I can do this and it is therefore a worthwhile experience.
I am wondering if what is exceptional here is that this is a way to experience history and art that has never been possible before. I did get to ride Duchamps bicycle and walk inside Richard Hamilton's 1956. Where else could I do that?

Rose Borchovski - at Pop Art

2011-02-08T16:18:00.000+10:00

The Susa Story story continues, as enigmatic as ever with the latest segment now on show at Pop Art. I visited to day with Soror, Alizarin and Shellina - our art exploration quartet otherwise known art 'The Gang of Four'. We were joined by a few others, which always makes it doubly confusing to both enjoy the art and keep up with the conversations (Thank you 3D Connexion - Noone knows how far away my eyes might be).

Rose is one of my favourite SL artists and the Susa Bubble story has been going on for so long we've almost forgotten the beginning. We are not sure if the three pigs are some abstruse symbol relating to this part of the story or an allusion to some earlier part. There's always an element of the surreal and unexplained. Soror and I agreed that the 'eyes have it' as far as creepiness goes (below).

Butterflies and upside down doves and Susas falling apart, escaping, and being dissected and the whole thing about nastiness entering the scene. "I want what you have, and you want what I have". We get the message, although we don't really understand all the symbolism. Do we try to read too much into it?
The images here reinforce my feeling that the texture on the floor is distracting, detracts from the installation, and makes it harder to see (and photograph) the elements.

Anyway, a great time was had by all and we went away thinking we'd seen something, although we were not sure what.

Thanks Rose.

Per Non Dimeticare- Not to Forget

2011-02-08T07:24:00.000+10:00

Over at Arte Libera in Second Life is an installation by Icarus Robbiani, Kicca Igalay and Nessuno Myoo. The Title - Not to Forget (or as Australians might say 'Lest we Forget') tells all. This is an installation about the holocaust, and very strong message is that we should never forget.

This is collaboration at its best. The worn, drab and colourless patinas used as textures in the works and in Simba Schimann's setting all go together. The light and glow seems almost blinding in the drabness of it all.
Similarly, the works are arranged as if they are meant to belong together, with Icarus' haunting images arranged around the perimeter as a backdrop that highlights and blends with, rather than competes with the 3D work of Kicca and Nessuno.
Nessuno's more conceptual work forms the centrepiece while Kicca's ghostly recreation of a concentration camp frames and balances the whole.
I'm always engaged by the works that Simba choses to show here. It's a gallery with a very strong aesthetic that works well as a backdrop for only some types of virtual art. Simba always seems to manage to find excellent artists who can work within those confines.

Here's the SLURL to the exhibition, although it seems they only work in Viewer 2 now, which is hardly worthwhile since noone uses it.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Solaris%20Island/170/44/1701

So just go to the map and go to Solaris Island, 170, 44,1701 - gee that's high!

Social Media, Queensland Floods and Smart Phones

2011-01-14T09:56:00.000+10:00

I'm moved to write this blog by my tremendous admiration for the way Social Media has been used by emergency services during the current Queensland Floods. I, and many others, have been kept up-to-date and reassured by sites such as the Queensland Police Services Facebook and Twitter sites during the disaster.

In any sort of disastrous event communication is probably the most important factor.While emergency service personnel might have 2-way radios, members of the general community are often left with limited access to information that might be vital to their survival. It is usually the power and the telephone that go first. Unless they are well prepared, many people will not have access to a battery operated radio which has traditionally been the medium of last resort in emergencies, but in Australia mobile phone ownership is amongst the highest in the world.

The Queensland Police Service and other emergency services have done an amazing job in using social media to keep the community informed, giving advice and telling them where to go and what to do. They've used social media to minimise panic by dispelling rumours as they arose, and to coordinate and direct the efforts of those who want to help.

I don't think this has been an easy task. Just keeping up that pace of informative posting and trolling through the comments and links must be a mammoth task. It's been an incredible thing to have an official and reliable source to refer to.

Thanks Queensland Police Service. You've won a lot of admirers.

Social media has played another important role in communication in this disaster. With no phones and no power, mobile phones have been the communication link of last resort, and while not everyone has a smart phone, sites like Facebook have come to the fore in passing on information instantly to large blocks of friends and family therefore saving precious battery power. One message on Facebook can reach many many people at once.

You can almost hear the collective sigh as someone posts a message saying 'We're OK'.

Caerleon- Ice

2011-01-10T13:10:00.000+10:00

The name of this show at Caerleon has something to do with Ice, I can't remember what, but I don't think it matters because it seemed to me that not many of the works had any relevance to the title.
Ali and I were on one of our regular 'look at exhibitions' jaunts and this exhibition had enough in it, and more to keep us busy for a few hours. It covers a lot of ground and a lot of interesting works.
My favourite was Pixel Sideways' sculptural, political, text based piece. Ali called it '3D ideas'. It's beautifully executed and an unusual work for SL.

I also enjoyed Igor Ballyhoo's 'God' which I saw a while back at UWA. This is one of the best pieces of art I've seen in SL. Unfortunately the only way to see it here was through one of those horrible maze things that gets everyone so frustrated they just leave. I don't understand why it's there - you're either having an art exhibition and do justice to the art or you're running a fun parlour.
I thought having Igor's beautiful work as the prize for completing one of these mindless sort of maze things didn't do justice to the piece. Although, perhaps the way to God might just be endless frustrating twists and turns and dead ends.
Thanks Pixels for allowing us to see the work without having to complete the maze.

There was so much in the show it's hard to do it justice. Any one of the spheres in the sky offers a good place to visit. We took a second look at Luce Laval's sphere. I understand this is the first work she's produced in quite some time, and it's pretty good.

The forest on the ground is a delightful place with Julie Hathor trees, brilliant particles and an interesting picnic setting. I'm not sure why the rest of the stuff on the ground is placed where it is - on the ice, and I definitely hated seeing a butterfly from tropical Nth Australia flying around in that cold place.
There's a lot there and much of it is not held together in any way that I could see except that it occupies the same space, but it's well worth visiting.
There's some more pictures on my Flickr site HERE

A Browser Based 2011?

2010-12-30T11:34:00.000+10:00

Soror Nishi's somewhat vitriolic post about predictions for 2011 has been on my mind while I’ve been cleaning up after a week of wild weather. It’s well known that I’m a great fan of everything Nishi, including Soror’s blog, but I didn’t like her latest post, not so much because of the ideas it put forward as the way they were presented. I’ve been trying to figure out why it bothers me as much as it does.
Starting out with a bit of lecture on Jungian philosophy and the fallacy that popular equals ‘good’, which is well said and interesting, she then slides into 10 year old boy mode declaring Facebook is ‘crap’. It’s the sort of sweeping, unanswerable remark we often hear about virtual worlds from those outside the circle of users. From outside virtual worlds look like a lot of people having digital sex with cartoon dolls.
It seems to me any platform, Inworldz or Facebook, can be made into crap or made into gold. It depends on the way it’s used. Twitter may be ‘just a bulletin board’, but if, for example, you were following this years Red Shirt uprising in Thailand blow by blow, as it happened, (and had friends and family there) then Twitter becomes something else.
Sure, there are people who use Twitter to say how much they are loving Justin Beiber, but I’ve met quite a lot of jerks in virtual worlds who I don’t inspire me too. I don’t blame the platform.
There’s an old saying, “horses for courses” and I prefer to think Facebook and Twitter and a whole heap of other platforms have their place in the scheme of things. What makes them ‘crap’ or gold is the way they are used. Just look at the brilliant stuff coming out of Kinect.
So if LL is thinking of making SL browser based, or a mobile app. then the usefulness and value will be in the way people use it, not in the platform itself. Things change, and I prefer to keep an open mind about the possibilities, even if that means losing something that’s been around a while (although I’d be sad to see SL disappear in its current format).
Everybody and even their dogs are predicting more mobile, more social network etc etc, and on current trends that’s maybe right, but trends have a way of fizzing out just when we thought they’d be around forever, and other things come along and take their place. There’s not been much said in predictions about augmented reality, transmedia storytelling, and 3D printing. These are my predictions for the future, but I’m not pretending I know much.
To the uninitiated vw’s based on LL’s SL look pretty cartoony. Wonderful graphics (and interactivity) are creeping into every game and everything we do, read, and use, so mesh as a first step is an important one for vw’s if they want to keep audience interest. Sure, there’s lots of problems with lag and search and all the usual list of complaints, but what it LOOKS like is important.
I’ve lost sight of why I started this blog but I guess what I’m saying is two things. First it doesn’t add much to the equation to discount other popular platforms with derision, and secondly we should be open to changes and differences and get the most out of whatever platform we are using.
Everyone who uses Facebook or Twitter is not a 'jerk'.

First Build - Inworldz

2010-12-14T17:46:00.000+10:00

I'm in the process of demolishing my first build Inworldz - on my platform at Soror's island (thanks Soror!) so have taken some pics to remember it by. I guess it's a good idea to document things this way- I wish I'd started doing it four years ago in SL.
The pics are on Flickr here http://www.flickr.com/photos/juanitadeharo/
What have I learnt in this first build?
Firstly that scaleable megas are wonderful and a joy to work with.
Second that being able to upload textures free encourages experimentation.
Three, that Inworldz works just fine, but sometimes some physics would be nice.
Four, that there's not many people on Inworldz so I'm often lonely with noone to chat with. It's a hemisphere thing.
and Five, that Soror is very generous to share her space with me.

CRAFT

2010-12-02T09:23:00.000+10:00

Ever wondered what to wear to that important party? Why not knock their socks off with a Soror Nishi Tree? (Worn above by Roxelo Babenco)
I was at my first party in Craft, inside a brilliant work by Velazquez Bone, and although they tried, noone could crash the sim.

Shellina Winkler and I could almost have been twins with the same skin and hair from the freebie shop. I always knew she had good taste.
Everyone was there. All the tried and true names that need no profile introduction like Saveme and Artee, and a few others I didn't know who hypergridded in and were surprised to find a crowd (and a sim that could hold it without crashing).

The Tour - 19th Nov.

2010-11-20T09:31:00.001+10:00

Whenever we can find the time my friened Alizarin and I get together pool the landmarks we've saved and do a tour. Since our interest is in art they are usually exhibitions. Saving up your landmarks and doing a tour with friend is a great way to look at, enjoy and appreciate SL art.
This week we started at Wizard Gonoid's mathematical artworks (and I can't remember the sim, which is bad, but ask Wizzy). These are pretty extraordinary and not like anything else you'll see in SL. If precision, colour and geometry are your thing don't miss seeing Wiz's work whenever you can. If they are not your thing then just look at them as artworks and see what they say.

Next we looked at the lovely Pluto exhibition by CapCat Ragu and Melio Minataur at Arte Libera (above). A lovely ethereal build that we enjoyed exploring.

Next was Tabla Rasa where we looked at quite a few galleries, discovering Trill Zapatero's work in Tricia Aferdita Gallery. Such amazingly strong colours and great line and graphic design sense. I'd love to see these in real life.

Next Texana Schuman at Amicus Curiae Gallery. I liked the images but think they'd be much better shown on a plain wall. Alizarin tells me it's very trendy to have a warehouse gallery, but when the walls and floor start interfering with the work it's maybe time to rethink.
After a few galleries in this precinct we were a bit tired of seeing 2D stuff on walls so it was great to turn a corner and find Maeve Eiren's garden with Soror Nishi plants and Sun Thunders egrets. This is what art is all about in SL - using the medium.
Around another corner (still in Maeve's garden) we found Cel Edmam's tree. A lovley example of how to use lighting, scultpies and restraint to effect.
We also admired Menubar Memori's crows in this sim and from her profile remembered to visit the brilliant particle show of the king of particles, Jopsy Pendragon.A great way to chill out with a friend after an art tour.

Other Worlds - a virtual business perspective

2010-11-19T07:47:00.000+10:00

Soror Nishi is setting the example, hopping around from grid to grid and talking up the benefits of a diverse and multi gridded metaverse, so I have been doing some tentative forays into other worlds and thinking about the possibilities.

