Catch up: The New York Times on virtual architecture, AM Radio's voice on Arthole Radio, and more

Posted by Bettina Tizzy

It feels like an eternity since I last sat down to blog about the many enchantments and the occasional disappointments that my virtual life affords me. I’ve been caught up for weeks with the physical world of Real Life and moving to Austin from Santa Monica. Last night I unpacked the last box, and may I say… I simply love Austin. It’s good to be home.

Meanwhile, my new co-blogger Alpha Auer has been a miracle of productivity and triumphs. I congratulate myself on my association with her. The metaverse is too eventful so I couldn't very well expect things to stand still during an absence of three weeks, and I’ve especially enjoyed seeing it through her eyes.

Actually, I did do a blogpost about Eshi Otawara’s new Collection, which she unveiled yesterday to instant acclaim. Its immediate success surprised absolutely no one, least of all me. She informs me that all six of the Limited Edition outfits have been snatched up, and sales of everything are so brisk that she has decided to put all of her older styles on sale, 50% off (teleport directly from here).


You simply MUST see the arm pieces on Eshi's Limited Edition Kabuki dress up close, but you will have to know one of the six people who now own it to do so

Anyhow, here's a very quick summary of some of the news items that must be shared asap:


The New York Times eyes virtual architecture

Last Sunday, the New York Times style magazine, known as T, ran one of the most balanced yet favorable articles I've read about content creation in virtual worlds. Original Sim by Sam Lubell delves into architecture in Second Life® - not sex, adultery and MacMansions, for a refreshing change - and several NPIRLers and their works were featured, including Scope Cleaver, Keystone Bouchard and DB Bailey. I was flattered to see the NPIRL blog mentioned as a key source, and took pleasure in seeing Designer Dingson and photographer Lem Skall get their due, as well. Random House has published two beautiful and inspiring books that Sam Lubell authored about architecture in the fair European capitals of London 2000+ and Paris 2000+, and he is the Los Angeles correspondent for Architect's Newspaper.


AM Radio speaks on Arthole Radio

Arthole Radio has launched a one hour weekly program hosted by artist and art history/critical studies professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York, Amy Freelunch (aka Amy Wilson). For one of her inaugural shows, Amy conducted the first-ever voice interview with none other than fine artist AM Radio. I cannot encourage you enough to listen in, and you can do so here. It takes time to load, so be patient.

AM describes how artworks are capable of social interaction in virtual environments, hence the effort he put into creating his singular avatar; why he believes that he needs to be the best and most influential user of his work; and his views on how he is often compared to Andrew Wyeth.


What to do with a paper moon, by AM Radio

During the interview, Amy said something that has stuck with me: that virtual artists are pushing the medium as far as it can go. I agree. This is certainly one of the most compelling arguments I've heard for why Linden Lab needs to throw much more support behind artists.


Alternatives to Second Life

There are two new virtual worlds that I have yet to visit, one of them being Rezzable Productions’ Opensim foray with a test grid featuring a Greenies build. You too can sign up to be a part of the alpha testing.

Truth be known, so far, I’m less than wowed by the alternatives I’ve discovered to Second Life, and my dissatisfaction isn’t just over physics. Marianne McCann has shared with me that Legend City Online has banned kid avatars, and this after its owner, LaLa Legend, responded to me in writing – yep, I’ve got it in black and white - when I asked her if LCO would be welcoming all communities (child avatars, Gor, BDSM) with these words “We welcome people from all walks of life. Of course, we expect everyone that comes to our community to be respectful of each other’s choices. As well as expect that all activities are legal.” Bah! I have heard from a couple of people that LaLa bans folks if they so much as disagree with her on any small thing, too. Is this true? Has this happened to you?


Oh nooooes! Svarga is up for sale

It also broke my heart to learn via Hamlet Au and his New World Notes that Laukosargas Svarog has put Svarga up for sale. The fact that this blog has never covered one of the most NPIRL and extraordinary regions in Second Life is a huge oversight on my part that must be amended.


Yay! Tooter is back



On a happier note, that wicked-good and fun avatar creator Tooter Claxton is back! He’d gone missing since May, save an occasional email, but weeks had gone by since I’d heard from him, so I was overjoyed to see the little blue box pop up, notifying me that my friend was back in-world.


Photographs I take in Second Life still suck



Waaaaa! I'm a blogger, for cripes sake, and photographs are my instruments. Even though I attended Bridie Linden's office hour, blogged about that disappointment here, reopened JIRA #VWR-1641, downloaded the lasted drivers, and tested several clients - both production and RCs, nothing seems to fix this bug that ails all photographs I take in Second Life. Importantly, the same is not true of photographs I take in Legend City Online or Openlife, so I know the problem isn't with my system.

