2013-03-31

Opening Today: Mandelbrot


The Mandelbrot Fractals, named after the mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot are playing an important role in chaos research. Complicated (at least for me) mathemtical formulas shown in an arrangement of spots lead to the well known fractals.



The Dutch Application developer Mac Kanashimi which I admire for a long while for his smart scripting, made these fractals visible in Second Life. He used different types of prims which lead to totally different arrangement of fractals. It is absolutely fascinating to watch it.

All photos taken from Mac Kanashimi's Flickr
From the note card: "The 3D Mandelbrot Fractal Art exhibit showcases sim-wide variations of mandelbrot fractal art. The spectacular script-controlled fractal landscape changes many times throughout the day. 3D Mandelbrot Fractal Art is Mac Kanashimi's largest work until now."

Opening today,  2013, March 31, 11AM to 5 PM SLT

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA27/151/68/2562

2013-03-29

Another Enchanting Miracle: Rust

I think all SL felt in love with Cica Ghost's previous installation at LEA. Honestly I did not expected her second work so different and again so wonderful.


Rust touches the heart. When I talked with my friend Betty Tureaud about it she said: "Causing emotions of the visitors is art."


But I think to fully enjoy the works you have to go and see. Enjoy!



Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA13/210/47/22





2013-03-26

Out of the Box

To understand the world, children need to categorize everything to get systemized information in the storage of our brain. These categories are guiding us our whole life, which is often a kind of unnecessary self-censorship. In a virtual world many of these categories are not needed, but intended or unintended we carry them into Second Life too. I know that I don't need a house here. My excuse is the huge fun I have decorating a dolls house for my dressing doll Quan :)


But always when I see works of people who are thinking our of the box and visualizing them I am in awe.  I find both in galleries. While virtual walls plastered with freebie textures as gallery often make the poor visitor shuddering by the overkill of bad taste, others think out of the box and know how to do better. Insight Forest is a good example. The purity is breathtaking and an artwork itself.


The exhibiting artists are some really good SL photographers and alone them are worth a visit: Kean Kelly, Rodriguez Munro, Whiskey Monday, Jordan Giant, Citta Wiskee, Amelie Knelstorm, Sare Ethaniel and Annushi plus Maclane Mills and Kamelia Snowfield, who curated the exhibition.

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/visionaria/193/148/21



My sweet outfit is one of the many cute gifts of the RMK Bunny Hunt. Idea and design of the hunt is nice but you should know how to do, as greatly explained here in the FabFree blog.



2013-03-25

Gallery Hopping

Blue Tsuki @ Gallery Assis



Blue Tsuki is back after hiatus with a build that reminds of his former works, which has been loved by many.


From the note card: "Float=Nought is a piece made after a hiatus from SL art making. It revisits some familiar memes and tosses some on the fire to make way for the new. It is a transition piece to the next direction of images and dreams. As always, little explanation here, I prefer people bring their own interpretations as those are always more powerful. That said, as a starting point the piece is a slow meditation on transience and almost remembering something forgotten."


Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cudjoe%20Keys/180/86/21



Kynne Llewellyn and Paola Mills @ Pixel Panic Gallery


Great SL photogaphy!

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Crimarizon/42/61/56



Solkide Auer @Tanalois



Solkides build is beautiful and a joy to ecplore. Try the poseballs in front of the work-
Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Solaris%20Island/165/48/1401


Morlita Quan @ [[ SoNg BiRd]]  &  [[..DaRk TeArS..]]



I missed the performance at JadeYu Fhang's beautiful sim, but I like the build and very much the related poem:


E X P L O D E

"Dont forget who you are
don't forget how you creates
don't forget where you walk
don't forget what do you feel...
E X P L O D E
Don't turn off your light
don't be afraid the fear
don't feel like a stranger with your soul...
E X P L O D E
Look you're wings and fly
Look with all you're senses and beat
Look you're hands and catch the ethereal
Look inside and smile pure
Look...and...
E X P L O D E
Explode creating,
Explode feeling,
Explode being you but...
E X P L O D E
the happiness of life. "

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Song%20Bird/135/89/138



2013-03-24

Quan's Travelogues in Daily Look SL

My friends know that fashion is my biggest weakness. Since I joined SL, I create my personal daily looks. Don't ask me about the size of my inventory! That is me today:


But to me fashion is connected to art. Therefore I am happy and feel really flattered to be added with Quan's Travelogues to the blog feed Daily Look SL. But at the same time bit ashamed too, to be found  between the great photography of some of the best fashion blogs in Second Life:

Closet Disclosure
Dolls and Demons
Falbala Fairey Fashion Blog
Obsession
SL Fashion Junkies
Zaara's Wardrobe

I hope I can can at least inspire with great builds and great art as the other blogs inspire me.