I'm going to focus on InWorldz- I've been there for a while and if you can get past the lag at the entry point it's not bad, although shopping is still very laggy wherever it takes place. The BIG plus is the friendly mentor system and the way you can pretty much get an answer right away if you have a problem, but there's other benefits like the ability to scale prims to any size which makes building a pleasure, and the big allowance of prims per sim. Having good freebie stores right at the entry point is a good idea, but it makes for a lot of lag, especially as this is also the place where people hang out.My place at Soror's in Inworldz - a great place to experiment.

I've also tried the Italian world Craft, which seems to be pretty much under construction. I met a great bunch of very friendly people but there's not a lot doing in there yet. In the past I've had a look at OpenLife, Blue Mars,Open Sim, and a few others.None of these has lured me away from Second Life, despite its problems.

Meadhbh has posted about the dangers of relying on one grid, but has also pointed out that for anyone doing business moving from Second Life might be risky. This is not to say we shouldn't make a commitment to new worlds with fledgling economies, but we should recognise the costs and the risks.

On the face of it a grid like InWorldz offers a great price for more prims, but what it can't yet deliver is a large customer base. Sure, that customer base is developing, but if you are looking in purely economic terms you have to weigh it up, and decide whether or not to take a chance. Given that one InWorlz dollar is valued at less than a Linden Dollar, and that there seems to be an expectation that goods will be priced the same or less than in SL, there's a lot to consider. The same generous supply of prims per sim that makes it attractive to builders also means land owners can be generous in letting others use part of their allocation, which means a sustainable land based economy (sales and rentals) might be a long time developing.

I took a chance on Second Life a long time ago - investing a sizeable amount of $ to set up a business- and have had my investment returned along with a good profit over the years. While that profit has diminished lately, it's still a profit, and SL still delivers a large customer base, despite the development of other grids. That profit also means I can play at non-profitable things like my art and it doesn't cost me anything. With all its problems, Marketplace is also a plus.

The question for me, and others, is can a new world offer this profitablity in the long term. How long will it take to build up a customer base that will give a return on investment of time and money, and can it be sustained in the long term? It's the same question I asked a long time ago in SL, but the scene has changed now, there's a lot more worlds and technology is changing rapidly.

These new worlds offer a great opportunity for people who just want to play, and consider the costs to be part of their entertainment budget, or for educators, or for builders who want to experiment. Virtual business operators have to ask a different set of questions.

As more and more worlds develop it's going to dilute the customer base and make it much harder for content creator businesses to reach people. This might be resolved by websites or a central selling place where one can buy things that can be rezzed in any world - but that's yet to be developed. Maybe that's where the money is.

Whichever way I look at it, it seems businesses are in for a rocky ride, or at least a lot of extra work and maybe investment, as things change in virtual worlds.

Farewell Visit Mexico

2010-11-06T13:04:00.001+10:00

We seem to be blogging more and more about what's leaving Second Life than what's being added, and another iconic build that has been loved and visited by many is about to bite the dust.

Sadly, the Visit Mexico sims will disappear this week. Developed by Lester Nefarious (above) and Valiant Strangelove the first of those sims was a recreation of Chichen Itza, built to boost the Mexican Government's bid to have the pyramid decalred one of the seven wonders of the world. Despite the fact that it was trying to knock off my own country's Sydney Opera House, I am many others in SL voted for Chichen Itza just to get a brilliant free outfit! Great marketing.

Valiant Strangelove was one of my first customers in Second Life and as a great strategy to develop a sim and build up goodwill, a market area was set up at Chichem Itza where people selling Mexican goods could have a free stall. I think my stall was the first! Sadly Valiant died a few years ago, but the Mexico sims have survived until now.

The second sim was a reproduction of the village of Campeche, and again content creators were offered free shops (this time some fairly swish buildings). So many people built up ownership in and loved to visit these sims. That's my little shop in the second sim above, and Ray Holgado's shop below.

It's sad when things disappear. Perhaps we should have a sim set aside in Second Life to hold wakes for the things we lose.
Thanks Mexico- for being part of Second life, and thanks Lester and Valiant - you did a great job.

Are Virtual Worlds Now Ordinary?

2010-10-11T09:03:00.001+10:00

My friend Tohasu sent me a link to http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/3979 this article and the accompanying comments. It’s a well thought out article, pretty long and dry, and despite being interested in the topic I just couldn’t bring myself to read it all., so what’s below has nothing much to do with it.

What this got me thinking about is how I am growing tired of all this navel gazing and predictions of the demise of SL and what’s going to be the thing of the future. It’s spoiling the experience (or was it spoiled already?).

Is it just me and my friends, or is everyone spending their time in Second Life preparing for the end of the world and gossiping about possible futures? Everyone is the expert with the inside information. We’ve stopped being engaged and fascinated by the world and started talking ‘about’ it. Every conversation and blog seems to be about what is happening at LL, or might happen at LL, or the future of LL, or what LL has done wrong or right. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m feeling jaded, like it’s time to move on. But I’m not sure that moving on to another virtual world is the answer I am looking for.

Things change, the world moves on. Second Life might be ‘a very advanced metaverse platform’ but, for me, the gloss has gone off the virtual world experience. It’s become just another thing that I do, amongst many, not the glowing jewel that excites me with its possibilities. I stay and I enjoy it – for old friends and for the relaxation of playing with the possibilities – sort of like once in a while get out my pencils and draw, or go to the theatre, it’s as easy and as ordinary as that.

Are virtual worlds now pretty ordinary places populated by ordinary people, doing pretty ordinary things or is it just that I’ve been here too long?

Times change and we look for new and different experiences. Facebook is taken over first by all your friends, then all your family and your parents, then your grandparents. – and it’s time to move on to somewhere you can feel like a pioneer again. I’m at that stage with SL. In the beginning it felt like something brave and new and different. It felt like ‘ours’, but now it’s just another tool in a very large toolbox.

I think virtual worlds are here to stay and they’ll grow and improve and become so much part of everyone’s lives we’ll wonder what the fuss was about, but they are no longer the cutting edge of possibilities for engagement, creativity and entertainment. I’m not giving up virtual worlds, but they are now relegated to a compartment in toolbox.

Tree of Trees - Soror Nishi at IBM

2010-09-23T20:43:00.000+10:00

It’s no secret that I like trees. It’s also no secret that I like the work of Soror Nishi.
Visiting Soror’s new work at IBM ‘Tree of Trees’ has been quite a treat. I had a sneak preview before the show opened and went back last night for a long and considered look. There were only a couple of other people there, so we more or less had the build to ourselves, to explore and become immersed in the build, like a good book, and it's a big enough build for us to not even notice the others were there.

And this build IS like a book. There’s a lot to ‘read’ and discover, a sort of story. It doesn’t jump up and hit you with its entirety the minute you arrive, you need to take time to discover, to turn the visual pages as you wander. I think it’s about layers and levels, about the entirety and the pieces. It’s about the whole. The forest, made up of trees, the tree made up of forest. The vertical and the horizontal The animal in the vegetable and the vegetable in the animal.

Soror’s Soup Magoo work is the closest I’ve seen to this so far in her work, but here at IBM she’s really created one work, one piece out of the many, and result is a powerful voice. She’s also used tools like glow and atmosphere as she’s never used them before.
I could go on about the technical expertise, and all that stuff but the important thing is that there’s something inherently good about the spirit of this work. It shines, and it allows us see beauty without a cloak of worldliness to dull the wonder.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/IBM%20Exhibit%20C/126/131/174

Scripting as a Medium- Coriolis by Oberon Omnura

2010-09-22T19:33:00.000+10:00

Being a visual artist in a virtual world is much more than hanging 2D art on a virtual gallery wall. Some become masters of textures or the sculpted prim. Others use their skills in visual manipulation to create meaning in three dimensions.
Oberon Onmura uses a different medium. His works are minimally textured. They often use the simplest of prim forms. Colour is used sparingly. These are artworks of a different kind.
Oberon’s medium is scripting. This is what he manipulates and how he creates the meaning in his work. Sure, it’s also often visually pleasing, but that’s not where the work resonates with the viewer.
‘Coriolis’ spreads over an entire sim, with a different interpretation of the theme in each quadrant. It’s an interesting work, in places interactive. In a world where we are often assailed by a plethora of textures and complex shapes, it’s worth visiting, even if only to enjoy the simplicity.

Take time to let it all rez, and take time to let the scripting work its magic. Forget your need for imagery and colours. This is not about that.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/TCC%20Island/144/128/3402

The Sandman - at Arte Libera

2010-09-19T18:46:00.000+10:00

Simba Schumann always hosts interesting exhibitions at Arte Libera, and the current exhibition by Noke Yuitza and Pol Jarvin is no exception.
Based on Hoffmann's inverted version of HC Anderson's story, the exhibit at Arte Libera is part one of a five part series. This installation captures the surreal nightmarish quality of Hoffmann's 'Sandman'. The viewer is invited to become part of the work in a series of interactions that add to the feeling of being inside the story, trapped in some sort of fearful happening.

I console myself by thinking of Shaun Tan saying 'looking at a dark subject is inherently optimistic', and wander through the installation facing the demons instead of pretending they don't exist, and I resist the urge to make a machinima- because that is what this installation cries out for.
This work at Arte Libera is well executed and worth seeing. I look forward to seeing the next in the series.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nonsense/38/137/1201

Jedda is Back!

2010-09-18T07:54:00.000+10:00

One of my favourite virtual artists, Jedda Zenovka, is back after a break from Second Life, and she's building again.
When she exhibited at Treeline early this year Jedda said 'you can take the girl out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the girl', and she's right. She's come back with a vengeance, building ever more energetic and complex work that seems to throb with life. Watch this space, Jedda is going to blow your socks off when her new work is ready to show the world.
In the meantime you can visit Jedda's 'Wild Designs' stores . LM in her profile.
Thanks for sharing your new work with me Jedda.

Igor Ballyhoo - What it's About

2010-09-15T12:37:00.000+10:00

Above: Forest of Scissors
Sometimes when you are feeling jaded, and wondering if SL is really such a a wondrous place, small things jolt you into realising YES it it. Today I rediscovered Igor Ballyhoo.
In real life Igor is a photographer who lives in Serbia. In SL he's one of those artists who capture the essence of a thing in beautiful, subtle works that use the virtual world tools in a way few can match.
Above: Axis Mundi
Igor says he builds in SL for himself " just to see with my eyes what I see behind my eyes". We are privileged to be able to see some of what is behind his eyes. He is building at UTSC this week and some of his work is on display there.

Above:This work is a series of 10 cube shaped 'rooms' each with the inside textured with one of Igor's images. It tells a strange story of bonding, the give and take in relationships, and the sometimes necessary cutting of ties. Igor is a master storyteller with his work, and I have spoken before about how visiting and exploring his artworks is like the process of reading.
Thanks for sharing your work with me Igor. It made me smile all day.

What's Happened to Second Life?

2010-09-14T19:54:00.000+10:00

I've been a 'resident' in Second Life since 2006. I've run a business in Second Life since 2006. I've always tried to be a supporter instead of a knocker. I've lately realised there's something going on, and it's not to do with viewers or changes in staff of whatever else LL might use to gloss over the cracks.

In four years of running a business in SL I have had few items not delivered from vending boxes. Suddenly this is a daily occurence. Why is this?

I have an up-to-date, fast computer with heaps of RAM. I have the highest possible internet speeds in my country. I have a good graphics card. I have up til now never experienced any major lag or many problems accessing Second Life. Suddenly it takes ages for anything to rez. Suddenly my avatar remains as a ball of fuzz for ages before rezzing. What's going on? Using old servers for my sim? Putting too many regions on one server? Where do I go to ask these questions? Do I just pack up and leave like so many others?

Nothing's changed on my side. My sim is pretty much the same as it was. My computer is as it was, but suddenly the SL experience is less than optimal. My customers can't rez to even see what's there.

The sim was restarted yesterday. It's worse today.

I have crashed more in the last month than I have in four years. Why?

I have rarely had an issue I thought I needed to take to LL. Now I realise they are just not there to listen or to answer. There's nowhere to go to ask a question or make a comment. Noone wants to know - I guess they already know, and I guess this is what it feels like to be part of a dying world. The lights go out slowly, one by one.

