"body parts" : Virtual lovers are star-crossed islands

Posted by Bettina Tizzy

“body parts,” Alpha Auer’s fittingly poetic contribution to the new Poetik sim, is an installation that consists of several monochromatic and nude human bodies heaped upon each other, and an offering of unusual skin outfits (both male and female) to be worn by its visitors. Poseballs scattered around the bodies invite visitors to become a part of the sculpture. In the accompanying notecard and on her blog, Alpha bemoans the lack of corporal love in our virtual environment and asserts that avatars are ultimately alone.

While Alpha’s work in Second Life® is often playful, this is no puff piece, and it opens up the conversation about the compromises virtual world residents make when we dedicate so much of our time tethered to our computers, manipulating our human simulations, but never actually making contact.



Virtual lovers are star-crossed islands but… are we not beautiful to look at? Like hothouse petals, translucent “body parts” emanate from the wearer, pining for, reaching out for, but never touching. Romantic? Yes... but also quite sad.

One might argue that physicality is not essential to love or to friendship, and most assuredly, it is not. But it is the deepening of that exchange between two people that gets hobbled and can go no further in pixilated form, no matter how ardent or tender the feelings. Intimacy is the casualty, and any participant in “body parts” is sure to face his or her demons.





Alpha was intentional in creating a colorless piece, but “body parts” plays well with Windlight. The installation can also be found on her own gorgeous sim, Syncretia, where it resides behind a cinematic wall of creamy nudity.



In addition to creating art of staggering beauty (or hilarity), Alpha Auer (aka Elif Ayiter) also blogs here on Not Possible IRL.

You can visit "body parts" at Poetik by teleporting directly from here, or at Syncretia, by teleporting directly from here and looking for a creamy globe some meters above ground. While the lighting at Syncretia is set to "sunset," Alpha has also created a Windlight preset for "body parts," which is available here.

Many thanks to Naxos Loon for posing for these photographs. Because Alpha is a mix-master when it comes to avatars and clothing, I knew she wouldn’t mind if I adorned my avatar’s body with Hern Worsley’s hair.

The Animated Canvas: An installation by Feathers Boa

Posted by Alpha Auer

Feathers Boa's installation entitled the Animated Canvas places us in an environment built out of Real Life artist's supplies, large enough to create a space for us to wander around in: Eraser gum steps lead us into a real life studio painting class, complete with paint splattered chairs, the walls and the floor of which have been created out of stretched canvases, drafting templates and painter's palettes. Turn around and you can cross a bent letter stencil bridge into a gallery made up of ornate but empty painting frames, the entry to which is flanked by two huge inkwells. Placed between the frames however are stretched canvas "paintings" consisting largely (but not entirely) of processed and indeed some layered Second Life® photographs - and I have to admit that some of these are what I liked best about the overall installation. There is a finesse, an observation of craftsmanship, composition and harmony of color in these that I found rather sadly lacking in the overall installation. And even more importantly, there is a definite preponderance of mood and narrative in the paintings; again to me, not present in the 3 dimensional work.





I know from personal experience how very challenging it is to create "3D mood" when working in an environment devoid of the intrinsic "moodmakers" of 3D, i.e., shadows and directional lighting; as Second Life to date still is. However, hard as this may be, it is more than obvious when looking at her paintings that Ms. Boa has the talent, the stamina, as well as the professional expertise to accomplish this and I for one, will certainly be looking forward for her paintings to come alive as 3 dimensional objects in the future.



Feathers Boa's installation, which incidentally can also be participated in through the acquisition of an avatar which turns you into a canvas painting created by Ms. Boa, can be seen at New Carleon, to where you can teleport to directly from here.

Viva la Vida: A video of AuraKyo Insoo's epic installation on the highs and lows of being human

Posted by Bettina Tizzy

It no longer exists, except in memory, but AuraKyo Insoo's soulful and sculptural Viva la Vida breathed earthy life and passion from every prim. An enormous installation that was truly impregnated with Aura's distinctive and immediately recognizable style, it required a good hour to take in. I shot the footage for this video weeks ago, and it wasn't lack of interest but the usual series of interruptions that held back its completion. I'm afraid I've done a shabby job of capturing the entire story and the enormity of it, but hopefully a glimmer of its effusive spirit is evident. If you missed it, I understand that Aura will have an opportunity to re-rez the show soon.


Shot and edited by Bettina Tizzy
Music: "Between two floors" by Five Star Fall
If you find that it is running slow, you can view it here.

