Pink Narcissus

Rotating Brains / Beating Heart (sample)

2012-01-19T20:31:00.002Z

This is a short unedited sample of a networked performance collaboration with Stelarc, Pauline Oliveros, Franziska Schroeder, Tina Pearson and members of the Avatar Orchestra Metaverse.

I filmed the full performance in Second Life in December 2010 with the intention of editing together a machinima but this has not been possible to date. It is always tricky filming live events with a virtual camera, particularly with this performance as the shots were very complicated to pull-off. I really enjoyed the challenge and unpredictability of it though.

I've been in touch recently with AOM and hope to start work on the edit soon.

More details and a list of all the performers and collaborators here.

2012-01-16T14:51:00.001Z

I created a new Facebook page for the 'other' me.
Please pop by and 'Like' me sometime (or simply avoid if you prefer!).
http://www.facebook.com/SteveMillarUK

2011-12-10T01:32:00.001Z

Is your job boring and meaningless?
Your life empty?
Don't worry.
Consumption will fill the void.

AFK

2011-10-27T00:29:00.005+01:00

I thought I should give an update as I've been absent from Second Life for several weeks now. The main reason is that I've become very captivated and inspired by the Occupy movement, friends have heard me talk about little else since I first became aware of the murmurings in NYC last month. Consequently, I've had no reason or motivation to login to SL, and it seems more than a little negligent to spend time in a virtual world when the real world is experiencing such momentous changes with a movement that is in need of our support.

The 99%, a truly global movement, has been forced to take action in response to the economic crisis, the ruthless greed of the banks, and increasingly severe cuts and austerity measures imposed by our governments. We're seeing the very beginnings of a revolution that is too powerful to subdue or ignore, a fact which has been proven time and time again, particularly in the States, where the unprovoked police brutality has been witnessed all over the world. Despite the violence, misleading press reports and vilification, the protesters remain strong, and even more determined that what they're doing is right and justified.

My own involvement with Occupy London has been small but I think worthwhile. I filmed on the first day of the occupation on October 15th and subsequently made a music video from the footage, which I've been promoting and distributing. In addition I took many still shots, some of which were selected by this blog, and also printed on the front cover and inside issue 7781 of The Inquirer magazine. I've also been contacted by a Canadian academic who wants to use the photos in a presentation "to show the power of social media through grassroots movements like Occupy WallStreet/London."

I want to continue documenting this movement and I'm planning more visits to the camp/s soon. I'll probably still login to Second Life to attend certain performances or exhibitions, but for the foreseeable future I'll definitely not be blogging or creating my own art there.

Please do check out my video below, and you can see more footage here. But more importantly, if you're affected by the issues then get involved yourself, add your own voice, be a part of history.

Steve / Arahan x

Global Revolution

2011-09-26T04:41:00.001+01:00

Live coverage of Occupy Wall Street. Also in Second Life!
For more information regarding occupations in other locations check http://occupytogether.org.

The World is Burning

2011-08-12T16:16:00.016+01:00

The World is burning

Escape to virtual reality

Avatars with frozen smiles

Wooden teeth glint in artificial sun

Glass eyes vacant

Everything is fine

Steve Millar - When Empires End (2011) by SteveMillar

Odyssey

2011-08-08T18:51:00.002+01:00

This new experimental audio mix is a reflection on the recent 2011 Odyssey Performance Art Festival. In this penultimate broadcast for Soup Radio I have carefully chosen and mixed the audio to represent my thoughts on the performers and performances.

Steve Millar - Odyssey (2011) by SteveMillar

New Facebook Page

2011-08-03T01:34:00.012+01:00

I have a new public page on Facebook, please 'like' me if you're interested in my Second Life work. You can also visit via the box on the right of this blog.

I've uploaded some content that isn't anywhere else, including photos, videos, audio etc.

www.facebook.com/arahanclaveau

I'd actually recommend the pages app if you're a SL personality or artist, I'm impressed by the features and it's proving to be quite useful.

http://www.facebook.com/FacebookPages

Upside Down World machinima

2011-07-19T19:01:00.043+01:00

Just completed the editing on a machinima of Liz Solo's recent performance at the 2011 Odyssey Performance Art Festival. This was a mixed reality event, taking place simultaneously in Second Life and a studio space in Newfoundland, and as such my footage only captures a fragment of what the live performance was all about.

(Above: Black Bag Media Collective Studio. Photo by Justin Hall)

(Above: screenshots from Second Life)

(Above: machinima by Arahan Claveau)

Saturday July 16th 2011

Upside Down World (Pearls For Pigs)
Liz Solo/Fau Ferdinand/Jo Ellsmere

A hybrid reality performance.

Simultaneously at Black Bag Media Collective Studio, St. John's, Newfoundland and Odyssey in Second Life.
Music by Liz Solo - A Place For You

Machinima also viewable on Vimeo

"Pearls for pigs"

2011-07-09T18:10:00.074+01:00

[14:22] SaveMe Oh: this is by far the worsed(sic) performance since long

[14:22] Dancoyote Antonelli: where does art stop and exhibitionism begin?

We've sunk pretty low as a community when artists feel it is reasonable to heckle other artists. Such as it was during Alan Sondheim & Sandy Baldwin's live performance of Thursday Bloody Thursday on the opening day of the 2011 Odyssey Performance Art Festival.

I'd never seen Alan's work in Second Life before and he's an artist I find very intriguing, so I was really interested in attending the performance at Odyssey. Unfortunately the event was hijacked by two audience members who took it upon themselves to keep interrupting with their own inane opinions and criticisms. The problem I had, and why I was so irritated, is that if they were really serious about critiquing the work then they should have waited until afterwards. Interrupting the live performance came across like they were trying to sabotage it in order to bring attention to themselves, it was griefing, but the big difference is that classic "griefers" (e.g. Voted 5 and W-Hat) targeted pompous individuals and dodgy organisations that deserved the stuffing knocked out of them.

What was it that the artists at Odyssey were doing that caused such hostility and ridicule? Perhaps that is an interesting question, certainly Alan Sondheim seems fairly philosophical about the interruptions, even going so far as to say that they added something to the performance. I would probably be less generous if I'd been in his position. I can say as an audience member the regular interruptions seemed to be devoid of any parody or humour, and the comments were at points just plain nasty and rude, and only conspired to ruin the experience for the rest of us.