Soror at IBM - Tree of Trees

2010-09-09T16:17:00.000+10:00

I just took a sneak preview of Soror Nishi's new build at IBM which opens on Saturday at noon. I am not going to spoil your surprise by posting pics here, but I can't let the build go unremarked upon.
Soror says on her blog:
"I think my build at IBM is a sort of milestone, it says, well, this is how far I’ve got so far" and it is just that. There's the 'old ' Soror style that we know and love - now a master crafter and builder of sculpted prims along with those brilliant textures, and there's a surprising step off into a newer Soror. Some things stay the same and some things are new. I'll let you enjoy the surprise.
One of the things that draws me to Soror's work is her love of trees and the intermingling of myth and magic with a pragmatic and sometimes philosophical approach.
There's much to discover and enjoy in this build. It's breathtakingly beautiful, but .... also take the time to ponder on what it is saying, about life, the world, virtual worlds, and the maker.

UWA People's Choice

2010-09-02T22:21:00.000+10:00

With 109 entries, making a choice from a board of static images without titles is a bit like filling out the Senate ticket. My attention span goes AWOL at 2 minutes, and at that stage I had managed to vote for Glyph Graves brilliant Antarcta work, but hadn't been able to find Nish Mip's exceptionally well built illusionary landscape, so sorry Nish, you didn't get a vote.

Glyph's work is a wonderful mixture of art and science. A sleeping figure personifies the Antarctic, wakes, and arises and breaks into component pieces representing the weather stations in the Antarctic.

The work takes readings from each of the 19 the weather stations. These are translated into sound, colour and particle direction. The relative height of the discs conforms to the height of the weather station.

It's a complex work, small in comparison to many of Gyph's installations, but very powerful. The figure provides a touch of haunting humanity and a counterpoint to the science and technique in the work.

It deserves first vote - but Nish is a very close second, and I am sorry I couldn't find this piece on the board. How do you sift through 109 indistinct images?

Last of the UWA Challenges

2010-08-29T11:19:00.000+10:00

The end of this month will see the end of an era in Second Life history, as the UWA monthly challenges draw to a close.

It's not too late to get your entry in, so you can say you participated. I was lucky to get a preview of the amazing work Glyph Graves is making for this final challenge, and it is going to something to delight his audience with his usual mixture of art and science.

JayJay Zifanwe owner of UWA sim says "when we started I could hardly begin to imagine what it would have become one year down the track. I had a number of people tell me that 2 months is all that I would be able to do, that people would not be interested, but Second Life and the wonderful residents and artists have come through in an incredible manner'

The big party will be in early October when the overall winners of the year long challenge are announced, and at that time UWA's new project in Second Life will be announced. In the meantime for all of September we can vote for people's choice for the various categories in the overall competition.

Congratulations are in order for JayJay and Quadrapop for the excellent competition they have run over the past twelve months, and for their significant contribution to art and design in this worldwide community. It makes me proud to be an Aussie, and I look forward to new and exciting things happening at UWA over the next year.

Best of luck to all of the monthly winners for the grand prize.

Alizarin Goldflake- at the End of the Day

2010-08-25T08:34:00.001+10:00

Alizarin Goldflake's new build 'At the End of the Day' is a beautiful, contemplative space.
The first opening of this work (above) turned into such a wild party that Alizarin decided to have another, a garden party, more in keeping with the tone of the work. But her followers seem to have a different idea of what this work is best used for.

While Ali and some friends were dancing sedately in the garden others were living it up in 'At the End of the Day'(today's opening below).

A beautiful work Ali- whatever it's used for. Congratulations!

Australians go to the polls on broadband and filters

2010-08-18T06:41:00.001+10:00

Australians go to the polls this Saturday to decide who will govern the country for the next few years.

Broadband services look like being a decisive factor in the election. The electorate has been largely bored and disengaged with the traditional mudslinging campaign on issues such as the economy, health and education. The provision of broad band services has emerged as one of the key points of difference between the parties and a major issue for voters. This is pretty amazing. Is there anywhere else in the world where access to technology has been a decisive factor in an election?

On one hand we have a party offering to plunge the country deeper into debt building a massive infrastructure that will deliver undreamt of (and probably impossible) internet speeds to most Australians (perhaps not before they die). The catch is, this party will also deliver censorship of the internet, so we will have very fast download of just whatever they think is suitable for us. (I guess the other catch is that this party doesn’t have a very good track record of actually delivering things .)

On the other side of politics we have a party offering to spend very little and just to clean up the edges of what we already have, which is a woefully inadequate system. Right now this system puts Australia at competitive disadvantage in the world, so this is no plan for the future. But at least they are not talking about censorship, and it’s going to be pretty easy to deliver nothing much.

The other amazing factor is that ignorance about all things technical has been worn as a badge of honour by the leaders of both parties and many of the candidates. In what other policy field would our leaders proudly profess total ignorance and then expect us to vote for them? Our politicians seem like relics from the past, out of touch with the realities of modern living and working.

OMG! I just remembered that voting in Australia is compulsory. It’s like being asked to vote on which tooth I want pulled.

Realities

2010-08-10T09:38:00.000+10:00

Finding out today that an absent Second Life friend was not dead or in a coma but just on holidays was a great relief. It brought home to me just how real and important our virtual relationships can be, and how fragile our connections with people we have known for years are. It can all disappear tomorrow, and there would be a great sense of loss, as if from a massive catastrophe or a bomb. I hope it doesn't happen.

The other strange thing, and one which I have always known but chosen to ignore, is the fact that what one avatar is seeing is not necessarily what the other has on their screen - even though they might be aiming their camera at the same thing. So while I tried to show my friend Ali some stuff I was working on at my gallery in Second Life, she kept asking what were the black shapes or 'is this supposed to be black?' The answer is no, it's to do with your machine or your connection or whatever. It brings home the point that much of what we complain about in SL has nothing to do with what is provided by LL, but more to do with our own hardware, software and internet connection. I guess it's sort of like real life......

For the record Ali, this is what we were looking at, and it's not black.

Lessons in Democracy - Rose Borchovsky

2010-07-24T17:16:00.000+10:00

I have long been an admirer of the work of Rose Borchovsky in Second Life. She uses text and the processes of reading extensively,as a visual and audio adjunct to her work. So it was a great treat to come upon 'Lessons in Democracy' at the University of Western Australia site today. A series of revolving, elongated cubes are the focus of the work, providing sequence and narrative in the installation, revealing a new chapter in the ongoing exploration of ethics and ideas that informs Rose's Susa Bubble works.

I spoke about Rose's Susa works at the National Artist Book Forum in Australia earlier this year, because it seems to me she is an artist who understands and controls this new medium and who is taking the idea of reading and storytelling into a new realm. I would very much like to see her works in an artist book exhibition, because I think she captures something of the essence of what visual artists are about when they use the book or storytelling format as a starting place.

At Mackay I suggested that one can define ‘book’ as an experience. Umberto Eco said ‘books are machines that provoke further thoughts’ and it seems to me that Rose's Second Life works fit admirably into this category. She is a master at using seemingly simple imagery and scripting to convey complex ideas. Her work is always 'thought provoking'.

What's the World Coming To?

2010-07-22T19:58:00.000+10:00

I visited Nishi Beach today and spoke with Soror Nishi who is holding a farewell party on the weekend to say goodbye to the place that has been an inspiration and a source of joy to many, many artists and others in Second Life. Soror is giving up her land at Nishi Beach. The losers will be all the many people who come to Second Life in the future and do not have access to this rich and vibrant place, who will, perhaps, see virtual worlds as a place of pale attempts at recreating the real world. Nishi Beach has always been a shining example of what is possible in a virtual world, what might be a better, more interesting world of our imagining, and now it will be lost.

I remember the first time Alizarin Goldflake and I discovered Soror's place and the wonder of it all. Her work has been at the forefront of the new and different and she has never given up trying to make the perfect prim, the perfect sculpt, the perfect texture, to populate a world that is at best, imperfect. She understands this new place is not supposed to be like the old world.

Yes, Soror's work may be seen in exhibitions here and there in the future, but Nishi Beach, a permanent celebration of difference and a call to all of us to be more imaginative in this brave new world will be gone.

What next? Is there no way to save these places from being lost? Is LL so far down the slippery slope to oblivion that nothing matters any more?

Virtual Books- A Change in Direction for Second Edition

2010-07-11T14:16:00.000+10:00

Last week, Second Edition, my Second Life library of virtual books and bookmaking tools closed, not with a bang, but a whimper.

When I started Second Edition in early 2007 there wasn’t much available for people with an interest in making books. The library was set up to house free templates and examples and to encourage people to think about making virtual books. Over the next three years, as SL matured and became a much more sophisticated space, books, publishers, libraries and bookmakers could be found in many places. In the early days I got IM’s from excited and grateful people who’d discovered Second Edition and I had to stop listing $0 Items in my transactions because lots of visitors devoured every free book in sight. In the past 12 months interest and ‘sales’ have dropped off. I think this has more to do with the general availability of these things now, rather than a lack of interest in books.

My own interest in making virtual books that mimic real life books and reading experiences has also waned. I am now more interested in exploring new ways of reading and writing, and new ways of creating the experience that was once a ‘book’. In real life have been working in the artist book genre for a long time. Last year I sponsored a virtual artist book prize as part of the University of Western Australia ‘Imagine’ Challenge in Second Life. In May this year I gave a paper on virtual books at the (Australian) National Artist Book Forum, introducing some of my real life artist colleagues to the idea of virtual books, and at the moment I am participating in a project that looks at the interface between artists and technology, with particular reference to writing and books.

All these things come together to give me what I hope will be a new direction to follow in exploring the creative possibilities of virtual worlds. Second Edition may have closed its doors, for now, but watch this space for a new take on virtual books.

A Foray into InWorldz - Happy Rez Day Soror

2010-07-11T12:06:00.000+10:00

Like rats leaving a sinking ship my colleagues are all disappearing into this new virtual space. I don't know why anyone should deride the rats for leaving a sinking ship. Are they supposed to go down with the ship like the Captain?
Leaving a sinking ship sounds sensible to me, so I decided to do a little ship leaving myself today and swam over to have a look at InWorldz. As alternatives to Second Life go, it's not too bad if you don't mind the instability and the lag - ten times worse than the same that bothered you so much in SL - and if you don't mind the starting all over again with making/finding/buying inventory or the tedious process of trying to migrate your possessions (woops - sorry LL I know we don't actually own anything.)
The main reason I was there was to attend Soror Nishi's rez day party. Yes, Soror has been InWorldz for a whole year, preparing the ground for transplanting and carefully tending the species she's introduced from our other world.
Given the instability of InWorldz and my inability to log on 20 times in five minutes or get anywhere near Soror's Alchemy Lab (which is her space in In Worldz)I didn't quite make it to the party (Happy rez day anyway Soror) but I did get back there after everyone had left. There's a children's story about missing out on stuff because you didn't get there early enough - but I can't remember it, and besides, I didn't miss out at all because I got to discover Soror's beautiful gardens thriving there, in a virtual world I will certainly visit again.

Wow!As soon as I typed the bit about rats an ad for a pest control firm in my rl neighbourhood flashed up on screen. I guess they will be at the door in a few minutes (the firm, not the rats). Scary huh?

Glyph Graves at IBM

2010-07-05T21:08:00.001+10:00

I can't pretend that these images I have put up here do anything like justice to what is an amazingly complex and ambitious build by Glyph Graves at IBM in Second Life. Glyph gave me a much enjoyed personal tour of his build on Sunday night. Iono Allen was also there filming and I hope he captures the build better than I could, because I was too fascinated and interested to take many images.
Once again IBM is to be congratulated for showing the work of this SL artist who is outside the mainstream, whose work doesn't have immediate, crowd pleasing appeal, but whose commitment, final execution and use of the medium shows just how far we can push an imperfect virtual world.
Part of the build is done in collaboration with the real life cooperation of Julian Stadon from the Studio of Electronic Arts at Curtin University, WA, Australia where there is a lonely petri dish sitting on a bench. Inside this petri dish is a colony of Protozoa. Their movement is captured through video microscopy and then converted into a real time data stream and sent to SL. Glyph takes this data and turn it into colour, movement and a melody is produced that is the audio transformation of the raw data.

As with much of Glyph's work there is meaning within meaning and 'things are not as they appear at first glance' There are lots of transformations, lots of comments on virtual and real worlds, on art and on reality. The installation has many parts, all of them with something to say, something to discover and something to ponder.