Check out and bookmark Daily Look SL

2013-03-23

This Weekend: Burnal Equinox


The Burn2 builders and organizers are celebrating the equinox, meaning it takes 6 months until the next event, with some builds and events, featuring Aelva, Pol Jarvinen, eif, Trigit Amat, Qwark Allen, Javalf and Lady Harker, zigzags, Neeks Karu,  Sayaca Unplugged and many DJ's.


Mia Quinote has been so nice to give me a tour with a rusty ranger car. I had some fun with roller coaster, zombies and much more.


Open all weekend!
Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Burning%20Man-%20Deep%20Hole/56/124/24

2013-03-22

The Drax Files Part II: Berlin 1920

For his second story, Draxtor Despres has chosen one of my favourite places in Seecond Life. See the interview with Jo Yardley, a really cool lady:





After the move you really check out the place. Have in mind that clothing of this era is required. Wear one of the freebies provided at the entrance or make a tour at the shopping area in front. I love the travel through time.

Jo Yardley

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/1920s%20Berlin/255/233/751

2013-03-21

Neva River has reopened!



Just a few hours ago opened the new Neva River. See here some first impressions:



The design is very detailed and it will be fun to explore. You will find many places to rest and to take photos.


Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Neva%20River/55/179/23


2013-03-19

Facts about Meme?

Colossus of Rhodes by Rebeca Bashly and Pyramid of Giza by Thoth Jantzen
Strawberry Singh started a series "My Seven SL Facts Meme". That day I was in a bad mood and wrote a list. But I decided not to publish because it was so negative.

Lighthouse of Alexandria by Bryn Oh
The Meme post initiated a flood of follow up's which still is going on. Reading them I saw a red line  related to my rants. Obviously I am not the only one who often feels insecure about the quality of relationships in Second Life. One of my sentences has been, that maybe nobody would really miss me when I left SL. I mean me, not what I do. More than once I had to witness by incidents that people has been friend more with the blogger Quan than really with me, which made me even more stepping back from others.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon by Patch Thibaud

But is this fair against my friends? I actually still miss several very much who left, most of them without a word. With some I know why they left, others disappeared unexpected. And always I was left with the same questions: Why? Why without a goodbye or a RL connection like email or so? Was it so easy to leave me behind? But...have I been able to show them their role in my life? Maybe they had the same feeling as I do often, not to be really missed.

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus by Kaya Angel
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus by Kaya Angel
I talked with friends and more and more understood. The lack of nonverbal messages in relationships in Second Life makes us feeling insecure about our meaning for others. We need to replace that with words. My learning was that I will  try to express more my feelings about friends and to make them more knowing about their meaning for me. And those of you who want to know more about my person - I should be worth enough that you talk to me and ask!

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus by nexuno Thespian
Statue of Zeus at Olympia by KarlinJames Zepp
The photos are a thank you to the artists, who built the FFL event. It was a true joy to visit and enjoy the builds (while shopping of course). The event is over but the sims are still online. If you missed it, you should have a fast look now!

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fashion%20For%20Life/130/51/24

2013-03-18

AVENUE March


March copy is out with great spring fashion and many interesting places to see:






Get your copy inworld.. Or you use these links to read online:

Betty's God Spot


...about Betty Tureaud's installation 'The Ufo' at Artemis Gallery: http://issuu.com/avenue/docs/avenue.march2013/232

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/RothKo/62/227/22



Delicate Avatars


...about the project "Meta Body I"I and the recently reopened sim Delicatessen by Meilo Minotaur and CapCat Ragu: http://issuu.com/avenue/docs/avenue.march2013/258

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Porto/83/110/703


2013-03-16

SaveMe Oh: The Big After Birthday Interview

Recently, about 2 weeks ago I had an interview with the artist SaveMe Oh. It was quite long and I finally found the time to edit. Enjoy!