Tooter Claxton sounds off on justice with his "Free world - the fenced edition"

Tooter Claxton is no stranger to these pages. This Dutch, punk-rocking, avatar-making, Second Life Hobo is an articulate and informed, somewhat mad/ingenious graphic designer and art director in Real Life, and a favorite personality of mine.

In my dealings with him, I have come to recognize another quality in Tooter that I so admire: integrity. Tooter shoots straight and he's true to himself. And he's funny while he's doing it. Can't say that about too many people.



I didn't thoughtfully consider this unique combination of attributes before I invited him to participate in the "Visions of Global Justice" group art exhibition in Second Life. I just knew it in a flash. Ah, what a good kind of flash that turned out to be! The even better news is that he accepted, and his installation joined those of over a dozen artists who came together for the opening of the International Justice Center.

Tooter's piece is called "Free world - the fenced edition." Walk up to it (teleport directly from here), wait a few seconds... and you are in for a surprise.



Tooter explains it this way:

Tooter Claxton: Justice and law are based on agreements between people of what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes the difference between right and wrong is evident to everyone, but it isn't always that clear (that's why we need to write the agreements down in books of law, treaties and such) and the line between them can get fuzzy or even disappear. The two sides can even flip, depending on the perspective or interpretation of the viewer. When is someone a freedom fighter? A patriot? A terrorist or an enemy of the state?



A small, high walled structure, fenced off thoroughly with barbed wire and thick walls. Inside is some grass and flowers on the ground and a door with a lock and a key. The outside walls are textured with 'jail graffiti' and surrounded by a forest of cctv camera's moving around like meerkats, eyeing the visitor.

There are scanners, lights, lots of beeping and humming and scripted checks of the visitor. Security is over the top. Way over the top. Even their trash is sifted through.



Tooter Claxton: In other words: we punish criminals by putting them in confined spaces, so we can watch and control everything they do. The criminals obviously experience this control and lack of freedom and privacy as punishment. But we, who have committed no crimes, have not been convicted of anything, are increasingly being watched and controlled in the same way: our emails and Internet history can be stored and read, our phone calls are being scanned by the NSA a.s., we get bio-metric passports, all your trips and purchases can be traced through air miles and credit cards, and the cities are full of cctv's watching our every move... Is there still a free world? Are we still innocent until proven guilty?



WARNING: SPOILER! READ NO FURTHER IF YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO EXPERIENCE THIS PIECE - BUT GO NOW... EXHIBIT WILL END IN ONE DAY! Impressively scripted by Paladin Pinion, text by Tooter Claxton

I walked up to the structure, and a few seconds later, it started talking to me:

[22:26] ::: Initializing. Please remain stationary, Bettina Tizzy
[22:26] ::: Please stand in the designated area. You have received your location 2008-03-20. Check your inventory Bettina Tizzy.
[22:26] ::: Free World Access Scanner Hub (FWASH) activated, please wait.
[22:27] ::: ::: :::
[22:27] ::: We are strongly committed to your right to privacy, Bettina Tizzy. Please read the privacy disclaimer provided by FWASH, available to all Free Citizens.
[22:27] ::: FWASH error: unable to deliver privacy disclaimer. Free World group membership detection not available at this time.
[22:27] ::: Please enable scan and temporary deactivation of Data Protection Act by typing 'I agree' in chat within the set time.
[22:27] ::: Please note that except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed
[22:27] ::: in terms of a section or other provision of the Data Protection Act of 1984 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), Section 3 (47 U.S.C. 153) is amended: in section 332(d), by striking `section 3(n)' each place it appears and inserting `section 3'.
[22:27] ::: ::: :::
[22:27] ::: ::: :::
[22:27] ::: No response from agent Bettina Tizzy detected within set time. Scanner status: suspicion of possible concealment of identity by agent. Agent status set to 4-B: suspect. Initializing full scan. Please wait.
[22:27] ::: ::: :::
[22:27] ::: FWASH identity confirmed: Bettina Tizzy. Retrieving data. Please wait.
[22:27] ::: ::: :::
[22:27] ::: Your Universally Unique Identifier: cb84ba5a-70bb-4ba7-85c7-a29992d42382 Status unverified.
[22:28] ::: UUID Confirmed suspicion rate 4.7. Restrictive violence acceptable. Subsequent action classified to agent.
[22:28] ::: Facial recognition unit initializing... FRU ready.
[22:28] ::: User Bettina Tizzy born: 2007-01-26. No history of active membership of Free World group detected.
[22:28] ::: Possible membership of non governmental organizations detected.
[22:28] ::: Your Payment info on file: Status: 3-PAYMENT INFO ON FILE Scanning for other payment methods and potential fraudulent transactions.
[22:28] ::: Repetitive purchase of foreign comestibles tracked on loyalty cards: Pizza.
[22:28] ::: Repetitive purchase of foreign comestibles tracked on credit cards: Pizza.
[22:28] ::: Domestic comestibles purchase rate: 5 – average. Probable polynationalism or lack of patriotism detected. Xenoscan Tracking permanently enabled on Bettina Tizzy.
[22:28] ::: FRU scan result: Undetermined moisture detected, probability cold sweat: 87.472%, probability wallpaper adhesive: 12.528%.
[22:28] ::: Retrieving your energy invoices and air miles statistics to determine Fuel Consumption Level for Bettina Tizzy with mass 1.822263. Ratio of mass to energy utilization is not within projected economic stability range.
[22:29] ::: FWASH FCL 3.2 Category Treehugger
[22:29] ::: Avatar clothing changes: over 256 since 2007-01-26. Possible ID concealment. Avatar clothing changes: less than 512 since 2007-01-26. Possible use of alternative accounts.
[22:29] ::: Liquidity in Linden Dollars per day: < 565. You are extremely poor. Enabling financial tranquilizer for Bettina Tizzy.
[22:29] ::: ::: ::: ::: :::
[22:29] ::: Financial Tranquilizer: -start message- Welcome Bettina Tizzy. Money isn't everything. Keep in mind that over 3.8 billion people have less than 565 Linden dollars a day to spend. In the real world. Count your blessings.
[22:29] ::: Financial tranquilizer: Poverty is a choice, Bettina Tizzy. Obey and prosper. -end message-
[22:29] ::: Financial Tranquilizer is offline.
[22:29] ::: ::: :::
[22:29] ::: ::: :::
[22:29] ::: Engaging Waste Analyzer
[22:29] ::: ::: :::
[22:30] ::: Waste Analyzer engaged. Connecting to Department of Sanitation.
[22:30] ::: ::: :::
[22:30] ::: Connected. Scanning garbage bag 00567 through 02441 - Bettina Tizzy. Please wait.
[22:30] ::: Thank you for your patience.
[22:30] ::: ::: :::
[22:30] ::: Traces of addictive substances found. Coffee. Possible tofu. Notifying Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force.
[22:30] ::: Scan finished. Please wait for results.
[22:30] ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :::
[22:30] ::: No criminal record for user Bettina Tizzy. Suspicion level 7. Estimated loyalty rating index at 2.1
[22:30] ::: Preemptive safety measures will be taken. Please wait.
[22:31] ::: Bettina Tizzy taken into custody by FWASH on suspicion of planning potentially subversive acts.
[22:31] ::: Bettina Tizzy will remain detained.
[22:31] ::: Entrance to Free World denied.
[22:31] ::: Thank you for you for keeping the Free World safe, Bettina Tizzy. Have a nice day.

~*~

This just in and direct from Tooter when I asked him for the authorized bio:

"I don't get bored easily. I am a graphic designer/ art director by profession but I have done, and still do a lot more. I have been singing and/or playing guitar in bands since 1976; punk rock, bluegrass, country, traditional dutch music, german schlagers and even just plain old rock 'n' roll. I've also hosted a variety of shows, quizzes and contests. I design and illustrate books, magazines, and occasionally write for them too. I draw comics and make animations. I've made hundreds of posters, flyers and record sleeves for the local and international 'underground' music scene. I've spent many holidays making and playing theater shows, I have worked with poets, sculptors and painters, making installations in musea, illustrations, short films, prints, performances. And then there's computers...

I've been working with computers since shortly after I left art school in the early eighties. First I tried programming in Basic, making simple games, but I soon used them to design typefaces and animations. After that computers have become an integral part of my work and life.

For the past year and a half I have also been active in Second Life. I spend most of my time in sandboxes, playing and building. I particularly enjoy the absurd side of Second Life, and I see it as an eclectic artwork made by all it's inhabitants. I learned (and still learn) building from other more skilled builders (mostly from the hobo group) and try to add pieces to the dadaist collage that is already there. I 'make a living' in Second Life selling somewhat 'off' avatars, which makes me enough to pay for rent, tier and a premium account. The more I make, the more land I buy to build my own projects on: usually silly, more than often useless. I try to make as many freebies as I can, and as I am selling more and more avatars, I've been giving away more of my builds free. I've also done -and cooperated in- artworks in SL. Most were themed around (dis-) communication, one of the most interesting parts of Second -and real- Life i.m.o."


Many thanks to the MacArthur Foundation, Global Kids and the Justice Commons for hosting this event, together with the USC Network Culture project. Special thanks, too, to In Kenzo, for giving me the opportunity to serve under her as co-curator, thereby allowing me to learn much about how to curate an art event in virtual worlds. In addition to Tooter Claxton and Pavig Lok, whom I featured in my last blog post, the following artists created original art works for this show: Tuna Oddfellow, AM Radio, Tooter Claxton, Juria Yoshikawa, Dancoyote Antonelli, Filthy Fluno, elros Tuominen, Chance Abattoir, Adam Ramona, Josina Burgess, Velazquez Bonetto, Junivers Stockholm.