You could just look at the works in a pure, graphic sense and wonder at the beauty and the skill, but reading the notecard and understanding the story behind each segment is as much an integral part of understanding and enjoying the work as the visual clues.

Glyph Graves pushes the boundaries of the medium and he uses it for all it is worth. One gets the feeling that his work is almost not at home in Second Life any more- it has outgrown its roots. Certainly it could take its place in any new media exhibition in the worlds best galleries. We're privileged to have such easy access to it in Second Life. Take your time to enjoy and discover and understand. This installation is worth it.

SL Changes - for Better or for Worse

2010-06-26T17:58:00.000+10:00

There's nothing like being away in a third world country for a few weeks, without access to internet to bring home the terrible truth that many of the things that concern us are often trivial and irrelevant. I've come home to massive changes in Second Life. They might be catastrophic or (virtual) world changing, but I can't see this as important right now. Nevertheless, I have tried to wade through all the blogs, the tweets and IM's, to make some sense of it all.

For a while now I have realised that SL is old technology. It hasn't changed much , although it's been enhanced a bit, since I started in 2006. There's lots more alternatives around now than there was then, and there's lots more opportunity to be involved in other 3D environments. What has kept me in SL has been its stability and reliablity. Notwithstanding that many people rage against LL, it has still been able to provide a 3D virtual world platform with a level of stability, complexity,and operability that is streaks head of any competitor.

In this time of change for LL there is lots of advice about how the company should proceed, a lot of starry eyed romanticism, a lot of suggestions about how to tweek this and that and,as always, a lot of angst. I can look at SL and LL from the point of view of a user, and have a certain opinion about what's important to me, or I can look at the company and the platform and ask myself honestly what I'd do if I was the CEO.

The question is, where does the revenue come from? That's got to be the first priority if the enterprise is to survive. It's nice to talk about all sorts of other loftier objectives, but basically the role of a manager of any corporation has to be to protect the current income base and to expand it. I don't know what makes up that income base, but I'd bet that land, tier and $L exchange make up a large part of it, so those are the core things I'd be focusing on first. That is, unless the corporation is capital rich and wants to reinvent itself. If there's not enough capital for a major reinvention, then as CEO I'd have to focus on retaining current business as first priority. Much of what has gone on in the past 18 months has been in direct opposition to that objective.

There's lots of people (like me) who've made an investment in SL and who pay tier each month, who are now weighing up their options, deciding whether to bail out or whether to hang in. Viewer 2 and the current uncertainties are about the last straw, and are making SL a less attractive option than the many alternatives. Retaining us, and instilling some trust, has to be as important as attracting new users, and has to be the first priority for an organisation that appears to many about to be about to go belly up. (Perhaps that's wrong. Maybe LL has enough capital set aside to lose, say 50% of, its current landholding and user base and arise from the ashes a different entity with a new client base. I doubt this is so, but say good luck if it is, every corporation has the right to reinvent itself. However, if LL can't afford to lose its current income base, then first priority is how to retain it.)

So, in times of uncertainty, I suggest LL look at who are the people who currently contribute most to their ongoing viability. I am not certain who they are, but without them the company is in trouble, so they have to be first priority. I doubt that they are new users. The time for expansion and new ideas is when everything else is going well - not when the core business is about to fall apart.

Real/Second Life Crossover- Treeline Opening

2010-05-23T16:07:00.000+10:00

Since it's a crossover show - I am also going to post here as well as on the Virtual Treeline site.
The Treeline Exhibition opened in real life on Friday night at Noosa Regional Gallery, in Australia. Part of the show features a slide show and book of the work of all the Second Life artists who have participated in the Virtual Treeline project in Second Life. As curator of Virtual Treeline I have been honoured, humbled and delighted by the response from Second Life artists to this environmental art project. Thank you everyone.
You can read all about it at the Virtual Treeline blog http://virtualtreeline.blogspot.com/2010/05/realsecond-life-crossover-treeline.html and see the images of the opening at Noosa Gallery on the Virtual Treeline Fickr site.
The beautiful books can be previewed in full and purchased on line at http://bit.ly/9ZluS9

Secrets, Rumour, and Fear -Linden Endowment for the Arts

2010-05-18T09:23:00.000+10:00

Strange things make us write blog posts. I am prompted to write this after seeing a saccharine sweet machinima on SL art on Dusan's blog. http://dusanwriter.com/index.php/2010/05/16/second-life-refresh-in-case-youve-forgotten-why/#comments
It seems to me there are two ways to look at art and creativity, both in the real world and in the virtual. It can be some sentimental, tear jerk thing where everyone can and should be able to achieve, and everyone is as good as anyone else and everyone should be encouraged, or it can be taken seriously as a profession where excellence is what counts. To get ahead in that scenario one has to not only be excellent but also a good strategist, be able to claw ones way to recognition and be prepared to take the knocks and get back up.

Both these scenarios exist in Second Life. At one end of the spectrum are the virtual acres and acres of reproductions of 2D art on virtual gallery walls. There are also acres of so called 'art' that is often no more than playing with the technical possibilities - make it colourful (preferably with glow), script it to move and change shape or colour, torture the prims a bit - call it art. Much of it is shown badly in spaces and situations that don't do much for the artwork or the viewing experience, but it has its own followers and friends, and it's a political position - that everyone should be able to participate and be encouraged.

At the other end of that spectrum are the serious artists who are using Second Life to make work that means something, that stretches the limits, not only of the medium, but of the imagination. Such art is not just about encouraging people to replicate real life or make unusual things, it's about making people think, about pushing the envelope of our understanding. If it's good art, it makes a point and it uses the medium in some new and value adding way. This is true of both visual and performing arts.

So that leads me to think about this Linden Endowment for the Arts which has been flying under the radar for most of us since it was announced in February. My understanding is that a committee has been appointed, they have met, and that there's talk of 70 sims being handed over to the committee to play with. Rumour, innunedo, fear and angst abound. As a public relations exercise it starting to look about as successful as the BP oil spill. The video on Dusan's website does nothing to dispel fears - what it does is fuel the angst.

Yes, there have been great things done in SL. Many very creative people have contributed. Many others have contributed by supporting art and artists in SL. They've done this on a sort of level playing field- where a prim for one person's vision cost just as much as a prim for someone else's vision. They've done this, and they've paid for it, and they've been inspired and happy to do it, partly because this was a system where it seemed everyone could 'have a go'.

But LL have lately changed the playing field for the arts in SL. Initially by granting five free sims to a small selected group of artists for the Shanghai project and beyond, and now with this new move to create LEFA and give 70 sims and free exposure and marketing to some but not to others. In a way it seems the logical extension of a new culture in SL where the 'company' now provides and controls homes, advertising, marketing of experience, and stores.

The LEFA is a step towards company controlled and subsidised art, towards homogenising the art experience, squeezing out the new and anarchic, and of making it much more difficult for artists to operate and compete outside the company sims. The granting of favour and privilege to a selected few artists is part of this scenario, as is handing over the power of 'kingmaking' in SL arts to an appointed committee. That artists who have been the recipients of largesse from LL are also now (rumoured to be) on the committee dispensing it to others doesn't add to confidence.

There are those who see LEFA as a good thing and those who see it as a bad thing. I can't see how it can be a good thing, for me or for the arts in SL.I would be very happy if someone could convince me otherwise. But that's just the issue - all we have is rumour, innuendo, and fear. We are not even allowed to know who is on this company appointed committee that is making decisions about the future of SL art. Why the secrecy? The committee has been appointed and has met. So why not let everyone know who is on it. It doesn't look good. Many of us have made significant investment in SL. We all fear an announcement soon of the 'decision' - which will change our lives in SL and devalue our investment even more. That's been the LL pattern, and LEFA seems to be fitting right in.

We know LL is not really concerned with keeping or looking after those who have contributed to the development of SL, but in attracting and keeping new users. New users will just go along to the company controlled art sims and think 'what a lovely creative place this is'. Is that what it's about?

Viewer 2.0 A Divisive Turning Point

2010-05-03T06:28:00.000+10:00

Everyone is talking about it, and most of it's negative, but is it really that bad?
A few days ago T. Linden came along to a meeting of artists and content creators to explain the reasoning behind Viewer 2.0 and to answer questions, and since he seemed genuinely convinced that the new viewer is a step up I decided to try to throw aside my initial horror and give it a real test.

There IS a bit of transition shock involved in any change, so I tried to look dispassionately at the new viewer. I have to admit, it takes some getting used to, finding things you know should be somewhere but are not in the place you always found them, but that shouldn't last long.It's workable.

The major issues for builders and content creators have been raised and documented in many places and T. Linden was well aware of the flaws in practicality in the new viewer - things like the camera, the large number of clicks required to perform simple tasks, the world moving etc. Let's hope that awareness turns into doing something to fix those issues. However, one has to wonder why some of the failings weren't picked up before it was released. As an example, users (supported by LL) have been working around the clock for months getting together machinima to showcase the creative potential of Second Life at the Shanghai World Expo. and during the process LL brings out a viewer that doesn't allow machinima makers to hide the interface.A fundamental flaw, like many others that should have been easily picked up and rectified before release.

If I put aside all the difficulties associated with learning a new interface, and accept that some of the more glaring faults might be fixed, I am still left with a feeling of great disappointment with the new viewer.

Firstly, It doesn't feel like the same world. New users won't notice this, but since what LL sells is a virtual world experience one might expect them to make that the focus of the screen. Instead, the bigger, blacker, less flexible interface is so intrusive the world has become secondary. What they are selling now is an internet-like experience with a glimpse of a virtual world behind it. There's so much (sometimes useless)information flashing up and hiding things it's hard to actually see the world. T. Linden said the new interface was designed with new users in mind, to introduce people to the rich diversity of Second Life. The new viewer doesn't measure up to this expectation, it has detracted from the virtual world experience whilst adding interface experience.

One wonders why that sidebar is so unnecessarily large, so black and evident, and so set in size. I can only think it's so LL can sell advertising there in the future. Why else take up 25% of the screen with a message like 'please do our survey'.

As I've tried out the new viewer I've listened in to New Citizens chat and what has amazed me is the number of questions about how to use various viewers. The good folk there are struggling with trying to help newcomers come to grips with this or that feature of this or that viewer. Their task in mentoring and providing help has just become a great deal more difficult. As has the task of just about anybody who teaches instructional classes.

It seems this is going to be a feature of Second Life from now on. T. Linden said alternative viewers would remain an option, and suggested that other viewers might be developed (even commercially) to suit some needs (like machinima or building). Herin lies the greatest disappointment for me.

This segmenting and differentiation of experience has not been a feature of the world up til now. Most of the viewers looked pretty much the same, with some tweaking around the edges. Now we can't rely on the avatar we are instructing, or talking to or helping to be seeing more or less the same things as we are. We can't be sure we are sharing the same experience, and we can't sometimes help them because they are using a different viewer to us. It's divisive. Why have a viewer for new users that is vastly different to the viewers preferred by more experienced users?

I think of all the hours I and many others have put into patiently helping others learn things in Second Life, of the time I have given to people to teach them how to install my products, or learn how to change their clothes. I think of all the many many hours others have given to the same sorts of tasks. And I think about all the thousands of how-to instructions, class notes, tutorials, and videos in-world and on the net that will now be redundant or in need of revision. I think about how there will need to be an instruction for people using this viewer, and another for people using that viewer, and how much more difficult, divisive and complex it has become to learn and teach about this virtual world, and to make sure people can use the products I sell.

T. Linden said it was the intention of LL that Viewer 1.23 will stop being supported after the introduction of Viewer 2.1. With that in mind, for the first time in four years in Second Life, I decided it was time to turn my back on the official viewer and have a look at the alternatives. My listening in on New Citizens chat led me to Emerald, and so long as they don't decide to make it more like V.2.0 in the future, it will remain my choice. Sadly, that means those newbies who turn up at my place, clearly in need of some help, will get a friendly greeting, but I won't be able to offer them in depth instructions on how to do things, because, basically, we won't be sharing the same experience.

Very SAD.