Viva la Vida is a Spanish-language expression that loosely translates as Hurray for Life. The show - sponsored by Rezzable Productions - transported the visitor most elegantly through nearly every phase of life, beginning with a birthing and ending with peaceful and loving human interaction, but also touching on war (never more), cruelty, courage, fame and solitude.

In conversations with Aura, I have come to know her as a woman who embodies and lives by her own mantra, viva la vida. An Argentinian by birth and an artist in Real Life, Aura is also a poet and an activist. Viva Aura! We want more, and more can be had. Aura is currently showing at the Human Rights Festival in Second Life®: Reconstructing Rights; Humans in Process, which you can visit through January 20th by teleporting here.

four Yip's "Lune-acy"

I am currently having a complete blast, preparing a post on the outfits of four Yip, however with a twist of my own ;-). So, this mini-post is a sort of a fore-runner of that one, I guess.

four's newest creation, Lune-acy was shown recently at Crimson Rezzable. I am not sure if four has this one up at one of her two little stores already, but sweetheart that she is, I am sure she will not keep her fans waiting for too long.





Says four:

"when the moon is full ,..her dreams become nightmares.........."

Lune-atic Yipsie comes with skin and shape
with red horns ,..with and without candles
red hair,..with and without flowers and bats
with her bodytied skinsuit and her rats around her neck
she can be found being lune-ing around (touch pumpkin on table for lune-atic yipsie move)

strange songs she sings and hides under her table in a state off sleepwalking
(rezz her nightmare so it becomes yours,....)"

You can check on all of four's clothes and installations at her two little stores here. You can see larger sizes of these photos here and here.

Dekka Raymaker's puzzler: Skullduggery

Skullduggery or Skulduggery: 1. A devious device or trick. 2. Underhanded or unscrupulous behavior.

It is not a simple matter to reach the point where you are standing in front of this installation in Second Life®, but if you are in the mood for a bit of mystery and deductive reasoning, you are in for a wee bit of a challenge and a treat.

First, teleport from here. You will find yourself in the middle of a field, but if you look behind you, you will see a brown brick building a few meters away. Head towards the front door.

But wait! You need to punch in a code to gain access. Hmmm. I wonder if there is a hint or two (or three) nearby?

Once inside, and at the end of the long hall, there is an apothecary table and shelves containing all matter of turn of the century as well as contemporary pharmaceutical supplies, mixing and writing tools and clocks and... a voodoo doll? Skulls?

Somewhere in this room is a clue that will help you, as its creator Dekka Raymaker, suggested to me, "get it."

"It is there. Obvious when you know," said Dekka, as I fumbled around touching everything and looking everywhere.

"The inspiration of the piece started with a photograph by Philippe Halsman after a drawing by Dalí of a human skull consisting of seven naked women's bodies. Other references include psychological fear, horror, selling one's soul (selling out) and a little bit of subtle recession phobia," added Dekka. Hmmm. I wonder if Dekka's financial advisor had a bad year?

His advice for how to view this:
: Midnight is preferrable for the first look
: Turn off streaming music and video
: The entrance is code activated, 3 numbers
: Some objects can be interacted with, drawers open & touch sound
: Some things are not obviously on view; with a little cam action they can be seen
: I hope you 'get it'

Go there alone

For one week only, Chasm - a dark and challenging new sim developed by Nebulosus Severine - invites introspective exploration.

Before you teleport, download Nebulosus' essential and custom preset for this visit here. Follow Nebulosus' installation instructions provided here. Then, teleport directly from here.

A hint: Navigation is key to understanding Chasm. Pay attention to the clues.

Special thanks to Dirkthecow Writer and HERD for the use of their sim.

Striking ways to present flat art in virtual worlds

DB Bailey has designed an installation for an exhibit of photographs by Paul L. Gabbert that portray dancers of various tribes from Papua, New Guinea at the 50th anniversary of the annual Goroka cultural show, where participants dance and sing.

While I generally cannot be bothered with images of Real Life art within Second Life, DB Bailey has created such a lush and compelling oasis for these photographs, that I took the time to study the faces of the dancers and learn more about the event... and was reminded that tribal beauty in our world is ancient and fragile, and its preservation is more important than ever.





The frames in this area simply wouldn't be possible in Real Life...



Adjacent to the entrance of the photography exhibit is one of DB's newest sculptures... (teleport directly from here).