[14:22] Dancoyote Antonelli: and why do we want to look at Anan(sic) and Sandy's junk?

[14:24] sandy Taifun: Avatars are always disturbances, always irruptions of language, a lang- uage portending _the raveling of existence and essence

[14:25] Dancoyote Antonelli: well they do say that half the internet is porn

[14:25] Dancoyote Antonelli: I guess this is that half

[14:25] Dancoyote Antonelli: where does porn become performance?

[14:26] SaveMe Oh: who wants to fuck me now?

[14:26] Arahan: I dunno, a flacid penis isn't really pornographic is it?

[14:26] Sca Shilova: lol

[14:26] Arahan: all of us at the same time saveme

[14:26] Dancoyote Antonelli: not after this unappetizing display

[14:26] SaveMe Oh: I am so shocked I need to be fucked now

[14:26] Dancoyote Antonelli: you're right Arahan

[14:26] Dancoyote Antonelli: its so friendly

[14:27] Dancoyote Antonelli: not at all "confrontational"

[14:27] SaveMe Oh: omg, you think he took a pic of his own thingy?

[14:27] Arahan: I think if we're seeing the artist's genitals that's quite interesting

[14:34] SaveMe Oh: this was really the worsed(sic) I witnessed since long

[14:34] SaveMe Oh: pretentious

[14:34] SaveMe Oh: bad(sic) done

[14:34] SaveMe Oh: no sense

[14:34] SaveMe Oh: poluting

[14:34] Dancoyote Antonelli: not to mention unappetizing!

[14:34] SaveMe Oh: and ugly genitals

[14:35] SaveMe Oh: next time they should ask Igor to pose

[14:35] SaveMe Oh: at least he has soemthing(sic) to show

[14:35] SaveMe Oh: this genitals must be over 60 years old

[14:35] Arahan: well everyone else show a pic of their genitals right now and we can judge who has the prettiest?

[14:35] SaveMe Oh: yuk

[14:35] lizsolo Mathilde: yeah thanks saveme and now why dont you tell us how you really feel

[14:35] Kham: Why not leave if it offends you so?

[14:35] Dancoyote Antonelli: hahahaha

[14:35] SaveMe Oh: it was disgusting

[14:36] lizsolo Mathilde: poor saveme

[14:36] Jo Ellsmere: Why stay, then?

[14:46] SaveMe Oh: It was wonderful

[14:46] Kikas Babenco: you decide

[14:46] SaveMe Oh: the best I ever saw

[14:46] lizsolo Mathilde: i'm looking forward to seeing your genitals tomorrow

[14:46] SaveMe Oh: It made me thing(sic) over my whole life again

[14:47] lizsolo Mathilde: tho im sure u dont have the nuts

[14:47] Arahan: you don't have to say everything is wonderful SaveMe, but sometimes you could learn when to shut the fuck up :)

[14:47] SaveMe Oh: Its almost like a religious experience

[14:47] SaveMe Oh: so deep

Interruptions aside, I was at the time unsure of how I felt about the actual performance, part of that was because I didn't know if what I was experiencing was what the artists intended. It wasn't until I read back the transcript of the text chat that I started to understand it more, and being a fan of William Burroughs and Brion Gysin I really appreciated the cut-up nature of the dialogue between the artists, who were obviously exploring some very personal issues. When looking at the work as a whole you have to conclude it was actually a very brave and risky thing to do.

So, my irritation at SaveMe Oh and Dancoyote Antonelli's ignorance on that day is amplified retrospectively because they completely missed the entire point of the piece, and were unwilling, or incapable, of seeing anything of merit beyond the surface. What is most perplexing though is that they were both artists hosting their own performances as part of the same festival, talk about shitting on your own doorstep!

SaveMe Oh has a big problem with even the merest hint of people being courteous or just saying hello to each other, perhaps it is simply jealousy because he is unable to form any meaningful relationships in his own life, one can only guess. He used to have a MO with his 'performance'; by targeting all the phoney groupies and lazy artists, poking and prodding them to get a reaction and pointing out what they were doing wrong and how they could be doing it better (in his eyes).

But now it seems to be less about that and more about disrupting events and preventing anybody else from enjoying themselves, even the really talented artists. The act has become rather stale and tedious, and the end result will be no audience for his shenanigans making it all even more pointless and redundant. And no, it's not about kissing each others arses or saying you love everything, that's the other end of the spectrum and I find that kind of sycophantic toadying completely nauseating. Anyway, I was taking the piss in SL when SaveMe Oh was still wet behind the ears, learn from one of the masters you rank amateur!

Despite my annoyances I have actually appreciated work by both SMO and DC in the past so I still went to their respective events at Odyssey (after all they weren't attacking me personally), I suppose I'm just confused and disappointed by their bizarre outbursts.

The 2011 Odyssey Performance Art Festival was overall a really positive experience for me, and presenting our own performance as *ArthOle was very worthwhile and I'm proud to have been a participant.

Thank you to Liz Solo, Fau Ferdinand and Jo Ellsmere, all the other artists, and all the avatars who attended ArthOle's ORIENTATION.

*I should point out that DC attended one of the ArthOle performances and he seemed to really get into it and played along, SMO was invited to attend like everyone else but didn't register any interest.

ArthOle at 2011 Odyssey Performance Art Festival

2011-07-05T14:13:00.012+01:00

ArthOle has reformed for the 2011 Odyssey Performance Art Festival, and will host a remixed performance of ORIENTATION (last seen in 2009).

ORIENTATION is a multimedia promenade performance that relies on audience participation. The attendees arrive at the location and will be guided by interactions from the actors.

Due to the nature of the performance, numbers will be limited to ten people per date, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please reserve your place by contacting Arahan Claveau or Nebulosus Severine in-world.

First performance:

Sunday 10th July at 12pm PDT, 3pm EDT, 8pm BST

Second performance:

Thursday 14th July at 12pm PDT, 3pm EDT, 8pm BST

Duration – 25 minutes (approx.)