The Inventory Airing - Glyph Graves

2010-03-01T15:24:00.001+10:00

Sometimes you understand what it is that keeps you coming back to Second Life. Where else in the world can 20 or 30 people from all over the world come together to share an experience for an hour or so and then disperse back to their everyday lives?
Those of us who gathered at Kolor Fall's sim to see Glyph Grave's 'inventory airing' - a collection of many of the artworks Glyph has made in Second Life, some never shown publicly before, were treated to just such an affirmation of the power of virtual worlds. First, the enormous potential unleashed when 'residents' are given the tools to create, second the talent and contribution just one person can make, and thirdly the 'not possible in real life' experience of sharing a parcel of time with the artist and a group of like minded people.

Congratulations to Glyph and to White Lebed, who, I think, had a hand in getting this show on the road, and thanks to Kolor for donating the space. I don't know how long it's on - but worth taking a trip to see, even if you won't be able to have the experience we had today.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kolor/37/101/3008

shellina Winkler and Solkide Auer - Crystal Forest

2010-02-24T21:09:00.001+10:00

I dropped in today to see the new collaborative work 'Crystal Forest' from shellina Winkler and Solkide Auer at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kaprun/208/66/23

This is a smallish installation as immersive environments go, but is well designed and works as a space that invites the audience to interact without being overwhelmed.

The moving, colour changing installation, with sound, shows a restraint which is typical of shellina and Solkide's work. It is just showy enough without being over the top with gimmicks and technical tricks. They resisted the urge to include all the colours of the rainbow in their pallette, and the result is pleasing to the eye and the mind.

R18+ classification Australia- a Response

2010-02-17T20:29:00.000+10:00

The Australian Govt. has released a discussion paper seeking views on whether Australia's classification system for computer games should be changed.
http://www.ag.gov.au/gamesclassification
Responses are invited before February 28th. There is a form to use on that site and provision for 250 words of comment after filling in the form.

Australia's present classification system stops at an R15+ rating, effectively censoring anything not suitable for a 15 year old. In Australia at present it is unlawful to hire, sell, exhibit, etc. any computer game not suitable for a 15 year old. The rights of adults are being ignored.

The govt. discussion paper looks at the pros and cons of extending the classification of computer games to bring it in line with films and publications, where there is an 18+ classification.

More information can be found at many places on the internet, including a discussion paper on the EFA site:
http://www.efa.org.au/2010/02/04/efas-draft-r18-for-games-discussion-paper/
Interestingly this discussion paper points out that the lack of an 18+ classification means minors in Australia are MORE likely to be exposed to unsuitable material, as over half the games classified 15+ in Australia are classified 18+ in most other countries.

Please make comment and support the introduction of an R18+ classification before February 28th and lobby your state Attorney general to support the change.

My comments are as follows:
Minors are not being protected by the lack of an 18+ rating. Parents are being misled. Australia’s classification system leads to more questionable material being available to minors, not less.

Over half the games rated 15+ in Australia are rated 18+ in comparable countries. So Australian 15 year olds are free to buy and watch material that is not available to this age group in other countries. If parents understood this they would be pushing for an R18+ category.

There is no reliable research to show interactive gaming has more adverse effects on children than watching films, so there is no justification for different ratings systems.

It is clamed that the NCS charter is to strike a balance between allowing adults to see what they want and protecting minors, but adults are currently unable to have access to any material not suitable for a 15 year old. It appears the balance is skewed towards appearing to protect minors and ignores the rights of adults.

The NCS is supposedly about allowing Australians (not just parents) to make informed decisions, but at the moment it is a censorship mechanism rather than a classification system.

Research shows the average age of gamers is mid thirties. Computer ‘games’ are a legitimate entertainment choice for a large and increasing number of adults, especially older people.

There should be consistency between films and games especially as films are increasingly being made into games.

Australia’s classification system needs to be in line with other similar countries, otherwise confusion occurs.

Comet Morigi - The Sim as a Canvas

2010-02-13T08:02:00.000+10:00

Comet Morigi takes a unique approach to creating art in Second Life. Her works are not entities that sit as separate objects within the Second Life environment. Rather, she often uses that environment and its features as her tools for creating the art; as her blank canvas and her 'brushes'. She is, almost literally, using the landscape as a tool to create.
Her latest work at Ball State explores and demonstrates Second Life wind patterns and densities- with particles and prims that react in response to those changing patterns. It also highlights the notion of Linden Lab as gods who have control over the weather and the wind which we accept as an everyday part of the Second Life worlds. Comet's work exposes the mechanics behind our world.
Apparently the Second Life clouds are very large particles that move more slowly than usual particles. Wind currents appear to be randomly generated and forever changing. Whatever they are Comet Morigi makes interesting art from them.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ball%20State%20Instructional2/121/120/240

Gallery Hop

2010-02-09T19:37:00.001+10:00

I took the time to visit some exhibitions today and had a pleasant time- sometimes joined by friends and sometimes alone.

First stop of note was Rose Borchovski's new Susa installation, Fear of Sleeping, at Arte Libra.
Although I've seen Rose's Susa's before, in several manifestations, this was the best installation I've seen yet. It's put together really well, the sound and video work in without too much intrusion and it keeps you interested and looking for a long time.

I came back for a second look after visiting a few other galleries, including Rose's 'Fear of Freezing' at Angel of the Mysts Gallery.

At Angel of the Mysts I also saw Little One Aires' work and will be saying more about that over on the Virtual Treeline blog.

I also dropped in to see work by Xineohp Guisse (hope I have that name right) at Bad Boys. The exhibition called QUAD9byX (I think - apologies if I don't have it right) is small but shows great promise. He's advertised it widely and well and the work is stunning, but I am not sure that adding sexually explicit material into the mix does a lot for reaching a wider audience. Some of the material belongs only in an adult sim. Call me a prude if you want, but there doesn't seem to be any need for this in-your-face mix - either you want to make adult material and show it in a suitable venue or you want to advertise to and reach a wider audience and so stick to the rules of mature sims.

My final stop worth noting, and very pleasant to look at, is Juko Tempel's new show at Second Life Art Community.
These small rectangular galleries are difficult to work with at the best of times, but Juko has made an art form of transforming her small room at the centre into a sophisticated and well planned exhibition space.

The exhibition 'Lamp Posts', a series of black and white photographs of lamp posts from various locations, is perfectly set off by one splash of green coloured image, limish green walls and a grey wooden floor. Worth taking note. Presentation counts when it somes to showing artworks, either in Second Life or real life.

Juanita Deharo at Pirats, February 2010

2010-02-05T14:15:00.000+10:00

My new installation at Pirats is a large immersive piece titled "When the light that's lost within us reaches the sky" which is about as much explanation as I want to make about the work.

It is meant to be explored and discovered and interpreted in any way you want - either in parts or as the sum of the parts. As a visual artist I hope to reach an audience through what they see not through words.

The work is a large cylinder 100X50 metres and 50 metres high. Although the viewer appears to be in a terraformed landscape, this is not the case. It is a stand alone piece.

In real life I work with many organic textures and found objects and I have enjoyed trying to bring some elements of this into this installation. What has been a delight to me is the reaction of those who have looked at the work. Almost everyone has said it 'reminds them of ........something' and that is what I hoped to achieve. A stirring of some part of the brain, a lost skeleton in a cupboard, a recognition of things better left unknown and unsaid, or a memory lost in the past - a feeling of unease.

Please visit the installation at pirats in Second Life
http://slurl.com/secondlife/PiRats%20Art%20Network/164/35/23
pirats website: http://pirats.ning.com/

TEA CERMONY - Second Life

2010-02-04T10:29:00.001+10:00

Sometimes Second Life throws up a pleasant surprise, and my neighbour Tohasu's Japanese tea party today was no exception.
Our hotsess was Miyako Akino a 'geiko' from the Nakaroshima Geisha house in Hosoi Mura sim. She guided us through the tea ceremony and kept the conversation lively with tidbits about Japanese culture and language and the traditions of geisha.

She was joined by her 'apprentice' Toshiki, and together they entertained us playing traditional Japanese instruments, saying special poems, traditional dancing, and 'mind candy'- the teasing, flirtatious talk of the geisha culture.

As only Seccond Life can, we were also delivered unexpected entertainment in the form of a French avatar, Annabella, who dropped in uninvited and proceeded to make us laugh by getting drunk on the sake.
Conversataion was lively and the company was great. Sometimes virtual worlds deliver an experience not to be missed. Thanks Tohasu.

Treeline2 Opening in Second Life

2010-01-22T11:30:00.000+10:00

My pet project in Second Life had it's second opening today. It's lots of fun, but lots of work to be a gallery curator in Second Life. Pop over to the Treeline blog http://virtualtreeline.blogspot.com/2010/01/treeline2-opening.htmland have a look or better still pop into Second Life and see the exhibition.

Congratulations Pirats!

2010-01-20T09:11:00.001+10:00

Congratulations Merlina, Newbab and everyone a Pirats on your 60th exhibition and a year of energetic and dedicated commitment to showing art in Second Life. Such a rich diversity you have added to the virtual world art scene.

Images: Top - Solkide Auer - Asterix
Bottom: Shellina Winkler - Lava Fountain

Winners- UWA Artist Book Prize - December round

2010-01-11T07:07:00.001+10:00

Congratulations to all the winners of the UWA Imagine and Flagship Challenges.
The artist book prize for the December round was won by Anyunie Daviau with her work Auracaria Artist Book (above). This is a very beautiful work which was also awarded second place in the overall Imagine Competition.
Anyunie wins the $2000 cash prize plus a Book Factory and book pack from from Intelli. (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Intelli/96/106/28)
Second Prize was awarded to Asmita Duranjaya for her work 'Asmita's Philosophical Book Display'. This was a charming piece with just a touch of whimsy.
Congratulations to everyone who entered. It was a very difficult decision this month with a diverse range of excellent works and the judging was close. Thank you to Juko, Victor and Jayjay for agreeing to share the difficult task of judging.

The work will be on display in the UWA sim for another week. Images of all the books considered by the judges will be displayed on the Second Edition Flickr site in the next few days.
Below - Three sketchbooks by Fuschia Nightfire.

Marketing In Second Life, Spam, Mailing Lists

2010-01-07T18:45:00.001+10:00

When is it OK to spam your customers? In Second Life, as in real life, if you join a group or subscribe to a mailing list then you are saying 'yes', I will accept some information from you, I opt in.

But in Second Life there's another thing that operates- the spam list compiled from the hidden visitor counter. Just visiting some sites is seen as an 'opt in' to receive massive spam from their mailing lists.

There are some places that put you (unknown to you) on their mailing list and send you spam forever, even if you only came once and saw this was not for you. Is there anyone else that doesn't like this trend?

When I started receiving lots of spam from an avatar called Victorn Oppewall I asked him why. He said it was because I had visited one of his sims and he then agreed to take me off his list, but warned me that if i visited again I would be back on his list.

Recently I was interested to see the latest work of Kicca Igaly and Nessuno Myoo so visited a landmark in a notice from a group I subscribe to. Shock, Horror!- it was one of Victorn Oppewall's sims! So I IM'ed him asking NOT to be put on the mailing list for spam just because I visited his sim.

His reaction? To ban me from his sims!

Do artists know this goes on? When they agree to show their work do they know what is happening in the background in terms of marketing like this? Are they aware that if their audience doesn't want to be subscribed to Oppwewall's spam they will be banned from seeing their work when it is exhibited on his sims?

Kicca and Nessuno - I like your work - but I am not happy that I should be banned from seeing it just because I do not want to subscribe to Oppwewall's spam forever.

This is aggressive and intrusive marketing at its worst. Artists should be asking about things like this before they agree to show their work.

Man the Hunter

2009-12-21T10:50:00.000+10:00

The video above - "Man the Hunter" - installation shown at pirats in Second Life last month.
There are several layers of meaning. The work refers to man's need to kill and control, the glorification of killing, and the jarring note of man's interventions in the natural environment.

There are some more images on my website http://www.juanitadeharo.com

Man the Hunter" music: A Big Hard World"
Written & Performed by:Derek R. Audette - (C) MMIV(Socan)

A Letter to Prime Minister Rudd

2009-12-18T16:58:00.001+10:00

Image of a Work by Blue Tsuki 'Long Term Care' - to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Human Rights
Dear Nanny Rudd
It's so nice that you gave the children a taxpayer funded television channel all of their own, but where is the channel dedicated to the needs of old people? (Should I call them 'youth disadvantaged'?)
Have you ever been into a nursing home and seen the poor old folk strapped into their wheelchairs in front of Humphrey B Bear or whatever children's drivel is fed up to them for most of the time they are allowed to be awake.
Are you aware that dinner time in nursing homes is around 4.30 pm and that at the prime watching time for older people in our community (whether in nursing homes or not) the ABC has ALL THREE of their taxpayer funded channels streaming out children's programmes. Where is the justice in that?
I hear that you and Nanny Conroy are cooking it up so that no Australian will have access to anything except children's material - either on television or the internet, but maybe you'd better rethink. We may be old but we ain't dead yet and we can still vote.
Expect a mob of wheelchairs down in front of the lodge when you return from swanning around Copenhagen. Unfortunately we couldn't watch you because all we are allowed to watch are children's programmes.