taken by ChrisTower Dae

Quan Lavender: It was your 6th rezzday recently.
SaveMe Oh: Yes 23. February
Quan: Congrats! Let me take the chance to ask you some questions and let's start with your beginnings. Did to enter SL to create art?
SaveMe: No, I enter to see what SL was and by coincidence I became me. And by becoming me there was no other option then to start creating art. It was not planned.
Quan: Hmm, the name would have given other options.
SaveMe: It exactly started with the name. I choose the name to provoke reaction and it worked well. People start asking me if i want to be saved or if I could save them. And that was the beginning of the chain reaction
Quan: And have you saved any?
SaveMe: Yes, a lot... although it depend how you see "saving"  and acolythes prefer not to speak about it
Quan: Funny, I know a lot here but so far nobody told that he was saved by you. Explain, what is saving for you.
SaveMe: Saving means open peoples eyes about the true possibilities of SL. And punch them in the eye when they refuse to see. The true possibilities are a world wide interaction between creative people on a canvas that is not restricted by old borders and limitations
Quan: Such as...?
SaveMe: Gravity, kitchens, ownership, money and habits
Quan: But as far as I understand SL there is always someone who has to pay, a fact that many artists prefer to forget.
SaveMe: There is an option to pay, but there is also an option not to pay and still use the canvas
Quan: How? Without a sim there is no virtual world
SaveMe: Now you are exactly the example of the conservative thinking. Why you need a sim?
Quan: So, please explain how progressive people create a world without sims,  because we need a place to rez prims or even to be.
SaveMe: My friends the Linden provide sims everywhere and they are all open for all kind of creativity without you swinging with your wallet. You can build in sandboxes and there are 1000 of empty sims and what is that stupid old view of building in sims? You can attach 256 prims on one body spot...you have....20 or so? Makes 4000 and something.
Quan: That does not answer how a company is able to exist without doing money, how to pay the staff?
SaveMe Oh: Company??? Money? Since when artists care about money, profit and staff????  Are you an idiot or what?
Quan: I think just an idiot expects others to provide all for free.

taken by Marmaduke Arado
SaveMe: So we are back to the times where the rich decide who is able to be or not to be?
Quan: Did we ever left them? And by the way, also an artist has to live.
SaveMe: I live on the love of my loved ones. I earned with my art so much that I really have n idea how to spend it.  I made a special avatar to take care of my Linden for when I reach old age.
Quan: Haha, concrats. I recommend to pay for some sims for free usage for artists
SaveMe: The less talented artists can pay of course, me they always beg to come. As more then money they need someone to wake parked avatars up out of their lethargy.
Quan: How do you think you can do it?
SaveMe: Waking them up you do by make so called events really an event.
Quan: What you actually mean is disturbing their opening events...
SaveMe: No I mean upgrading boring avatar parkings into speechprovoking events in meadows of interaction, in markets of creative exchange and in playgrounds of fun.
Quan: Since you do that for a long time now, you know that the only interaction that artists blame you to use their popularity for your own show, they hate and ban you. Where is the creativity in that?
SaveMe: As the majority still didn't see the light it is a long proces, so I cannot count the time that is necessary. Rome was also not build in one day. And the popularity of other artist is not a real concern. When they are good enough they will survive.

Taken by Apmel

Quan: I have problems to see the light to as I don't see a line. I do not see that you choose by quality or by the style of art. When you disturb a life peformance as if done by the last opening of the UFO you are just disturbing this kind of art you say you want to have.
SaveMe: I am not gonna talk about the ridiculous behavior of Betty with you. The event could have been wonderful.
Quan:: I am not talking about Betty, it was about the concert of Ultraviolet Alter.
SaveMe: I even was not able to meet Ultralight. Betty banned me before Ultralight came in. Or Ultralight banned me herself, or one of her bodyguards.
Quan: I was told that you came back with an alt and crashed the sim.
SaveMe: I did not came back with an alt. I was still at the border of the sim behind banlines and I attached some protest signs. That was all. I have no alts disturbing events. All my alts are good citizens. That's a myth. I also dont crash sims, thats also a myth. I cannot help my glory get that big
Quan: Hmm, I didn't want to go too deep into single cases but I saw myself that you came back as your 'Father' at Bryn Oh's talk.
SaveMe: But my father is a very nice, polite and correct man ( I hate him for that, the old fart). I would have prefered he would have kicked that snob of a sister of mine
Quan: All these actions have one in common, I don't see any empathy with the work of the artists or respect of it. Do you really think that others deserve that?
SaveMe: I also don't have a lot of empathy with the work of others, I am mostly bored to dead behind my screen and that makes the urge to create some activity even bigger. What others deserve or don't deserve is again not my problem. In the best scenario they created a good playable space. You think I have to go around saying CLAP CLAP when somebody has glued again some prims together?
Quan: No, I don't do that too. And I really think that honest critics are helpful.
SaveMe:: As that is what we are here for. Play. Not to be audience or CLAPCATTLE.
Quan: Play?
SaveMe: Play yes
Quan: I highly disagree with this point of view
SaveMe: As a journalist your point of view is not that interesting.
Quan: I am blogger, I have an opinion.
SaveMe: I take notice of that.