DJ'ing at SL8B

2011-06-15T20:05:00.015+01:00

Playlist:

Esben and the Witch - Argyria
Project:Komakino - Age Of Satisfaction (Motorama Remix)
Hiatus - Insurrection (feat Linton Kwesi Johnson)
The Kills - Satellite (The Bug Remix)
Paris Suit Yourself - Surprise
Yppah - The Moon Scene 7
Caribou - Odessa
John Foxx And The Maths - Shatterproof
The Violets - Daddys Got It In (for) Me
Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
Project:Komakino - Penumbra 1
The Chapman Family - A Million Dollars
O. Children - Don't Dig

Steve M.'s Cloudcasts on Mixcloud

_____________

The Second Life 8th Birthday (SL8B) celebrations begin next week and I'm DJing at the official stage on Thursday June 23rd from 10-11am SLT/PDT (6-7pm BST).

Would be great to see you there if you can make it. Teleport here.

Soup Radio has a space at SL8B and will be covering the event. Check the blog for details.

Bitch Slap

2011-06-05T13:28:00.016+01:00

Moaning, complaining, bitching, fighting and gossiping seems to be a priority with folks lately. Meanwhile plenty of artists are just getting on with being creative, and for them Second Life continues to be just as relevant and enjoyable as always. I've been listening to predictions about the imminent demise of SL since I joined in June 2005, and after years of being bombarded by such negativity, I'm really bored of it.

We're a relatively small community, and here's a suggestion, maybe our time would be better spent if we channel our efforts and energy into more productive outlets and stop being so preoccupied with fucking each other over, and complaining about how evil Linden Lab is.

Just a thought.

And on that note, check out this month's Soup Radio schedule, over six hours of SL-related chat and music, with a minimum of moaning (except the sexy kind).

“Straight Male Gamer” told to ‘get over it’ by BioWare

2011-04-07T19:35:00.023+01:00

I commented on the No More Lost blog today, in response to a story they posted.

In summary:

"BioWare adopted a (sadly) very special and very principled stance in designing one of their recent games, Dragon Age 2. Their stance was simple: relationships are for everybody, whether gay, straight, or anything else in between. You can also have have more than one romance at a time with the game’s characters. In this game, everybody is equal. Too equal, it seems, for one particular straight male gamer who was upset to be on the receiving end of a little flirting from another male character in the game. The reaction of this Straight Male Gamer? – To post a new thread on Bioware’s forums to complain…"

I didn't feel the need to respond to the "Straight Male Gamer" directly, as he is clearly a moron and by his own admission homophobic; "I personally find it to be digusting(sic)", so his opinions really don't matter to me. But BioWare took a very unusual step in implementing same-sex options into their game in the first place, and then to go on and defend their decisions in such a reasonable and logical manner deserves recognition and support.

"When I was growing up every magazine, every book, every film, told me I should be straight. I got quite expert at reading between the lines, inventing my own subtext, and imagining same-sex romances that weren’t there. The world is slightly more inclined to accept human nature these days and minorities are more accurately represented in the media and entertainment industries, there is certainly not equality but some progress has been made.
Gaming however is still a bit of a dinosaur, particularly in the area of sexuality. I’m used to playing story driven games that ignore my demographic (Gay Male Gamer), so it is a huge treat when a developer includes options that cater for me. Of course it’s not appropriate for every game to involve sex or romance, but when it is an option, like in Dragon Age, it makes for a much more immersive experience if we’re allowed to choose our partners, and the opposite happens if we’re denied it. For example, when I played Knights of the Old Republic, I turned down the advances of the female characters, the same was true in Mass Effect, the result being that it felt like I missed out on interesting storyline arcs and possibilities.
Kudos to BioWare for going some way to help redress the balance with the Dragon Age series, and thanks to David Gaider for his intelligent and well-reasoned response on this issue. Gaming has taken another step out of the dark ages.
Arahan
April 7, 2011 at 5:38 pm"

See the original thread for links to the complaint from the Straight Male Gamer, and the response from BioWare's David Gaider.

Cruising

2011-03-22T17:36:00.020Z

Cruising was released in 1982 and came under understandably heavy criticism for its negative and potentially damaging portrayal of homosexuals. The story focuses around a serial killer, who is targeting gay men at his (dead) father's behest, by prowling the S&M leather bar and club scene for victims. The actual murders are quite graphic and sexually charged, and although the film only represents a small subculture, the underlying message that comes across is that all homosexuals are recklessly promiscuous, their behaviour will end in misery and death, and that any 'normal' person coming into contact with them will be corrupted (as happens with the Al Pacino character).

Whatever the director William Friedkin's intention was is debatable and although I still find the film somewhat reprehensible, watching it again recently shows that much of the power it once had has faded. The community it sought to represent has evolved, particularly post-AIDS, and there is a whole new generation of gays that are not so easy to pigeon-hole and vilify.

There is a scene in the film that takes place in a sleazy video booth between the killer and a victim, and what stands out is the impressive cinematography, replete with a subliminal editing style reminiscent of the dream sequence in Friedkin's The Exorcist from 1973. I captured various stills from the video booth scene and reordered them into a sixty second looped sequence, the result has an unsettling rhythm that becomes both mesmerising and powerful. I'm using this as inspiration for a short film I'll be working on in the future and possibly linking into Second Life.

Soup Radio March 2011 Schedule

2011-03-03T18:34:00.020Z

Our new schedule begins on Saturday, March 5th 2011

(12pm PDT, 3pm EDT, 8pm GMT).

Arahan Claveau talks about the departure of Khamudy and the arrival in April of Raul Crimson as a new host on Soup Radio, Raul joins Arahan for a chat about his future plans. Also mentioned is a new performance by Jeremy Owen Turner at Odyssey, followed by an audio mix* conceived as a response to the current political climate and specially recorded for this edition of the show.
*NOTE: an open mind and illicit stimulants are necessary to achieve the recommended level of resonance in the frontal lobe.

Amy Freelunch travels to Providence, Rhode Island, the birthplace of H.P.Lovecraft, to give a talk to students at Brown University. Her plans to reunite with an old friend with a shady past who mysteriously disappeared two years ago, are thwarted by a combination of a lack of meds and the weird atmosphere of the town. Instead, Amy plays a selection of classic American performance art pieces inspired by the disquieting surroundings of her hotel room.

Penumbra Carter talks to artist and musician Misprint Thursday about her
involvement in the creation of "Theorem, music inspired by the sciences", and how
collaborative sessions over the internet
have culminated in the forthcoming exhibition entitled Visualizing Theorem to be hosted on the UTSA sim in
Second Life.

Full show notes and tracklisting on the blog -
http://soupradio.blogspot.com

Thanks for listening!

