Halloween Sneak Peak at Macbeth

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

                           (Witches Song from Macbeth)

Taken by Nino Vichan

Welcome to a 'sneak peak' of the Macbeth installation of Nino Vichan's LEA full sim project, Cries and Whispers, on October 31st, yes Halloween! He will open that installation to all who wish to celebrate the event with one of the most amazing creators of supernatural theater, William Shakespeare!


Nino Vichan: "I hope to celebrate the day in the company of other lovers of the great Bard's work." Costumes are appreciated!
Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA28/214/206/22

Today at Ce Soir: Sartre's NO EXIT

Wow, just got the invitation. This was always one of my favorite peaces. It is about the devils circle of longing and rejection:

"We are pleased to present the existential drama NO EXIT by French playwright Jean Paul Sartre. Portrayed by semi-professional actors, this one-act play is a depiction of the afterlife in which three deceased characters are punished by being locked into a room together for eternity in hell. 

The play is presented in VOICE and there is no fee. All tips received via the Donation Urn (at the door) for the performance will be shared equally amongst the actors and the venue. Of course, if you would like to tip a particular actor, you may do so by tapping them (gently, please!) on the head during – or preferably – right after the performance.

Our players (in order of appearance) are Valet: Aeon Woodford / Garcin: B. Hemi / Inez: Terrylynn Melody / Estelle: Mireille Jenvieve"

TODAY AT 2,30 PM!

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ce%20Soir/102/183/1002

ColeMarie Soleil right now life at The Looking Glass

Marcus Inkpen: "Our dear friend and favorite musician ColeMarie Soleil (CoMa) will be returning to SL for a show Oct 27th at 8am SLT in The Looking Glass Amphitheater. Its been a while since she's had time to do a show in world and we're so thrilled to get to host her again."

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//232/21/23
COME NOW!

The Art of Protest And The Hobby of Protest

…or Audience Offending.

The only gnome, I ever had in my garden (http://www.gartenzwerge-manufaktur.de/)

Naturally, the current contest at Art India Gallery ‘Art of Protest’ made me thinking about the role and function of protest in SL, not only in art. The theme was already given when I took over the curating and it is smartly chosen. Art always played an important role in protesting. It has the ability to attract interest for a theme and hopefully make the “art consumer” thinking. And as we see from the interest and number of visitors it is appreciated. But is that enough? Why do we express protest? Obviously when there is an unacceptable situation; something that has to be changed. Is it changed by the artwork itself or by the appreciating visitors? Obviously not! Or is the appreciation of protesting art just a cheap excuse not to do anything because the artists already did and we are not urged to leave our comfort zone, but can feel cool and critical? And we leave the dirty job of working on changes to others…

Protest usually is against power-holders, groups or single persons, which are using their power to the own benefit. Of course they use their power too, to suppress protest. Usually there are only a few who express their opinion, the large majority just steps back, hoping that the protest will change the situation to better for all, but does not dare to say it openly After the Fall in Germany we got much media coverage about the mechanism of a Revolution. I learnt from social research scientists that the majority starts to work actively for a change when the risk of getting punished is lower than the risk of the personal outcomes of an ongoing old system. Or in other words, the large majority decides only under the perspective of the own benefit to support a revolution or not. With this background the gnomes has been chosen as symbol for the contest. They are cute and don’t hurt anybody. Upon that, in Germany they became a symbol for philistines, for people who do not want to change anything.

At the beginning of the revolution in Eastern Germany a small minority dared to express that what everyone was thinking, dared to go on the street, dared to film it and dared to pass the material to Western media, risking their life. Without these people probably the GDR still would exist. Those people are different, they are able to set back their own interests in order to follow a higher goal; people with ideals and courage. But beyond that, some even seem to love protesting and one can suspect that a goal with sense has a minor priority. Negative examples of this kind of persons are Hooligans.

Selby Evens explained recently in a blog post, why SL is not a game, but a hobby because it has no given goals. Especially that is what attracts the average resident. Fast we start to work on goals which we had to give up RL or as an addition. Since we do not proper money in terms of RL, if even, we have to regard it as hobby. But it means as well, that most residents are taking their virtual life more serious as they would feel in a game. And obviously there a people in SL, who have the hobby to protest or play protest. I talk about Her Who Must Not Be Named: SaveMe Oh. And of course a bunch of people more, which are far from being obedient servants, but are smart and strong people with a free mind. I usually respect what they are doing as already expressed in this blog. But I cannot deny, that I myself sometimes ask for the sense of actions, for example when SaveMe appeared at the opening of a MadPea’s game opening to beat the opening-awaiting crowd. And I must admit that I absolutely do not get the purpose of the current actions at Burn2. This event lost much of its importance and is just one of many. And it is completely organized and paid by a group of residents which of course have the right to create rules. As long as they don’t hurt basic rights, criticizers have no more right than to express verbally or just to avoid that event. 