Taken by Apmel

Quan: But regardless my opinion. The point is that most artists in SL don't see their work as playing and tend to take it too serious.
SaveMe: Thats why they are so grumpy, they take themselves sooooo serious. Regardless the fact that in RL they are maybe toiletladies.
Quan: That does not judge the quality of their art and RL artists takes themselves often to serious too.
SaveMe: The real artists know that if their work has quality it will get the attention it deserves. Simple as that. The crybabies who see SL as a last oportunity to show the world their lousy aquarelles will be less pleased.
Quan: Sorry, again I have to disagree. RL artists are not better.
SaveMe: I dont say that. I also know RL artists who are even worse than their SL avatar and drama is also art, all those primgluers forget that in their arrogance as if gluing a prim together is the highest level of art.
Quan: Totally true and I like you for your humor.
SaveMe: One day I will be a stand up comedian.
Quan: I reserve a ticket right now.
SaveMe:: And then come with large attachments???? No thank you!
Quan: Arghhh, you got me! And I am BAD in bulding! But large should be possible. You glue prims too and especially your last attachments has been very good. Was there any common idea behind the sequence of scenes or are they just random?
SaveMe: Random, but in a concept and in reaction of the environment. I have a series with big boxes, I have Hopper attacments, I have attachments from the last performance, which was an invitation to participate. So people could do to me what they accuse me of doing to them as I did a project some years ago were I handed out my avatar to everyone, so they all can be me. I want contributions and not glued avi's on a chair or parked ones on a poseball.

taken by Eupalinos Ugajin
Quan: The sad thing is that almost nobody takes the chance to contribute, actually just a few other artists are attending.
SaveMe: That's why it is a long way and when you call that sad you better order me some more boxes of Kleenex. The few artists who are attending have seen the light. The others are still in their dark ages. And I am not participating in a popularity contest.
Quan: If you would show more empathy with others in SL you would get the deserved appreciation as artist. I am honestly tired of discussions if you are artists or not.
SaveMe: I dont have that discussion, I don't say who is an artist or not, I just say that in my screen I have the right to do whatever I want. Respect for what? You think Picasso was all day banging on the door: "respect me, respect me?" You just do, and see where it brings you. And when a glued prim installation stays somewhere for weeks or months what is the problem?  Even I have to sleep sometimes, so if the people use that to vist a sim.... And the elderly have their early morning walks?
Quan: If you refer to your actions the problem is that you choose the times when many people are there. If you would appear with your glued prims the next day, nobody would care.
SaveMe:: Am I smart or what? I just think the same.
Quan: lol...that is a question of the point of view.
SaveMe: And the smartest thing to do of course is send me a journalist.
Quan:: Ah yes? why?
SaveMe: I could have been upgrading Betty's party now, but I am here talking with you. In a way you are robbing the people now from a real event.
Quan: Just a last question...
SaveMe: You think Betty's party has finished?
Quan: No, I will go there after.
SaveMe: I can't come with you. She has me banned already.

taken by Apmel
Quan: You work artistic too in RL. You work with people and you obviously have a lot of empathy in your rl work, simply because it is needed. Why do you think it is not needed in SL.? Especially here you never know who is behind the avi. I met people here with disabilities, mental illness and more where I never expected at the beginning.
SaveMe: Because the first day you go in SL the Linden don't ask you, please copy yourself- They offer you all kind of options and it is very strange that after making a choice a lot of people expect you to be yourself again. That's weird. Even when I had chosen to be a kangaroo they would have expected me to be a empathic kangaroo.
Quan: Initially, I think, the idea was a copy of reality, as shown by the name Second Life
SaveMe: I think the opposite, they offered me strange last names, strange avi's etc. I think it is the people inside SL who don't get things going their way who start to scream about behaving "normal" again. The old fashioned powergame.
Quan: It is a very interesting question how and why people choose to be their own copy  or not. But we all have one in common. Our brain only can digest information taken from the senses. All is virtual for the brain. Therefore it is always us who interact, whoever we are here.
SaveMe: Amen!
Quan: It was not my goal to impress you. I know that I am good ;) It is more about your thinking that rules do not count here. You hurt real persons.
SaveMe: When you can't stand the virtual heat get out of the virtual kitchen. They can always go back to painting aquarells on sunday.
Quan:: I really would love to see such actions in RL and the reactions there. But will there be more performances with the last attachments? And if, when?
SaveMe: Every day, just stay close to me. The point is that you don't schedule that.
Quan yawns secretly: Following you every day, how interesting!
SaveMe: haha