More from the UWA Artist Book Prize

2009-12-18T06:56:00.001+10:00

Second Place Winner- Consolations of Philosophy by Ichiko Miles

Images of all entries in the November round of the artist book prize at UWA sim in Second Life have been posted on the Second Edition Flickr site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/2ndedition_virtual_books/ It's going to be a hard act to follow, but there are already some interesting entries for the December round.For December the kind folk at Intelli have added to the prize pool, so in addition to the $2000L first prize the winner will also receive an in-world publishing system from Intelli and a pack of five blank books. Runner up will receive $500 plus a five pack of Intelli blank books.
Details from the UWA sim in Second Life http://slurl.com/secondlife/UWA/64/132/250

Inside the Tapestries- by Littleone Ares

Artist Book Prize -UWA sim

2009-12-13T16:21:00.000+10:00

Video:Offene_Buch - by OldOak Merlin
Music: Timestream Station written and performed by Derek Audette -C (MM1V(solan)

Congratulations to Oldoak Merlin winner of the November round of the artist book prize at UWA sim. The winning work is clearly a book - and yet it is also not quite what we expect from a book. The words and print won't stay on the page but float and swirl, sometimes forming words, sometimes not. It asks us to consider the nature of words, story and text, while staying within the known bounds of 'bookness'. The dedication to Ramon Llull gives us an indication of the creator's intent. It is a very well conceived and aesthetically pleasing work that operates on a number of levels, and is well deserving of the prize.

Thank you to everyone who entered. I will be featuring some of the winning works here and on the Second Edition Flickr site over the next few weeks as a lead up to the judging of the December round.

Tanalois - Newbab Zsigmond Photography

2009-11-29T12:34:00.000+10:00

In virtual worlds there is so much opportunity to create colour, pattern, moving, whirring, noisy artworks it is often hard to resist. Newbab Zsigmond has resisted that opportunity and has, instead, chosen to exhibit his beautiful black and white photographs with restraint and an admirable sense of aesthetics.

Newbab's photographs are on show at Tanalois Art on Gemini Isle in Second Life (SLURL)in the Black and White Gallery which is the perfect setting for his work.

It is often hard in virtual space to find a gallery that can provide an enclosed and appropriate setting for art works. Too often they are exhibited in crowded spaces, in a building that competes for attention, or against the backdrop of all the other works on show. So the owners of the Black and White Gallery are to be congratulated for providing this perfect space to show this collection, and a hanging that allows each of the works to be contemplated both as a single entity and as part of the whole.

I have never been a great fan of showing 2D works on gallery walls in virtual space- it has so much more to offer than this, but this exhibition shows me that 2D work can be exhibited with imagination using the virtual building to great advantage. It would be possible to build this space in real life, but not so easy as in Second Life.

Lectures at Second Life Community Art Centre

2009-11-23T08:33:00.000+10:00

Juko Tempel gave an excellent seminar on Saturday about presenting art in SL. This was the first of series of talks at the SL Community Art Centre.
As with most things I have seen Juko involved in she has taken a very considered approach to establishing her gallery in SL, and the results speak for themselves.
Her talk was a great introduction for people thinking about setting up a gallery in Second Life.
The talks at the centre continue over the next few weeks on various subjects.

I have to admit my attention was divided between Juko's talk and the wonderful trees in the centre's courtyard.You can read about them on the Treeline blog:

Acquarella - Alizarin Goldflake - A Sneak Preview

2009-11-18T16:58:00.000+10:00

Where is the line between illustration and art? Between a picture and a work of art? Between a story telling and a poem? Alizarin Goldflake's latest work 'Aquarella' raises these questions in my mind.

Like all of her builds it is made up of exquisite hand drawn digital textures that are her trademark, it is beautifully executed with care, precision and an eye for beauty, and has an interactive component. And, like all her builds, it is a pleasure to experience. What is that experience?

Alizarin rarely explains her builds in more than descriptive terms. Her press release for this work is no exception, but there is a twist. She has invited the audience to tell the 'back story' of the work. In doing so, has she placed her work clearly in the realm of 'illustration'? Is this a picture about something else, a picture that goes with a story, that does not stand alone? Or is she asking the audience to consider how one experiences a work of art and whether any explanation is necessary?

All art work does not need to be abstract or conceptual. There is a place for the technically good and the pleasing picture, for the experience of just looking and feeling.

Sometimes one tires of the enigmatic and intellectual, and looks for a good, clear, straighforward story. However,it seems to me some works are 'over explained' with so much 'back story' the work itself is lost in all the paths one is led to in order to 'understand' it.

Just what is the story to Aquarella? Perhaps it is not as straightforward as we hope. Perhaps it is a story about not needing a backstory?

Whatever the answer it is a damn good swimming pool.

Acquarella has it's official opening on Saturday, November 28, 3 - 5 pm PDT at Atelier Alizarin in Lie. You can find entries for the backstory competition there.

+

Josina Burgess at Pirats

2009-11-12T15:31:00.000+10:00

I must learn to clear the screen when I take video, but I was having such a great time playing in these artworks I forgot.

Congratulations to Jocina and the other artists, Dan and Pirats. I enjoyed this retrospective immensely.

(Music by Derek Audette - http://derekaudette.ottawaarts.com/music.php)

When is a Copybot OK?

2009-10-29T04:58:00.000+10:00

Gazira Babeli's work 'iGods,2009' at the National Portrait Gallery in Second Life makes blatant and unashamed use of copybots. A circle of copybots instantly copy the shape and clothing of any avatar that walks into Bablei's 'temple'.

According to the curatorial statement, the work "reminds us that, in Second Life, DNA is code and in virtual worlds this code can be replicated or borrowed. This unnerving experience exposes fears associated with identity theft and the often reluctant realisation of personal identification with one’s avatar" For artists and content creators working in virtual worlds it is hard to ignore the shock of coming face to face with a copybot, not only replicating their avatar and clothing (which may or may not be a 'work of art'), but doing so openly on public display in a virtual world where such things are supposedly 'against the famed terms of service'.

Babeli's work does remind us that identity is code, but it also touches on much broader issues about copyright and protection of intellectual property in virtual worlds. We all know copybots are not only possible, but probable, and like terrorists, drug addicts, thieves, drunk drivers in the real world, they are, in a sense, 'illegal'. In what circumstances can their use be condoned?

I have heard the argument that copying is OK so long as you are not using it commercially, so long as it's for your own personal use. This can't apply to Babeli's work as I imagine The NPG is paying a hefty artist fee, and I am not sure I I am happy with the idea that others can use my work for 'personal' gain either. But is Babeli merely 'appropriating' my avatar?

The note at the exhibit asks me to 'rest assured, iGods does not copy inventory nor store information about visiting avatars'.

Should we really 'rest assured'? Is it OK to use copybots in artworks, and if so who decides what is art and what is not, who decides in what circumstances at to what extent? Who decides which artists we can trust? Who decides where to draw the line?

I like and admire Babeli's work, and it makes its point exceptionally well.........but there's a bit to ponder on.

(I went to take an image of the work for this post and the bots weren't there. Perhaps they were just virtual bots in my imagination?)

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Portrait%20Island/238/123/51

National Portrait Gallery - opening doppleganger

2009-10-24T09:16:00.000+10:00

Congratulations to curator Gillian Raymond, architect Greg Moore, and the artists (Gazira Babeli (Italy), Andrew Burrell (Sydney), Cao Fei (China), Patrick Lichty (USA) and Adam Nash, Christopher Dodds and Justin Clemens (Melbourne) who have put together this thoughtful exhibition on Portrait island. Australian artists, and Australian institutions, have been quick to appreciate and take advantage of the opportunities in virtual worlds and this exhibition is one to be proud of.

Each of the works demands demands more than a cursory glance and I am looking forward to going back to look at them again and again - something possible for me only in virtual space. The exhibition shows that virtual space can not only be a creative tool for artists, but also a very fine adjunct to a real world gallery.

Anyone who has stood in a giant darkened room in a gallery space is instantly carried there in virtual space by the evocative videos of Cao Fei. Other works can only be fully experienced in 3D as an avatar, although there are so many layers of meaning and so many layers and connection it is hard to pick a place where the work 'resides'.

The exhibition runs until March.
http://www.portrait.gov.au/exhibit/doppelganger/design.php

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN RUDD- PRIME MINISTER

2009-10-11T17:07:00.000+10:00

I have a reply from in response to my letter to Kevin Rudd regarding internet filtering. The letter runs to 4 pages and if anyone wants a copy of the full letter I will scan and email. The letter has been written by Lachlan Paterson, Assistant Sec. Content Programs in Conroy’s Dept. (the dept. title is way too long to type). The main points are as follows (with my comments in italics/brackets):

Point 1: Freedom of speech is important – but most accept there is some material not suitable for children.The internet is already subject to regulation

Point 2: The internet is an essential tool for children .(The letter does not mention that it’s also an essential tool for adults, which is somewhat surprising from the Dept. for the Digital Economy and all that guff. Where is the balance here?)

Point 3: The govt has committed $125.8million to cybersafety measures ( then quotes the website. It all seems totally focused on children, carers, parents and not the broader issues – as if the ONLY issue is children’s access to pornography- and who could or would argue with that?)

POINT 4: Part of the Govt’s plan is to introduce internet filtering for RC (refused classification) material. It includes child sexual abuse, bestiality, sexual violence, etc. (and many things gross, which noone would argue with BUT the letter fails to point out that RC can also include a lot of stuff that is harmless, or nothing to do with protecting children. EG the letter says it includes says ‘detailed instruction in crime’, which can be taken to include euthanasia, abortion etc.(think balance of power in the Senate. Also by filtering out whole sites {eg SL} with very small amounts of porn we will be denying access to the good bits too. Basically internet filtering is being justified with scare tactics about protecting children. Yes we all agree on that, but Mr. Rudd but there are OTHER issues too.)

POINT 5:
Quote: “I note your concern about on-line games such as “Second Life. The Government’s policy on ISP filtering , including its application to on-line computer games, is currently being considered. An informed and considered approach is being undertaken, including industry consultation and close examination of overseas models to assess their suitability for Australia.” (This gives very little comfort – given that Australia is the ONLY western country without an over 18 classification I am wondering what models they are looking at, and where is the consultation with the players/users? And I am wondering what ‘industry’ they are consulting with given that most games are not Australian based.)

Point 6: The trial. Issues of blocking, circumvention and loss of speed will be ‘considered’.

POINT 7:The ACMA blacklist is developed following complaints from the public. Content which is the subject of complaint is referred to the Board for classification. If it is found to be prohibited ( i.e. not suitable for over 15 classification) then it is either removed (Aust content) or will be filtered.

POINT 8: THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE WHOLE MATTER! READ THIS!

“The scope of the definition of prohibited content in legislation cannot be expanded without changes to legislation being passed by Parliament, and the Government does not intend to do this”

Basically, it seems that means we are staying with 15 plus instead of 18 plus which means SL is on dicey ground. (Anyone want to make a complaint so it’s referred for classification?)

IS THIS THE REAL WORLD OR JUST A FANTASY

2009-10-11T12:36:00.000+10:00

Inside 'Crystalline Presence' by Glyph Graves

Environmental installation by Mencius Watts

Part of an artticle published in "Artworker" (magazine of Artworkers Alliance, Australia):

Artists from all over the globe have been quietly participating in a revolution, making a new sort of art, a new art community, and discovering new ways to reach an audience and market themselves and their work. For these artists virtual reality space has become their studio and the place where they are establishing their careers and networks.

The best known of these virtual worlds, Second Life, offers its residents a range of virtual building tools so they can, literally, create their own world. For the most part residents have chosen to ‘recreate’ reality and much of Second Life resembles the real life environment with houses, malls, roadways, universities and colleges, libraries, and the occasional corner store.