Machinima in the Making

2010-12-17T13:14:00.008Z

"The Avatar Orchestra and its extended family has been busy rehearsing and preparing for a machinima of Rotating Brains / Beating Heart, the collaborative mixed reality work originally made with Stelarc, Pauline Oliveros and Franziska Schroeder for a premiere at Brunel University in the UK.

This is the most complex project of the Orchestra to date and involves the coming together of global multi-disciplinary team living in six timezones and three continents.

Artist, videographer and Soup Radio host Steve Millar (Arahan Claveau) is filming and editing the machinima from London, England. Steve / Arahan also operated the Second Life camera for the UK mixed reality premiere of Rotating Brains / Beating Heart."

http://avatarorchestra.blogspot.com/2010/12/machinima-in-making.html

SL Web Beta Access

2010-11-19T15:31:00.015Z

The beta version of Second Life in a web browser has been proving tricky to access, I tried many times without success. I did finally manage to log in earlier today by following these simple instructions from SignpostMarv Martin posted on New World Notes -

Go to the access page: http://interest.secondlife.com/beta
After the pages loads, copy/paste this URL into the address bar:

javascript:window.popup_shown=false;$('#guide .failure').hide();showSuccessPopup();

Hit Enter, and that should bring up a log-in window that says "Second Life is waiting for you", and asks for your e-mail address. Do so, and you should now access Second Life via the cloud.

This worked for me after installing a Java plug-in. You log into a very stripped down version of SL, there are none of the usual preferences, search options etc. that we're used to but you can't expect too much from a browser-based interface. It certainly is not a replacement for the full experience but seems to be aimed at casual users, who do get the option to upgrade to the full version. This can only be a good thing, this 'lite' version may catch the interest of those people that perhaps would normally be put off by SL's lengthy application process and steep learning curve.

'Handheld' style virtual camera in development

2010-11-11T01:29:00.006Z

I really want this gizmo, the potential for machinima is very exciting.

Thanks to Dennis Moser from AOM for alerting me to this.

More info here.

Changing Room machinima

2010-11-06T17:55:00.015Z

A live mixed reality collaboration by Arahan Claveau & Selavy Oh on Friday 5th November 2010 in Second Life, as part of Michael Takeo Magruder's Changing Room project. This live event was watched by attendees at Queen's University Belfast over the course of the three day symposium.

The session ended when the next group of artists took over and 'remixed' the existing work.

Changing Room was showcased as part of:

Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music
sounding/the/net
www.sonorities.org.uk

and:

The Two Thousand + Ten symposium
twothousand.wordpress.com

at:

Sonic Arts Research Centre
School of Music and Sonic Arts
Queen's University Belfast
4th-7th November 2010

Artistic Teams:

Session 1:
- Drew Baker (as “Melancholy Graves”)
- Michael Takeo Magruder (as “Takeo Takacs”)

Session 2:
- Steve Millar (as "Arahan Claveau"), http://arahanclaveau.blogspot.com
- Selavy Oh (as "Selavy Oh"), http://ohselavy.blogspot.com

Session 3:
- Ana Benlloch (as "Ana Vemo"), http://anabenlloch.net

- Rachel Darke (as "Lledrith Darracq")
- Antonio Roberts (as "Overload Afterthought"), http://www.hellocatfood.com

Changing Room slideshow

2010-11-06T00:19:00.007Z

A collaboration with Selavy Oh on Friday 5th November 2010 in Second Life, as part of Michael Takeo Magruder's Changing Room project. This live event was watched by attendees at Queen's University Belfast during the course of a three day symposium.

The session ended when the next group of artists took over and 'remixed' the existing work.

Teleport to Second Life space - maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Transitional%20Space/123/1...

Changing Room was showcased as part of:

Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music
sounding/the/net
www.sonorities.org.uk

and:

The Two Thousand + Ten symposium
twothousand.wordpress.com

at:

Sonic Arts Research Centre
School of Music and Sonic Arts
Queen's University Belfast
4th-7th November 2010

Artistic Teams:

Session 1:
- Drew Baker (as “Melancholy Graves”)
- Michael Takeo Magruder (as “Takeo Takacs”)

Session 2*:
- Steve Millar (as "Arahan Claveau"), http://stevemillar.co.uk
- Selavy Oh (as "Selavy Oh"), ohselavy.blogspot.com

*thank you to Humming Pera from Avatar Orchestra Metaverse for joining us and creating some fantastic sounds. Wished she could have been there all day playing live.

Session 3:
- Ana Benlloch (as "Ana Vemo"), anabenlloch.net
- Rachel Darke (as "Lledrith Darracq")
- Antonio Roberts (as "Overload Afterthought"), www.hellocatfood.com

Changing Room

2010-11-05T02:10:00.012Z

I'm collaborating with Selavy Oh on Friday 5th November 2010 in Second Life, as part of Michael Takeo Magruder's Changing Room project. This live event is being watched by attendees at Queen's University Belfast over the course of the three day symposium.

It was a very short notice invitation but the concept is great and working to a live audience should be challenging and exciting. The session ends when the next group of artists take over and 'remix' our work.

Teleport to Second Life space - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Transitional%20Space/123/135/51

Changing Room is being showcased as part of:

Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music
sounding/the/net
http://www.sonorities.org.uk

and:

The Two Thousand + Ten symposium
http://twothousand.wordpress.com

at:

Sonic Arts Research Centre
School of Music and Sonic Arts
Queen's University Belfast
4th-7th November 2010

Artistic Teams:

Session 1:
- Steve Millar (as "Arahan Claveau"), http://arahanclaveau.blogspot.com
- Selavy Oh (as "Selavy Oh"), http://ohselavy.blogspot.com

Session 2:
- Ana Benlloch (as "Ana Vemo"), http://anabenlloch.net
- Rachel Darke (as "Lledrith Darracq")
- Antonio Roberts (as "Overload Afterthought"), http://www.hellocatfood.com

Frieze Art Fair 2010

2010-10-18T02:02:00.001+01:00

Arthole Radio on iTunes

2010-10-13T23:46:00.005+01:00

The Arthole Radio archive is now available in iTunes.

Access all the shows here.

Soup Radio launches Saturday

2010-10-06T22:07:00.021+01:00

Saturday October 9th 2010 sees the debut broadcast of Soup Radio, a new 24 hour internet radio station dedicated to the arts, with a particular focus on the virtual world Second Life.