Taken by Apmel Goosson

After reading the above you should understand why for the opening of the Art of Protest Kikas Babenco and Marmaduke Arado has been invited for some action. There was no need to invite SaveMe, because her appearance at such events is unavoidable like a flu epidemic in winter. And they did a good job. I could not even find myself in the mess and started to derender some attachments of SaveMe as I always do in such cases. But many prefer to become upset instead of doing the same. I received a flood of IM with complaints about her. I asked everyone to mute or derender and to take it with humour. But it was obvious that quite a few preferred to stay upset and to get me and the sim owner to ban SaveMe; for me a ridiculous idea on an Art of Protest event.

I was exhausted that day and of course wanted to have every visitor happy, so that it took me a good sleep to witness the game that the visitors played with me at this incident. After I worked hard to get a good exhibition for the visitors they expected me to do the dirty job of getting rid of a person that THEY did not wanted to have there! I sent SaveMe an IM to ask her, if she got critical IM’s during that opening. NOT EVEN ONE WROTE HER OR COMPLAINED IN LOCAL CHAT! I can understand if people act spineless when they really have something to loose; the job, home or the grant of studies for the children as happened in GDR. But to do the same when there is really nothing to lose than just some personal convenience by beeing offended or posted in her blog… Now I suddenly understood why SaveMe is thinking that almost all SL is behind her, which I seriously doubt. 

SL also should be a platform to try new things such as civil courage. I already had this idea before the exhibition started and asked SaveMe to participate. She was not interested. But did she ever ask others before she acted? Therefore you find now two boards at Art India Gallery:

Why I love SaveMe Oh!

Why I hate SaveMe Oh!

You will find contributions by me on both boards and hope now for yours. You can pass me textures which I will place there and of course, named is most appreciated. Or you just send me a sentence and I create the texture. In case you wish to contribute in anonymity it is granted this way. Nobody else will ever know. Promised! Goal is to make critics thinking of her positive social function, to make SaveMe thinking about her mistakes by getting open critics and to make us all thinking about the mechanism of change in society and what our own part can be, especially when we are not alone!

Come, vote at the contest and show together with others SaveMe Oh what you think about her!

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shekhawati/215/28/35 Take the tp at the gnome's display!

Gallery Hopping

Slowly going back to normal, so today in the mid of the week some suggestions for short gallery visits:

minimalia by Melusina Parkin

A small, but brilliant collection. Melusina told me recently that the Phototool helped her to enhance the quality of her photos as proved here.

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hazel/148/146/3101


ArtEdLand always as 4 installations, one is changed each week. Check our the works:

Real Home of Moya

Patrick Moya (Moya Janus in SL) shows his own real home in Nice. You can even locate on the map. When you are next time in Nice, you can check it.


Adventures of a Faery

"Faery Sola and her interactive installation. Books, movies, games, quotes, folklore, mythology and fantasy are the inspiration of her works; expression of a creativity without limits "

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Myhns%20Land/56/42/24


MushRoom by Scottius Polke

Yay, this cute, funny build has found a new home! Come, have fun and donate!

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Blue%20Curacao/186/55/2008

Betty Build & Ultra Concert on Friday

Betty Tureaud just finished a new build for an upcoming concert of Ultraviolet Alter. As you can see it has much season flair:

Life concert Ultraviolet Alter on Friday, 26 October at 3 PM SLT

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nordan%20om%20Jorden/212/124/985

Burn2 Has Begun

Again Phewww! Despite I was on the press day, I could not make it to post for the opening of Burn2. Too much others things happened and the "Festival der Liebe" is interesting and perfectly organized that I did not only wanted to blog about but also attend.

Burn2 has invited this year 5 artists. See here the pictures and the LM:

Ub Yifu shows a beautiful scene with large sculptures:

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Guru/181/82/25


Nexuno Thespian enjoys with an explosion of burning colours that makes the Burning Man useless:

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Hualapai/189/88/24


Pallina60 Loon created a circus in the sand, as always pinched with humor. Don't miss the gifts, a red nose with sound and a mesh avatar.

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Elko/144/158/24


Silene Christen invited extraterrestrials to land on her plot:

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Elko/25/45/24


Fuschia Nightfire had the great idea to great a hangout to relax and chat:

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Black%20Rock/141/181/25

Here some installations that jumped into my eyes too:

Pol Jarvinen proves how important collaborative art works are for the inspiration of artists. He is still heavily inspired by Bryn Oh's Cube Project and I had the feeling of having been landed in a surrealistic self moving container terminal.