Light vacation packing: NPIRL "resort wear"

I was invited to a clothing-optional beach party so I thought I'd surprise everyone and actually strip down.

Pick up one of Tooter Claxton's nude Synthia Picassole avatars and join us! Teleport directly from here.

Tooter Claxton weighs in with his Muscle Man, and a Maze, too

So... there I was, hangin' with some NPIRLers on Monday when Tooter Claxton - Real Life graphic designer, in-world builder and one of my absolutely fave avatar creators - TP's in. You learn to expect the unexpected where Tooter is concerned, and sure enough, a stocky, body-builder dude I'd never seen before made the approach. "You need some weights, Toot," I said.



As soon as he began typing his reply, I realized that he had already taken matters into his own hands. He was lifting - and pumping - Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit and Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. Eeeps, that's too weighty for me!


This photograph by Poid Mahovlich

There's this tempting air valve on his shoulder... *fingers_are_itching_almost_uncontrollably_now*



Anyways, Toot's been making more than avatars. His latest is a maze that rezzes as you go. Teleport directly from here, and then look for it next to the big pile of ears...



Walking through it, you'll discover that it temp rezzes letters, and that those letters spell out words. Figure out the correct sentence and send it to Tooter via notecard. If you get it right, Toot will give you a free avatar. Your choice, too.


Here, Poid Mahovlich and Taliesin Bauhaus are giving it a shot

There are several sentences, but only one is the right one, so you might need another go at it. Or maybe a few. I've just been notified by Tooter that my second submission was wrong. Toot, I'm going to get this right. I am.

Tooter Claxton, his avatars, and the first buzz on his upcoming Le Salon des Clochards Riches

On his blog, NPIRL'er, builder and avatar creator Tooter Claxton introduces himself as a graphics designer from the Netherlands who has been playing in punk rock bands for 30 years.

Lest you think this makes him sound a bit too "street," think again. This warm-hearted and very witty eccentric is dripping in kulture, and his texturing is... sublime. I would go so far as to call it elegantly sloppy.

Consider Brunnhilde, one of his deranged avatars. She's a bug-eyed Viking warrior...

...and every time she types, she waves her shield around rather dangerously.

You can acquire this hazardous female avatar at several in-world locations and on SLEX, but a peek at his main store is worth the trip alone. Tooter's approach to merchandising is as refreshing as it is zany. He has condensed the presentation of his wares to a 3D pseudo magazine trailer shop, and each magazine showcases one of his wacky creatures.
Slurl: Main store

Seeing as the scale of the store is so thrifty in both its foot print and prim count, Tooter used the surplus to create Le Salon des Clochards Riches (Salon for Rich Hobos), which he describes as "a shabby-luxe gathering place for digital bohemians and great loonies with a penchant for the absurd, a taste for pointless things, and a even a parlor game or two."

Chatting with Toot makes me realize how removed I am from what is hip and happening in real life. The Salon - slated to officially open its doors in about a month - will be loosely modeled after the Pecha Kucha style evenings that launched the SuperDeluxe club in Tokyo two years ago and then spread like peanut butter under the summer sun... all over the friggin globe.

Presenters are allowed 6 minutes and 40 seconds in which to expound on whatever topic they please, such as: forgotten disco queens, how to conceal and travel with your pet in a briefcase, or the benefits of chewing each mouthful at least 40 times. The real life format for these soires involves Power Point presentations of 20 slides each, but Toot thinks "that's just anal."

Tooter's in-world profile states that his ambition in Second Life is to win a beauty pagaent. How could he not, considering the enticement of his "Eyes?":

The "Your Aunt" avatar rezzes an ironing board whilst the wearer types:

And his latest creation, "Herr Doktor Gehirnschneider," shown standing here with her majesty, the Queen of the Netherlands...

...holds brains in one hand and a surgical knife in the other.

Tooter uses PhotoShop 7 to make his textures, and like all good Second Life Hobos, he subscribes to the school of freebies, which you can find at his main store and his Avatar Factory.


We'll just have to revisit Tooter Claxton's world again.

Dutch Ding Dong!

Three guesses what we Dutch like to build in SL... that's right; windmills! Dutch artist Edo Paulus (Edo Autopoiesis in SL) has built a "sound composition" that uses SL wind to generate sound from windmills. The result is not exactly punkrock, (more like indonesian gamelan) but I'm sure some of you hippies might enjoy. I like it for how it looks and works. Nifty stuff. Pick up the notecard that explains how it works and go take a ride.

Windmills!

Notice originally posted to the NPIRL group by Tooter Claxton on July 13, 2007

P.S. I'm just mad about Tooter's absurd avatars. His Brunhilde viking-operatic-singer is the only "other" avatar I have ever donned. - Bettina