Dekka Raymaker (image courtesy of the artist)

The first of the monthly shows features an extended conversation with artist Dekka Raymaker (Andrew MacLachlan) who discusses his background, personal experiences, and how he began creating art in Second Life. We also visit his latest work We Are Not In The World.

"The format of my show is an extension of something I experimented with in 2009 on Arthole Radio, where twenty artists selected the music and talked about their choices. It was a popular edition and I thought it would be interesting to do that again but this time dedicate an entire episode to just one artist. Dekka chooses some great music and reveals much about himself and the creative process during the course of the two hour interview.

Khamudy Mannonen also joins me for a convivial chat and round up of Second Life news stories. His contribution will be a regular feature."
- Arahan Claveau

Next month we will be joined by veteran radio host Amy Freelunch and artist Penumbra Carter.

New York based artist Amy Freelunch was a member of the original Brooklyn is Watching team before leaving to pursue new ventures and hosting her own show on Arthole Radio. She has since produced many solo podcasts and has become known for her unique and valuable commentary on the Second Life art scene.

Penumbra Carter is an established Second Life artist and painter in real life. Her latest SL work 'I Heard a Fly Buzz' is currently on display at the Art'e Gallery. Penumbra is new to broadcasting and her enthusiasm and observations promises to make for a very entertaining show.

We're approaching other artists and organisations and plan to add more shows to the schedule as time goes on. Please visit the blog regularly for news and announcements -
http://soupradio.blogspot.com

Tune in now with your media player (iTunes, VLC, Winamp etc.) via this link, or listen at the Soup and ArtNation sims in Second Life.

Soup Radio is generously hosted by Mab MacMoragh and Soup.

Thanks for listening!

Rotating Brains / Beating Heart @ DRHA 2010

2010-10-01T01:06:00.014+01:00

Footage shot by Fau Ferdinand (Yael Gilks) at Brunel University, 5th September. I'm at the back controlling the Second Life camera -

Rotating Brains / Beating Heart @ DRHA 2010 from Arahan Claveau on Vimeo.
UPDATE - 1st October 2010 - Now in HD with cleaned up audio from Dennis Moser.
_________________________
Footage shot by Fau Ferdinand (Yael Gilks)
Audio recorded by Dennis Moser
A live networked performance collaboration with Stelarc, Pauline Oliveros, Franziska Schroeder and the Avatar Orchestra Metaverse
Performed September 5, 2010 at Brunel University, UK
Digital Resources for the Humanities and Arts Conference

Performers
Live on Stage:
Franziska Schroeder, live saxophone
Martin Parker, live electronics and processing

Live in Second Life:
Stelarc Luic, aka Stelarc (Melbourne, Australia)
Stelarc automatons, Stelarc voice samples;

Pyewacket Kazyanenko, aka Dan Mounsey (Melbourne, Australia)
Stelarc automatons

Free Noyes, aka Pauline Oliveros (Kingston, NY, USA)
9-Channel virtual mixer

Humming Pera, aka Tina Pearson (Victoria, BC, Canada)
Conductor - Avatar Orchestra

Avatar Orchestra Metaverse - Virtual instruments and Breathing Life animations

Bingo Onomatopoeia, aka Andreas Müller (Regensburg, Germany)
BlaiseDeLaFrance Voom, aka Biagio Francia (Agropoli, Italy)
Carolhyn Wijaya, aka Carolyn Oakley (Boulder, Colorado, USA)
Flivelwitz Alsop, aka Tim Risher, (Durham, North Carolina, USA)
Free Noyes, aka Pauline Oliveros (Kingston, NY, USA)
Goodwind Seiling aka Sachiko Hayashi, Stockholm, Sweden
Humming Pera, aka Tina M. Pearson (Victoria, BC, Canada)
Maxxo Klaar, aka Max D. Well (Regensburg, Germany)
North Zipper, aka Norman Lowrey (New Jersey, USA)
Paco Mariani, aka Chris Wittkowsky (Regensburg, Germany)
Saara Edring, aka Seidi Palonen, Helsinki, Finland
Zonzo Spyker, aka Viv Corringham (Minneapolis, MN, USA / London, UK

Second Life camera operator - Steve Millar (aka Arahan Claveau)
Second Life audio - Dennis Moser and Biagio Francia
Editing - Steve Millar (aka Arahan Claveau)

Stelarc's Second Life site and set constructed by Dan Mounsey
5-Brain control mixer designed and built by Norman Lowrey
Free Noyes 9-Channel Mixer conceived by Pauline Oliveros, designed and built by Norman Lowrey
Avatar Orchestra Virtual instruments conceived by Tina Pearson, designed and built by Andreas Mueller
Sound samples by Andreas Mueller, Norman Lowrey, Tim Risher, Stelarc, Pauline Oliveros, Alvin Lucier, Viv Corringham and Tina Pearson
Avatar Orchestra animations designed and built by Tim Risher
Particles designed and edited by Andreas Mueller and Norman Lowrey, with contributions from Sachiko Hayashi and Yael Gilks

Thanks to
-RMIT Creative Media for hosting the Rotating Brains / Beating Heart installation in Second Life
-Brunel University for hosting the DRHA Conference.
-Franziska Schroeder for inviting the collaboration and performance
-Yael Gilks for overall support
-Lilith, for the in-womb heartbeats
-Dennis Moser and Biagio Francia for Second Life audio

The concept and structure for ROTATING BRAINS / BEATING HEART was collectively created by Stelarc, Pyewacket Kazyanenko, Franziska Schroeder, Pauline Oliveros, Tina Pearson and members of the Avatar Orchestra Metaverse.

Stelarc is Chair In Performance Art, Brunel University West London and
Senior Research Fellow, MARCS Auditory Labs, University of Western Sydney.
_______________

http://v2.stelarc.org

http://avatarorchestra.blogspot.com

http://paulineoliveros.us

http://www.tinpark.com

http://www.sarc.qub.ac.uk/~fschroeder

http://www.myspace.com/transponderfish

http://www.users.drew.edu/~nlowrey

http://www.timrisher.com

http://www.crabcult.com

http://drha2010.org.uk

Soup Radio - ON THE AIR

2010-09-29T04:19:00.002+01:00

Soup Radio is a 24 hour arts based radio station, particularly focused on the virtual world Second Life.

New schedule and programmes will be announced soon on the blog - http://soupradio.blogspot.com

Currently streaming archived shows from Brooklyn is Watching, Amy Freelunch and Arthole Radio.