Ultraviolet Alter created a beautiful scenery:

Pol und Ultra:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Hualapai/117/48/24

Betty Tureaud's build about a sad theme: 'Whale Call for Love':

Taken by Betty Tureaud

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-Rabbit%20Hole/216/186/25

Arduenn Schwartzman always has funny and crazy ideas. He build an egg laying house with chicken feet. It is the right space for the story of the book inside which you can read page by page.

by Arduen Schwartzman

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Black%20Rock/2/2/0

Mikati Slade built one of the event stages and fulfilled the requested RL match. I was really amazed by the roof construction.

Find all events in the Eventcalendar: http://www.burn2.org/2012Events

The building rules this year deserve a comment. The builders has been requested to built as possible in RL. Even the height was restricted. And flying is forbidden. That, what amazes us in Sl is the realization of borderless fantasies. Where is the benefit of such restrictions? In that case I would prefer to visit the RL Burning Man. I talked with several artists and they all shared my opinion. Dear organizers, please refrain from such unnecessary restrictions in future! Allow the impossible! That  is the SL, we love!

The Man taken by Arduen Schwartzman

Today: The Trinity Sisters Fireshow

Taken by cyberloom

The opening of Yooma Mayo's 'Mechanical Circus' was one of my magic moments in Second Life. And that was not only due to the great work of Yooma, it was especially due to the outstanding "explosion of vivid colors and startlingly bright -show of Yman Juran and the Trinity Sisters Fireshow with the charming and poignant music of Cypress Rosewood". It was the perfect match to the installation.

Taken by Wildstar Beaumont

I was one of those who has been begging for a repetition and today it will happen:

COME, COME, COME a 3.30 PM SLT!

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Land%20of%20Glory/109/159/27

The Weaver Project + Reopening of Nordan Art

It was almost at the same time that I was requested by AVENUE to write an Art Feature about William Weaver and accepted the position as curator at Art India Gallery. William was new to me and I was immediately flashed by the quality of his photos in a style which I had not seen so far in art photography here in Second Life. So it was only natural for me to ask him for an exhibition. But he only accepted with a precondition: He wanted to do the build too. So I had the uncomfortable job to request for my first exhibition slightly more prims than expected. (2.000 to 4000, William was not sure) ;)

Veekay Navarathna, owner of Shekhawati sim and Art India Gallery is a real supporter of art. He did not waist time with long discussions and started to wipe out prims to make the project possible. It was fun to watch William building the next days. If I remember right there has been only 2 weeks time until opening. He worked day and night with passion and created the wonderful 'build 010'. I popped in day by day watching the prim count like a seeguard expecting the high tide. See his video taken in the build 010 here:

The exhibition found much attention. If you wonder about the name of the work: It was simply William's 10th build. During the exhibition he made is previous builds accessible for everyone as Freebies at the Marketplace. And this brought photographer and gallerist Anita Witt to a great idea: She provides the Weaver builds in her gallery and collects and presents photos taken in the builds.The collection has already more than 100 photos.

AVENUE today released Dream Weaver, a supplement about Weaver's Phototools,  which is a great help for photographers in Second Life.  Don't miss the interesting article by Cajsa Lillehook with much information about the tool. I contributed an article about the Weaver Project. Read about William's influence in the photographers scene:

                         

Do not miss the Weaver Project at Anita Witt's Artspace. See the more than 100 contributed works, see the builds and take your own photos. Anita has still space for yours...

The Weaver Project by Anita Witt

 Taxi to the Weaver Project:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mado/199/87/1226

And good to hear that William continues building too. FloraNordenskiold announced recently in her blog the reopening of Nordan Art next month. This is good news because after the closure of Crossworlds and Pirats there is really a lack of large galleries. I was not surprised that Flora as chosen William as builder for the gallery. She always proved her taste and sense for art. And if you are curious how the future Nordan Art Gallery will be, have a look in the Dream Weaver supplement...

German Love: Festival der Liebe

Phewww, hard times for bloggers. Large events are starting this weekend. Today until Sunday runs the second 'Festival der Liebe', which " is a three day event by the German speaking community of Second Life that connects visual artists, musicians, photographers and writers - as well as cultural managers and event organizers. On a half-hour-track visitors are invited to visit different installations - broadcasted to the real world from Second Life." It starts today at 9.30 AM SLT.