taken by Arte Libera
The interview was taken around the opening of a new installation by Betty Tureaud which I visited later. That's why I was suspected to keep SaveMe busy. Nevertheless it proves again that I never will be a good interviewer. I cannot hold back my comments. But it was an interesting talk which reveals a lot, I think.

The photos are all taken recently at actions by SaveMe Oh. And if you happen to be invited to an action of SaveMe Oh, don't miss it. It is worth a look. Large attachments are welcome!

2013-03-09

Opening Today: UBERVERSE


Not many exhibitions show simultaneously in both SL and RL and open simultaneously.  Morgana Nagorski,  Kato Salyut & Sledge Roffo show works in the exhibtion "UBERVERSE". Here is the link to the RL gallery: http://www.ballaratart.com/index.php?pageID=1


We should show the RL visitors that SL is alive. So come and join the event! From the invitation: "The opening event will be streamed into the simultaneous RL opening so please dress in your most glamorous, or most weird and way out and come and strut your stuff and ensure there is actually something to see on that screen."


Opening today, Friday 8th at 9 AM to Midnight SLT! Open until March 30.

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Prism%20Lila/218/91/603

2013-03-07

Urban Second Life


While ART DECO at Art India Gallery is still running, diligent Melusina Parkin has opened another exhibtion in Anita Witt's beautiful Dryland. The images are dedicated to Urban / Industrial landscapes in Second Life. Her clean style is simply great.


Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mado/123/170/39 

And after your visit at Dryland, you not visit ART DECO too to fully appreciate Melusina's huge talent.


Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shekhawati/212/28/35

2013-03-05

New Series: The Drax Files


Draxtor Despres started with this video a new series:



Each episode presents a creative person. Sl and RL. Thar tis highly interesting and appreciates all those great people who make our Second Lofe a fun place. He starts with Kriss Lehman, the owner and creator of Botanical.

I chatted with Draxtor recently and he told me that the next presentations are in progress, where we will learn  about more cool people

2013-03-04

More Drama Please!


Recently I saw posts about drama in SL in Slum Magazine and Webspelunker which made me thinking. Of course we all have our obstacles in RL. And of course this is not limited to SL users. Everyone has. Us residents have chosen to use Second Life as our escape. Naturally we want to escape dramas too. My personal escape is especially the admiring of creativity. But it is not only the craftsmanship in it. It is the thoughts, goals, emotions, experiences and passion that I can feel and see in the results. It makes me happy to explore.


I have a friend in RL with Burn Out Depression. She told me from her therapy. Her therapist gave her a list of things that have the potential to give us a moment of enjoyment. Starting with simple acts like having a walk or sitting on a bench at the border of water. The goal was to show her that depressive people often did now allow themselves for years to enjoy these simple things before they became sick. I secretly had to smile when I heard this, because I sit several times a week at the border of my beautiful land in SL to relax and enjoy.


There are others days with dramas in SL or RL, which sit so deep in the heart that my virtual would cannot enhance my mood or makes it even worse. All I do in all worlds I do with love and passion and of course that makes me vulnerable. Squonk Levenque has created a sim for the dark days. The sky is crying so much tears that your tears cannot compete with them. All is grey and blurred. There is no horizon visible.


But life experience teaches us that we sooner or later always come over it. I wear my internal scars with pride because they formed my personality and my lesson of it was to become even more open and passionate with the risk of being hurt. I don't want to waist my short life time with half-hearted actions and tepid people. If someone says you are causing drama and goes away, he simply says that he doesn't care of your feelings. So please stay away all people who don't want drama in SL. If you don't want to give your heart in what you do and in those you interact with, I don't want to waist my time with you.

Taxi: The place is sadly gone.