Tune in with your media player - http://87.117.202.31:8206/listen.pls

Thanks for listening!

Straighten up, and fly right

2010-09-15T18:11:00.015+01:00

I've been working on a revised version of the presentation I did recently for DRHA 2010, as it was only seen by attendees at the conference this time it will be for SL people.

Working on and refining the space has forced me to think about what I'm actually trying to achieve by attempting political art in Second Life. I should know that by now right? I think I do, but it's easy to lose focus and direction when working alone. In a way I'm so familiar with the subject matter I started exploring with super fun happy club (2006-'07) I've become numb to it over time. Partly that's a good thing, if I got upset every time I looked at some of the images I'd be unable to get anything done.

So, I was trawling for links that I could include in various notecards at the build and I found (who am I kidding "found", it's bookmarked) Amy Freelunch's review of my Injustice piece for Brooklyn is Watching. I remember reading it at the time and being quite overwhelmed by her words, it was very encouraging to hear and nobody had really ever spoken about my work with quite the same honesty or eloquence before.

"In this piece, we are presented with a call to arms: At what appears to be the tail end of a party (ok, can I be forgiven for immediately thinking of the last days of the Hillary Clinton campaign?), all that remains are the party favors and a rather threatening looking noose. Further investigation reveals notecards that talk about some gay teenagers being killed for being gay in Iran, as well as other information about the status of gays in other countries. Suddenly, the meaning of the pink balloons is obvious – the party that has ended is some sort of feel-good, let’s-be-happy! celebration somewhere far away from a place like Iran, someplace where the participants find it easy to forget about what’s happening in the rest of the world (which is to say, someplace like NYC or LA or London or such).
This is where my mind starts swirling and I want to talk about a million things
Immediately I am reminded of the work of David Wojnarowicz, easily one of my favorite artists. Wojnarowicz was the first artist I saw dealing explicitly with the AIDS crisis (and other issues too– which gets forgotten). There was this incredible energy in NYC among artists working in the 1980s and into the 1990s – a rabble-rousing, trouble-making energy of a group of people who had something to say. They were screaming their messages from the rooftops and shaking people on the street and probably spitting in some faces as well – such was the urgency of that time. The energy was infectious; as a kid, I remember growing up around it and falling in love with it. And then something happened, and like Hunter S. Thompson’s beautiful passage in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, we hit the high water mark and the tide started receding. The anger and the urgency got pissed away, and before you knew it, it was if that time had never happened at all. Goodbye SILENCE = DEATH, hello Queer Eye. (Funny thing is, the same thing happened with women and feminism.)
It’s refreshing for me to see a work like this, one that taps into that anger that must still be out there, just below the surface. And in a world like SL where people go so far out of their way to avoid reality at all costs, it’s wonderful to see a work that acknowledges not only the real world, but the parts of the real world we often want to forget about. SL offers us this promise of a utopia where race, gender, sexual orientation, and all those other pesky things don’t matter, but it’s nothing but a very temporary balm.
“Socially responsible” sims like Virtual Darfur often fail because they try and capture the “realism” of whatever situation they’re portraying and, of course, fall short. What’s nice about Injustice is that Arahan keeps his engagement brief and to the point – there’s nothing but balloons, a noose, and some notecards – and stays away from any kind of “realism.” The one touch of realism that I wish this piece had was that I would prefer the balloons to have some sort of weight to them, but this is a minor note. I do like that they are starting to trail all over the sim.
I have to end it there, although I could easily go on for days. It’s late and I have to work tomorrow. I’ll end on this: This piece obviously touches on some things very near and dear to my heart, so I admit that I wasn’t the most unbiased critic to try and approach it. For that I apologize – but I did try my best. But most of all, I think putting a piece like this in an environment so openly hostile to politics, discussions of the real world, and anything controversial was a ballsy, brave thing to do, no matter how you look at it."
Amy Freelunch, Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Reading that again got me right back on track, and then I discovered this amazing blog post from Chloe Streeter and realised I should stop wasting time questioning everything and just get on with it!

Some test shots of the build:

New World No No

2010-09-15T14:39:00.005+01:00

Hamlet Au has announced he is joining the Blue Mars team, and insists he is not “giving up” on Second Life.

Personally I'm not too impressed with any of the alternatives to SL, with the exception of the many OpenSim alternatives the potential for artists is almost non-existent right now,

I just replied to Hamlet's post -

"I'm really not convinced by Blue Mars, I tried several times to make progress there but on each occasion I've come away unimpressed. There is really not much to lure artists to the world which is the only reason I would personally be interested in it. People have been saying SL is dying ever since I joined in 2005, it was nonsense then and it's not really any different now. LL have always been a bit inept. The graphics engine could do with an overhaul for sure, and there are problems that need fixing, and yet SL still manages to offer possibilities you can't find elsewhere.

The art scene in SL right now is very exciting, so much going on, if you're not aware of it, or have moved on, then you're just out of touch.

Blue Mars seems to be favoured by the kind of social butterflies who want to show off the new frock or hairdo they just purchased, followed by a bit of water skiing and a romantic moonlit walk around the promenade with their cyber-lover. Nothing wrong with that per-se, and if that's what you want then you'll probably be very happy there, beyond that it feels quite empty, especially from a creative point of view.

Hamlet, I really hope you don't neglect SL in favour of Blue Mars, because you are never going to find the same kind of variety and innovation."

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/09/hamlet-au-goes-to-blue-mars.html

New happenings

2010-09-15T00:34:00.014+01:00

Some more shows to mention.

Oberon Onmura

Coriolis

Wednesday September 15th 2010

TCC Island

Music by Zachh Cale

From the notecard:

"My new work, Coriolis, is a sim-sized landscape/soundscape made up of four quadrants, each with a unique visual and aural character. The quadrants are populated with objects which I have come to think of as characters in a drama. Two of these characters - aluminum chairs and flying birdlike objects - exist everywhere in the landscape. In addition, each quadrant has objects that are unique to that quadrant."

oona Eiren

Trailer Trash

New Boston Station

Trailer Trash opened recently, there isn't any information at the location yet but oona says she's "working on it!" Anyway, well worth a visit.

Solkide Auer

INTERACTIVE INSTALLATIONS

September 7 - October 7, 2010

Showroom East, Aeonia

Not been to Solkide's exhibition yet but will try to write about all these shows soon. A good source for new openings is the landing point at ArtNation where posters and flyers for new exhibitions can be left. Teleport here.