Artists too have been quick to establish replicas of real life, with virtual galleries showing replica artworks. There is now an established network of over 500 galleries in Second Life, some of which have been in existence for 5 years and more. Many of them are little more than 3D internet sites, offering the audience the illusion of walking around a real life gallery space and viewing 2D images on a wall. However, as marketing and networking tool they offer opportunities artists to relate directly and personally to a worldwide audience through virtual receptions, openings, artist talks and similar live events. It is not hard or costly to arrange these events – to send out thousands of invitations, ply the guests with virtual champagne, to stream live music to the event and set up a virtual dance floor for the patrons.

Australian artist Ritchey Sealy, from South coast of NSW, has been using his own and rented gallery spaces in Second Life to market his paintings since 2006. Sealy’s virtual gallery spaces resemble real life galleries, with framed replicas of his paintings available for residents to buy for their virtual living room walls. While this brings in small amounts of income, it is the link to selling real works that is the real payoff for artists like Sealy. People can be directed to his website or chose a painting in Second Life and Sealy will send the real work off anywhere in the world.

Queensland artist Juanita Deharo has also had a gallery in Second Life since 2006. She runs several groups in Second Life including the ‘Australian Artists’ group, a support network and promotional tool for Australian artists working in virtual worlds. Deharo says that the opportunity to develop new art forms that are only possible in virtual space is where the real excitement comes in. Artists and content creators are using virtual worlds to create a new kind of art, and in the process a new art community has emerged. She says what’s happening in virtual worlds is like the massive changes of the mid 60’s that started with a few innovators and then filtered into every aspect of our lives over the following decades.

For artists, the opportunity to easily create moving, speaking artworks and immersive, interactive environments that are simply not possible in reality is quite extraordinary.

Australian artist Glyph Graves has been working in Second Life for several years. He now has a well established network of fans and an enviable worldwide reputation. IBM recently chose Graves as the first artist to exhibit in their new exhibition space within Second Life and he has just won a competition that will see his Second Life works in a major exhibition in a real world gallery in the US.

Graves was not an artist before he started making art in Second Life, although he says he always created ‘virtually’ in his head. He makes full use of the technology available to him, incorporating movement, sound, light, and interactivity with the audience and the virtual environment into his visual work. His latest work is an immersive environment that changes depending on the number of viewers present.

While companies like IBM and the new media departments from universities and colleges have a clear interest in encouraging creativity in digital technology, the importance of emerging art forms in virtual worlds is also slowly being recognized by funders, critics and organizations in the established art community.

Adam Nash, Christopher Dodds, and Justin Clemens were the recipients of the inaugural Australia Council’s Second Life Artist in Residence Award in 2007. Their virtual installation, BabelSwarm, is based on the story of the Tower of Babel. Anything spoken by visitors to the installation’s sky platform becomes part of the artwork, spilling from the sky in audio visual letterforms, sinking to the ground far below, and shattering on impact. At ground level the letterforms swarm and reconstruct to create new words which bond to become the structure of a tower, which is also interactive. http://yamanakanash.net/secondlife/babelswarm.html

It is also notable that three of the nine finalists in the most recent Queensland New Media Awards were virtual reality works.

Deharo says the decision by Linden Lab, owners of Second Life, to make their viewer open source has meant not just that there are now more virtual worlds being developed, but that artists and art students have the opportunity to make their own virtual worlds on their computer hard drive. This means showing virtual artworks in galleries and other spaces has suddenly become much easier, so we should expect to see virtual art becoming more accessible and evident in real life galleries.

While the crossover into mainstream galleries and infrastructure is important for artists who already have established careers in the real world, Graves’ success demonstrates it is not necessary to step outside the virtual to succeed. Virtual worlds have now been around long enough for there to be a well established network of art administrators, critics, movers and shakers, patrons, audience and writers who specialize only in virtual art, and it is possible to establish and develop a whole career in virtual space.

It is to be expected that art writing and critical debate about virtual art should take place mostly in cyberspace, and in many languages across the international virtual community. A plethora of blogs, on-line journals, and internet sites are the substance, while Flickr, Facebook and Twitter hum incessantly with the buzz of launches, openings and events, scandals, gossip, competitions and the daily news.

One of the more interesting aspects has been the approach to publication of images of artworks. While in the real world artists are usually happy for anyone to write about their work but may jealously guard the rights to publish images, the developing convention in virtual space is for publication of screen capture images to be actively encouraged. An element of competitiveness has emerged with audiences vying to publish the ‘best’ or most creative imagery on their Flickr sites and blogs, and the more photo opportunities a work provides the more likely it is to be widely marketed and talked about. This has meant that many images of excellent quality are available, while writings about artworks are often thin on the ground.

To date much of the artwork in Second Life has been a celebration of the possibilities offered by the technology, a sort of feast of the visually clever and showy, and much of the writing has verged on being self congratulatory, but with a solid body of works now in place, an established audience, and a growing number of artists who have mastered the tools, there is now room for a more sophisticated approach and a sifting out of the truly innovative from the merely showy.

Critical debate and analysis of artworks and exhibitions is still rare. This is a new medium with only marginally developed language and conventions. The conventions, language and infrastructure of the mainstream art world are not necessarily adequate or appropriate is this new context, although artists who work across the boundaries of the real and virtual are more likely to explain their work in terms suited to a wider audience.

One of the longest running virtual art world journals ‘The ArtWorld Market Report’ is one of the few that strengthens this crossover, with sophisticated discussion and editorial comment that links virtual art to the continuum of art history. Owned by Richard Minsky from the Centre for Book Arts in New York, the journal is supplemented by a blog, editorial comments and an in-world presence.

As in the real world, patrons, influential people and kingmakers have emerged. Perhaps the best known is Bettina Tizzy owner of two groups ‘Not Possible in Real Life’ and ‘Impossible in Real Life’. As the group names suggest Tizzy is interested primarily in artforms that are possible only in virtual space. Such is the following and influence she has developed that a nod from Tizzy on her blog or a posting in her in-world notices can mean instant success for artists.

Tizzy is the most influential and best known of a growing number of writers and art ‘appreciators’ whose blogs have ‘grown up’ with Second Life and now extend to cover virtual world art generally. The ‘Not Possible in Real Life’ blog is now probably the most widely read English language site that deals with virtual world art. Increasingly such blog sites are providing the venue for discussion not just about artworks but about the whole genre. It is here that the language and conventions for virtual world art are being developed, and it is here the opportunities for developing a critical body of writings about virtual world art will be developed.

2009-10-02T18:07:00.000+10:00

Congratulations to the University of Western Australia on the opening of their new sim. There was a motley crowd at the opening and in true SL style we couldn't hear and we couldn't see. Apart from being a demonstration of why the SL platform is totally inappropriate for this sort of event, in those small snippets we did mange to see and hear it was clear that this is a university that is embracing the future and all that it offers.
Bravo UWA - I hope the technology catches up with your vision soon.

WHY NOT TO BUY A DISHLEX DISHWASHER - Dishlex DX 303

2009-09-03T17:20:00.000+10:00

If you are in the market for an almost new, slightly battered, and VERY unloved by it’s one owner, dishwasher, I have just the thing for you.

How do I hate my new Dishlex? Let me count the ways………

First the installation. It is supposed to be a stand alone or under bench model. But when the door is opened the dishwasher falls forward - OOOPS! There are two tiny brackets provided, but it seems they would only be useful if the space was built exactly for this dishwasher and the brackets and dishwasher were installed as the kitchen was being built. And even then I doubt their usefulness.

We rang the company for advice, and after a lot of being shoved to and fro, got an aggressively smart young lady who told us it was our fault for choosing something unsuitable and we should ‘beware’ before we buy. ‘There’s nothing wrong with our product- only with your choice.’ She was in the ‘customer relations’ department.This is in such marked contrast to the friendly and helpful staff at Smeg who were always ready to help us, talk through problems, send us the part, and exchange the part when we ordered the wrong one. They made us feel like valued customers and they were proud of their product.

Next we rang the store and were told that they knew all about this problem, yes - everyone has it. What you have to do is jam it up against the top of the space. But that’s not so easy in our space, so we have to have a series of boards and blocks balanced and wedged in on top of the dishwasher, and with all the going in and out and winding up and down and trying to get it right our brand new dishwasher now looks a bit battered.The Smeg just went into the space. It took 5 minutes. It was perfectly balanced. It looked good.

On the Dishlex there’s an ugly, recessed part at the bottom on the front. (I suspect this is why it falls over when you open the door.) You will have a large section of your dishwasher space showing here and unless it is as beautifully lined as the rest of your kitchen you should think about it before you install (or better still, before you buy). It is also a hard space to clean. I don’t understand why its there. We had to pay for someone to come and make us a kickboard to hide the bottom of the dishwasher – so add this to the cost if price is an issue in your choice.

We made a bad decision, and installation was a chore and it didn’t look so wonderful, but it was installed. How bad could it be? It will work won’t it? They have been making them forever and should have the basic design features pretty right, and this model didn’t get a bad wrap from Choice Magazine. In fact it was pretty high on their list.

I know Choice said take some of your dinner plates to the store and see if they fit, but we have a strange assortment of plates and this seemed like a bit of overkill. But I didn’t expect that NONE of our plates would fit. Surely we are not that far out of the norm. Oh wait, they do fit, but if the dinner plates fit in the bottom then the wine glasses don’t fit in the top or vice versa. And while we are talking about wine glasses, I find many of ours don’t fit in the fiddly, dinky wine glass holders, I can only fit in 5 at a time whatever size I use, and they fall out of the holders with gay abandon.

The cup and glass holders are a slippery, snap on arrangement of little plastic spikes, and once again I can fit in far less than I did in the Smeg, and it is nowhere near as secure. Nothing fits very well. The whole top shelf seems very badly thought out. It doesn’t slide in and out nicely. It sticks, so you have to pull and jerk and everything falls over each time you put the shelf in and out. I used to be able to just give the Smeg a tug or a push and it slid very nicely almost by itself.

So on to the bottom shelf. The basket holder for cutlery has so many sections and lids and handles that it is almost impossible to easily get a fork or a knife in and out without taking a lot of care (and having your glasses on), and because it is on the middle it reduces the usefulness of the area for anything other than plates. There is a LOT less space and a lot of things that fitted in my old dishwasher now have to be washed by hand. It takes a lot longer to load because it is fiddly and badly organized. I can see why they made the silly plastic rack things so they lie down but after a few glasses of red I always find it hard to get the plates in without collapsing the damn things.

It does wash dishes (Hooray)and does a pretty good job of it. It doesn’t dry as well as the old Smeg. It isn’t noisy and it is supposed to save water, but I have my doubts about this. Because we can’t fit as much in we use it more often, and because many things won’t fit in it we also now wash things by hand that were never washed by hand before. It’s like the water saving toilet we now have to flush twice, or the water saving anything that really just adds to your frustration.

The girl at Dishlex was right, we did make the wrong choice. In hindsight I would now prefer to have spent the money fixing my old dishwasher, or buying another Smeg. I would certainly NOT recommend this Dishlex to anyone and I am saving up to get rid of it as soon as I can. Do you need one?

SECOND EDITION -packed!

2009-08-28T12:06:00.000+10:00

I think I have been through all the major clumps in my inventory and sorted them out. There are a few things lost and a few things that might never be found again, but Second Edition will open again as a bookstore. I have started building in a new location and will open these boxes when I have the time. More soon.

University of Western Australia Design Competition

2009-08-27T09:58:00.000+10:00

This sounds like a really innovative competition. I can't wait to see the results.

Flagship Building Competition
University of Western Australia is asking artists and designers to design a building that captures the essence of creative engagement, which could possibly be built.
UWAplans to build such a building in real life. It is to be called FUTURElab. FUTURElab will provide insights into the world we are shaping by putting a microscope on the research undertaken across the University. It will provide a showcase for the work of SymbioticA (http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/ )for the architects and designers from UWA’s Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts who are exploring new possibilities for themselves and their communities and for those working with new and emerging technologies to shape our future. FUTURElab will incorporate a black box performance/screening environment, a science/art gallery and teaching and presentation space for a range of activities across campus. It will also provide a hub for the Creative Industries Innovation Centre (CIIC), of which UWA is a partner.