Many residents worked for months on the realization of that event, but let me mention especially Zauselina Rieko and Kupeperpunk Korhonen. They made it again to invite quite a few of well known RL writers to get them to readings of their own works in SL. Since the large majority of my readers is not German I just refer to the English Readings which you should not miss:

Saturday at 3PM SLT:  Kueperpunk Korhonen is reading 'haptic'
Kueper's cyberpunk stories are always fun to hear!
Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bla%20Bheinn/154/109/1202

Sunday at 1 AM SLT: Sharan Bakar/Loquacia Loon ist reading 2 short stories.
Loquacia is English, living in Kuala Lumpur where she teaches writing. Besides reading she will talk about her work in Malaysia.
Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tupol%20Island/126/126/501

And here some music highlights:

Pol Arida today, Friday at 10.30 AM  SLT     Taxi: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Muenchen/146/130/41
Fingersatz Barbosa Saturday at 1.30 PM SLT   Taxi: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Virtuelles%20Koeln/229/128/35
Ambient music, Saturday at 3.30 PM SLT        Taxi:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bla%20Bheinn/154/109/1202
SaraMarie Philly, Sunday 2 PM SLT              Taxi: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Leipzig%20City%201/104/180/34

Of course there is much more, find here the link to the complete schedule.

Fine arts luckily does not need much words, so see here some of the art installations:

Moe Sandalwood

MadPea provides a whole sim for a collaborative art installation within the festival. The theme is:

Shadow and Light

Asmita Duranjaya

"Just as last year, a group of artists was invited to create a collaborative piece of art for the "Festival der Liebe". But this time they didn't join forces and worked together on a single piece. Having a whole sim there was room enough for each of them to create their own installation - though they all had to stick to the common theme 'Shadow and Light'."

Moewe Winkler

The collaborating artists are: Asmita Duranjaya, ChapTer Kronfeld, Harter Fall, Hermine, Lilia Artis, Louly Loon, Moeuhane Sandalwood, Moewe Winkler, Penelope Parx, Roland Teichmann, Samira Mortensen, Xirana Oximoxi.

Lilia Artis

As you can see from the photos are there many interesting works, but one especially pulled me under its spell. ChapTer Kronfeld used the shadows of rusty nails to write text in the Sand. My graphic card shows shadows partly pixelated, therefore I use a photo taken by ChapTer:

The text means translated: The Silence of the Word is the Light of the Shadows

The Mount of Unwritten Works

Make sure to have shadows enabled and sound on.

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tupol%20Island/136/120/21


Kafe Krümelkram hosts besides events the following artists: Bryn Oh, Betty Tureaud, Glyph Graves, Lookatmy Back,  Ub Yifu, Firlefanz Roxley, Treacle Darlandes, La Baroque and Moewe Winkler. See here some photos:

Bryn Oh

Betty Tureaud

Glyph Graves

Ub Yifu

 Of course there is much more to see, there a much more places to visit. But I think you see that it is worth to have a look at the 'Festival der Liebe' and I must say that I am glad that German culture community came so well to life and cooperation especially in the last year.

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ataria/58/154/23

  

Sneak Preview: Solkide's Fountain

Solkide Auer creates beautiful builds in geometric forms. He used the chance of the monthly installation at LEA6 to create a huge fountain of forms and colours.

I recommend to set the region on midnight. The build looks different form every angle and will be an inspiration for photographers as you can see from my snapshots.

"Fontana" opens today, Thursday, October 18. at 1.30 PM SLT

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA6/122/125/22

Gabrielle Swindlehurst at AVENUE

After opening the exhibition Virtual Americana I realized that much more people than expected already knew and admired Gabrielle Swindlehurst's work. My collegues at AVENUE had been looking forward to this article too:

                            

Please enjoy the article about this skilled photographer starting from page 222!
But there is much more to read in AVENUE October, fashion, lifestyle and art.

And do not miss Gabrielle Swindlehurst's wonderful exhibition 'VIRTUAL AMERICANA at Art India Gallery!

Taxi:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shekhawati/215/28/35

Tim's Dreams at AVENUE

The first mesh work by Romy Nayar is dark, beautiful and playful. Romy invites us to go back to the dreams of childhood which are not always so bright as they are usually shown in children's books. Maybe this is one of the reasons why children are addicted to the often cruel stories of fairytales.

The latest exhibition at MetaLES was a good reason for me to write an article at the latest AVENUE about the outstanding work that Ux Hax and Romy Nayar are doing. It came out yesterday. Find the article at page 236:

                            

The great photos in the article are taken by Annough Lykin and Anita Witt. And do not miss Tim's dreams. You will love it.

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/MetaLES/231/228/23