Here's some shots of oona's work -

Flickr

2010-09-13T11:49:00.004+01:00

Since Mab Macmoragh bought me a 2 year Pro Flickr account recently I've been busy uploading photos and sorting them into various collections. I've made one for my own Second Life projects and another for SL artists, and a gallery collection. They are by no means an exhaustive list yet but it's a start.

Check out the collections page here.

Soup Radio test transmission

2010-09-11T15:31:00.003+01:00

The first test transmission of Soup Radio went out live last night. I mentioned some current Second Life exhibitions by Selavy Oh, Oberon Onmura and Dekka Raymaker, and a bit about the ArtNation project and plans for the radio station.

Listen at the Push sim in SL, or open this stream in your media player.

Oberon Onmura - Coriolis

2010-09-11T06:33:00.006+01:00

Another promising new exhibition by Oberon Onmura opens next week. I was given an early tour last month and I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished version.

Taken from the notecard -

My new work, "Coriolis", is a sim-sized landscape/soundscape made up of four quadrants, each with a unique visual and aural character. The quadrants are populated with objects which I have come to think of as characters in a drama. Two of these characters - aluminum chairs and flying birdlike objects - exist everywhere in the landscape. In addition, each quadrant has objects that are unique to that quadrant.

"Coriolis" opens on September 15, 2010, at 1:00 PM SLT.

And here's a video by the artist -

LPDT2

2010-09-10T19:19:00.007+01:00

I haven't had time to write about this vast and ambitious new collaborative work yet, but I did visit the recent preview and was suitably impressed and stunned.

Check out the entry on Selavy Oh's blog and some images I shot below during my visit.

Teleport here.

Dekka Raymaker - We Are Not In The World

2010-09-10T18:26:00.004+01:00

A new installation by Dekka Raymaker opens on Saturday 11th September at Two Fish. I was lucky enough to have a tour with Dekka recently and I think it's possibly his strongest work to date. More about my thoughts on it soon.

My advice when visiting would be to do so with an open mind, uncover the clues, and allow yourself to be absorbed into the experience. The most rewarding part of it for me was piecing a narrative together.

Teleport here.

DRHA 2010 (Report)

2010-09-10T05:17:00.016+01:00

I was involved with the DRHA 2010 conference on two separate occasions this week. I attended in person at Brunel University on Sunday to control the live camera for Stelarc and the Avatar Orchestra Metaverse's ROTATING BRAINS / BEATING HEART performance. On Tuesday I presented my own work via Second Life, alongside Stelarc, who was also appearing at the conference in a virtual capacity.

Sunday was an amazing experience, the conference room was almost full which made the liveness of it all very exciting. I used the camera to react to the live musicians and the events going on in the performance, it was a compelling mix of sound and vision, and an incredible technical accomplishment that they managed to pull it off without any major disasters considering all that was going on. It is rare to see SL performance that really immerses the senses and challenges convention, ROTATING BRAINS / BEATING HEART certainly accomplished all that and much more.

The above shot was taken by Fau Ferdinand during the rehearsal at the conference on Sunday. That's me sitting below the screen configuring the camera. Musician Martin Parker to my right, saxophonist and conference organiser Franziska Schroeder in front, and Dennis Moser (Maxwell Biddle in SL) from the AOM on my left.

Everyone involved in the performance was extremely professional and easy to work with, there had been a lot of planning leading up to it and so on the day everything went smoothly. I'm very happy to have been a part of it.

Fast forward to Tuesday and my own presentation of Judgement From Above. I was quite nervous about it as the subject matter is confrontational and I wasn't sure how people would react, and I'm also not used to talking in such academic situations. For the presentation I set up a space consisting of elements that I'd used in the original installation and live performance for PLANETART / KunstVlaai in 2008.

PLANETART / KunstVlaai May 2008

DRHA 2010 with Stelarc in attendance

I began by talking a little bit about Second Life and how it's most common use is as a 3D social network and the difficulty of bringing political art to that environment. I then discussed my avatar and how I'm playing with certain stereotypes with a very definite purpose in mind, that is to confuse and subvert peoples expectations. And then I went on to talk about the work itself and the objects contained in the installation, linking the themes and subject matter in a certain order so the audience would get a feel for what I was trying to say with the work.

After my speech the video of the original live performance was shown.

After my presentation and a talk by Olinka Gustafson-Pearce I joined Stelarc and conference host Michael Takeo Magruder for a brief Q&A session. Shortly after that the power went down in the entire building which pretty much put an end to the proceedings.

It is always very hard to strike a balance of giving enough information so the concept is understood, and trying not to beat people over the head with too many grim statistics. But there's no escaping the subject matter, it isn't pretty or easy to digest, and the work isn't aimed at individuals who are already enlightened. So it was hard to know what the conference attendees thought, although afterwards one lady from the audience said she really admired what I was doing and Stelarc said it was good to see political art in SL.

All in all a very worthwhile experience.

________

I've offered to make a properly produced and edited machinima of the ROTATING BRAINS / BEATING HEART performance and they are keen for that to happen.

I also may be doing a one-off repeat of my presentation for SL people.

ROTATING BRAINS / BEATING HEART

2010-09-01T18:06:00.014+01:00

Stelarc in Second Life.

ROTATING BRAINS / BEATING HEART is a networked collaboration between performance artist Stelarc and virtual reality ensemble Avatar Orchestra Metaverse, and is the opening event at DRHA 2010 on Sunday 5th September. I will be controlling the SL camera live at Brunel University to the conference attendees.

"Steve Miller(sic) (Arahan Claveau) is the camera operator filming the Second Life performance for projection at Brunel. Steve's eye and experience have given shape to the smooth visual representation of the complex performances within the Heart and Brains installation."

I will also be presenting my own work at the conference on Tuesday 7th September, more about that here.

URGENT ACTION - Iranian judges defy their Supreme Court to hang teen

2010-08-09T19:20:00.011+01:00

Evening Standard – London – 6 August 2010

Eighteen-year-old Ebrahim Hamidi has been sentenced to death by a court in the Iranian city of Tabriz, on charges that he sexually assaulted another man. His accuser has since withdrawn the assault claim in a sworn affidavit, admitting that he lied under parental pressure. But Ebrahim is still scheduled to hang.