Prizes offered to winners & runners-up every month till the 31st of August 2010. Grand Prize to be awarded at the end. The winning entry, will be given a permanent location on the grounds of the SL grounds of the University of Western Australia. The winning entry may be considered as a possible baseline design for one of the actual buildings that will be built at the RL location of the expanding Cultural Precinct of the University of Western Australia. The creator of the building will be contacted to consult on how to turn the Second Life design, into reality.

FLAGSHIP PRIZES
Monthly Prize 3,500L (1st) 500L (2nd)
Grand Prize 50,000L (1st) 10,000 (2nd)
first month. Calendar months to be adhered subsequent to this)
5) A valid entry, is any object dropped onto the contest entry billboard. Pick up item from inventory while holding down the CTRL key, and drop it onto the contest entry billboard prim (the prim should go red when your entry is in position to be dropped in)
6) Alternate method of entry is to drop the object into the inventory of Jayjay Zane, who is executive officer for the 'UWA 3D ART AND DESIGN CHALLENGE’
7) All entrants should join the group 'UWA 3D ART AND DESIGN CHALLENGE’
8) To join, go to: secondlife:///app/group/cad9c421-8b96-f9c1-fb40-dade48c43fe4/about

Judging Panel
1. Professor Ted Snell - Director, Cultural Precinct, The University of Western Australia (RL)
2. Frank Roberts - The University Architect, The University of Western Australi (RL)
3. John Barret-Lennard – Curatorial Director, Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery (RL)
4. Jayjay Zifanwe - Owner of The University of Western Australia (SL)
5. Dragonmage Bogan - Owner of the University of Western Australia (SL)

Internet Filtering - One Reply

2009-08-27T09:54:00.000+10:00

Top marks Anna Bligh, Premier of Queensland, who so far is the only politician to reply to our concerns about internet filtering and how it will affect artists working in virtual worlds. Anna Bligh has given me the name of a contact in Arts Queensland to follow up our concerns. Maybe that contact will be able to get some information form the very uncommunicative Stephen Conroy. If anyone wants the name of that contact person please let me know.

Second Edition - Thank You

2009-08-09T07:45:00.000+10:00

Many, many thanks to everyone who has offered tea and sympathy, a shoulder to cry on, advice about what to do next, and offers of help.
The sim can't be 'rolled back' because it is mainland land. And yes, the items are possibly all there in the giant clumps in my inventory, but we are talking about a LOT of very small items that are bundled in strange conglomerations. When I rez those giant clumps tiny books can be 40 metres away from the tiny pen in front of me, so it's painstaking picking them all up. Also, unfortunately, I didn't own everything that was there.

I have started the process of rezzing the clumps, sorting through and packing into inventory boxes, and in doing so am realising just what a great collection it was. I am in the middle of two commission builds so things are going to be slow.

It is such a shock when something like this happens, but maybe it's time for a change anyway.I am going to keep the Second Edition Group going and will be making a smaller bookshop and group area some time in the future. I have made so many friends and met so many great people through Second Edition that I don't want it to disappear. Just right now I haven't the heart to put it all back together.

An enormous thank you to all those who helped with Second Edition over the years, especially Trilby, Ephraim, Artworld, KT and Asmita. And thank you to all those who donated to the collection. These things will go back into circulation.

A RANT ABOUT SECOND LIFE

2009-08-08T16:36:00.000+10:00

Today Linden Lab demolished most of my ‘community’ activity in Second Life. They did this, mistakenly, because they couldn’t take the time to read Support Tickets or contact me. No- I am not behind on tier. I made the mistake, way back in the dark ages, of applying for some land on Zindra. The whole thing has been such a public relations disaster and stuff-up that I didn’t think it could get any worse. But it did. Oh yes, they returned my land immediately but they couldn’t give me back the rest…..

The things that are gone are:

SECOND EDITION – an enormous collection of book templates and examples, book presses, bookcases, books made by many avatars, artist books, etc lovingly put together and all made available free to many people over the years. Not just my things – many, many people have donated.

THE BOOK ARTS MUSEUM– reproduction letterpress studios, papermill, book binding studio, history of the book, brilliant building by Esch Snoats. (sob sob) Almost none of this was mine- I was privileged only to provide the prims and tier for a wonderful bunch of creators.

MOST OF FINE ART GALLERY– It was a brave new world in 2006 when I set up this gallery and Sasun landed on my roof and told me all about gallery owners in SL..

There’s lots of people who have nothing good to say about Linden Lab. Despite technical problems, in three years I haven’t had a bad word to say until recently when I noticed the false positive spin starting to appear as a thin veneer over total disdain for customers.

For me, what happened today is just the final installment in the slow demise of Second Life as a user created environment. Rezzables’s gone, many great content creators are gone or have minimized their involvement. We will all be gone soon. I guess LL don’t care, it’s all about the bottom line.What they can’t understand is that we, the long term users, the content creators, have made a world that people want to be in. We have given incredible value- paying tier just for the sheer joy of letting others enjoy and learn by what we have made. Take us out of the equation and concentrate on ‘business’ and you have a sterile world with nothing much to distinguish it from real life.

Fine Art Gallery will rise from the ashes. But the rest is gone. Sorry. Blame them.

Another Look at the Rabbicorn

2009-07-14T13:16:00.000+10:00

I had another look at Bryn Oh's installation at IBM the other night and got a lot more our of it. I have to admit my second viewing (with noone around) gave me much more satisfaction than the first, and maybe the familiarity also helped me feel more at one with the work. I was still a little troubled by the teleporting and the sidetrack to Daughter of Gears (although how this could be seamlessly woven into the story any other way is a mystery to me).

It is amazing to be able to feel part of the story - to wander in and spend a quiet moment connecting with the Rabbicorn and the Daughter of Gears.

I've put some new pics on the second edition Flickr site courtesy of Greta Teardrop who got really up close and personal with the characters.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2ndedition_virtual_books/

The Rabbicorn

2009-07-10T19:21:00.000+10:00

Forgot to give the link:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/IBM%203/56/50/23
is where you can see Bryn Oh's installation.
and some images at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2ndedition_virtual_books/

2009-07-10T16:58:00.000+10:00

I had a look at Bryn Oh's installation at IBM in SL tonight. She's a brilliant builder and for me her work usually has that sort of 'Zing!' that makes you sit up and look and wonder, but I am left a bit perplexed by this installation. I know you are not supposed to EVER say anything negative about art in SL, but I am wondering if there's just a touch of the story of the emperor's new clothes about this exhibit.

I was a bit troubled by all the teleporting , and about reading things on notecards, about being directed to YouTube, and about the words and how they were put together. If it's about reading, then make that part of the experience. Maybe it's about 3D illustration of a story on notecards but not about immersive experience? And then the redirection at the end.....which leaves whole heap of avatars standing around there looking silly and seemingly away. If it's all about a video then that's something different, but that's not a SL installation. The feeling I got overall is that maybe it's just too contrived or she's trying too hard.

Maybe I am dumb and I just didn't get it. I'd like to know what others think.

Censordyne

2009-07-10T07:57:00.000+10:00

What more is there to say?

Letter to Stephen Conroy

2009-06-28T17:03:00.000+10:00

Here is the text of an email sent to Stephen Conroy (oh dear, I spelt his name incorrectly in my last post - apologies) seeking clarification regarding virtual worlds and internet filtering.

Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

RE: INTERNET FILTERING AND THE FUTURE OF VIRTUAL WORLDS

Dear Minister

I represent a group called ‘Australian Artists’ which is a group of artists working within virtual environments, most commonly the virtual world ‘Second Life’, but also including Open Sim, Open Life, Legend City, and others.

The group includes professional artists whose practice and livelihoods are primarily based in digital environments, students at undergraduate and post-graduate level who are working and studying in virtual worlds, artists with a traditional arts practice who are using virtual environments as a marketing and networking tool, and non-professional artists and gallery owners who enjoy the creativity, opportunity, learning and networking available in virtual environments.

You are probably aware there is concern amongst the virtual world community regarding the possibility of virtual world sites becoming inaccessible due to the possible introduction of filtering. The issue has been somewhat sensationalized and there is now a great deal of concern amongst the virtual world community about the future. I am writing to you to seek clarification of the government’s position and future intentions.

There are many artists who have embraced new technology and the opportunities for career and marketing that are offered within virtual worlds, and whose incomes, practice and career development are at least partly dependent on those environments continuing to be made available. As an example, I have had a virtual gallery in Second Life since 2006, marketing and selling my husband’s real world paintings and my own digital work. As well as being shown in other virtual galleries my work has also been viewed by live feed from Second Life by audiences in real world galleries in Portugal, New York, and Romania, and I have undertaken collaborative work with artists from the UK and US. One of my builds within Second Life has been used as illustration for a children’s book which has been published in Europe and I have recently been selected to provide a virtual world component to a major project in Southern Queensland in 2010, which will have a large educational component for school children.

You may be aware that the Federal Government’s peak funding body for the arts, The Australia Council, and various state and regional arts funding bodies provide grants and assistance to artists working in virtual worlds. Virtual Worlds such as Second Life have also been the basis for major works entered in Australia’s most prestigious new media awards shown in major galleries in NSW and Queensland and the work of many students studying at Australian Universities and art schools.

Many artists working within virtual environments have made significant investments of money and time in developing a presence in the new medium and are only now beginning to see returns from their investments, so you can understand that they are extremely concerned to hear that their working environments may be inaccessible in the future.

Can you clarify the Government’s present and future intentions with regard to access to virtual worlds such as Second Life?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Juanita Deharo

June 28th 2009

cc Warren Truss
Nick Minchin
Kevin Rudd

Australian Artists and Internet Censorship – What’s it About?

2009-06-26T21:26:00.000+10:00

I am writing this to provide some background to the notices sent out to the Australian Artist group regarding censorship in Australia.

My understanding is that the Australian Government intends to restrict internet content by making internet service providers filter a list of banned sites so users are unable to gain access to those sites. This is not going to happen tomorrow, but it is government policy, preliminary work has begun, and a substantial budget been set aside for implementation. Several filter trials and reports are already in existence.

http://www.dbcde.gov.au/online_safety_and_security/cybersafety_plan/internet_service_provider_isp_filtering

Filtering was initially mooted as a means to restrict access to child pornography. This might seem reasonable at first glance, but a blanket filtering of the internet through ISP’s would give the government enormous powers to decide what we can and cannot access online and may force ALL Australians into a situation where they can only access material suitable for children.

Already the Government is talking about a much wider net than child pornography, and the relevant minister, Steven Conroy, has indicated that virtual worlds such as Second Life may also be banned. One of the major difficulties seems to be Australia’s censorship classification system which does not have an 18+ classification. It seems that any material not suitable for the 15+ classification will be deemed unclassifiable and therefore may be banned. Second Life falls within this grouping.

We might all agree that we don’t want children exposed to harmful influences or that images of children in sexual situations are unacceptable, but if we agree to the Government taking responsibility for filtering all internet content where does this lead us? The move to put compulsory filtering into place brings Australia into line with countries such as China where internet filtering is used to manipulate the flow of information. It could happen here.

It seems extraordinary that a government that purports to be working toward a better future for all Australians and developing a world-class Australian communications and information technology sector should be considering restricting the use and usefulness of the internet through this filtering process. Steven Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy seems intent on making it almost impossible for many people, institutions and businesses to use the internet to advantage by introducing a system that will slow internet speeds dramatically and restrict access to the educational, social and business opportunities to be found in virtual worlds. So much for the digital economy.

I will be writing more about the implications for artists in future blogs. In the meantime here are some sites I found to be most informative and some places where you can find out what you might do.

http://www.overclockers.com.au/wiki/Australian_Internet_Filtering

http://nocleanfeed.com/learn.html#reading

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_in_Australia

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/web-filters-to-censor-video-games-20090625-cxrx.html

http://www.efa.org.au

http://www.massively.com/2009/06/25/australian-network-filtering-promises-to-reach-out-to-block-game/

Linden Lab is aware of the issue and is apparently preparing a response to the Australian Government, although they are not saying so officially.

Welcome to My Blog

2009-04-30T10:42:00.000+10:00

Welcome to me, to you, to anyone who cares to see. This is my first day as a blogger.