There is no evidence that Ebrahim is gay or that a sexual assault took place; just the word of one person against another and a confession under torture, which was later retracted.

Ebrahim's death sentence is in defiance of the Supreme Court of Iran, which has twice rejected the local court's guilty verdict and ordered a re-examination of the case, citing errors in the legal investigation and an “issue of doubt”.

If the Supreme Court this time confirms his execution, he could be hanged in a matter of days. Hanging in Iran is not by the trapdoor drop method, which breaks a person’s neck swiftly. It is by sadistic strangulation. The noosed victim is hoisted by a crane, which causes them to writhe and convulse. They die a slow, painful death from asphyxiation.

Source: Queerty

What you can do to help save Ebrahim:

Write a polite letter of protest to the head of the judiciary and to the supreme leader of Iran, urging Ebrahim’s release -

Head of the Judiciary
Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Email: info@dadiran.ir or via the official website:

http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/75/Default.aspx
First starred box: your first name; Second starred box: your family name; Third starred box: your email address

Supreme Leader of Iran
Sayed Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Email: via the official website:

http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)

http://www.petertatchell.net

____

My email:

"Dear ...,

I am writing to express my concern over the impending execution of teenager Ebrahim Hamidi who is being held in custody in the Iranian city of Tabriz. The conviction of this young man based on accusations that have since been withdrawn is indefensible, the evidence supporting his innocence must be considered and the case should be re-tried.

Ebrahim’s death sentence is in defiance of the Supreme Court of Iran, which has twice rejected the local court’s guilty verdict and ordered a re-examination of the case, citing errors in the legal investigation and an “issue of doubt.” These two Supreme Court rulings against conviction and execution have been ignored by the judiciary in Tabriz.

I appeal to you to halt the death sentence as a matter of urgency and order a re-trial to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice occurring.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Steve Millar"

Azdel Slade & Echolalia Azalee - virus.circus.breath

2010-08-02T03:59:00.023+01:00

Odyssey was host this evening to a live performance by Azdel Slade (Micha Cardenas) and Echolalia Azalee (Elle Mehrmand) as part of the 2010 Odyssey Performance Art Festival.

The performance had an audience simultaneously in Second Life and at the Parker Jones gallery in Chinatown, Los Angeles as part of the PERFORM! NOW! festival.

I was familiar with Azdel's other mixed reality durational project Becoming Dragon but I had no prior knowledge of what this performance was about or what was involved so I was excited by the possibilities, that anticipation grew during the one hour delay! Still, it gave me time to tweak the environment settings to achieve a suitable red hue.

The start of the performance was signalled by a loud, distorted warning coming from Azdel's microphone for us to wear the protective masks provided. This warning was repeated for a few minutes whilst the performer's avatars bounced up and down in a nervous animation.

"For your protection and the protection of others, you may be asked to wear a mask.

The virus must be contained."

The avatars moved to a semi-transparent bed and began having sex, they writhed and jerked rhythmically as cacophonous, orgasmic moans and breathing emanated from the microphone. The techno-sexual gyrations lasted for around fifteen minutes.

After being warned to wear a mask I expected it to serve some purpose or have a consequence if I didn't wear it, that somehow I would feel more immersed and connected to the performers, ultimately though I was a passive audience member watching a looped sex animation, albeit very stylishly done.

So, I have varied feelings about the performance, there was much to admire, mostly I really appreciated how uncompromising it was, but as a mixed-reality event it was lacking something. The audience in the RL gallery were apparently able to see what was happening in SL, but that connection was almost entirely one-way, the only link we had was the audio coming from Azdel's mic. I would have appreciated being able to see a live video stream from the gallery as it would have provided much needed context. The video below of an earlier performance shows events from the RL perspective.

The stripped-down simplicity of the virtual performance was bold and intense, but watching the video above definitely reveals a depth that wasn't apparent from within SL. Any sense of disappointment only comes from because I was expecting more to be made of the live aspect. I did however really appreciate its hypnotic power, the audio was effectively anxious and urgent and there was a palpable sexual hunger in the air.

N.B. - I told my friend and performance artist Allan Taylor about this and he immediately saw it as a commentary on AIDS, which I completely missed but it does make sense after watching the gallery video. The protective latex, sex without contact etc. sends a clear message, but none of that was apparent from just being present in Second Life. This Wikipedia entry elaborates more on the performance and the previous two in the trilogy. I understand now much more about what the artists were trying to say, but the RL/SL performances need to be seen together to put everything into context.

For more information about the artists visit http://transreal.org

The 2010 Odyssey Performance Art Festival runs until August 10th in Second Life.

2010 Odyssey Performance Art Festival

2010-08-01T03:43:00.002+01:00

2010 Odyssey Performance Art Festival
July 31st to August 10th, 2010
Full details and schedule on the Odyssey blog

Penumbra Carter - I Heard a Fly Buzz

2010-07-26T04:53:00.112+01:00

Penumbra Carter's re-worked version of I Heard a Fly Buzz opened July 26th 2010 at the Art'e Gallery.

Find more photos like this on Watashi Wa Iru

From the notecard -

Inspired by a Emily Dickinson poem entitled "I Heard a Fly Buzz When I died."

The irony is being able to write about what you experience after you die. Flies are symbols of the fleeting of life. I have used eggs as the idea that they contain the goo of life and poppies to suggest forever.

The rest is how I combine these thoughts in my head and realize them here in SL.

Penumbra tells me Emily Dickinson had "a great mind" and I believe it, although I'm not familiar with her work the title of the poem that inspired this piece is extraordinarily evocative. Walking around the space does give the impression of being inside someone's head, and this is Penumbra's rendering of her own subconscious, which contains a sentimental melancholia evoked by some very powerful symbolism relating to life and death (flies, poppies, eggs).

The bold reds and greens, interactive elements, and clever integration of photography throughout, serve to unify and enforce the central motifs. We are invited to explore beyond this plane of existence, and ponder our own mortality, something many of us, including myself, prefer not to dwell on.

I Heard a Fly Buzz is an unsettling and challenging experience, demonstrating a satisfying depth, and is another great showcase for Penumbra's talents.

Nettrice Beattie - Alternate Futures: Afrofuturist Multiverses & Beyond

2010-07-26T00:43:00.043+01:00

This show by Nettrice Beattie opened at IBM A on June 21st and I only just got round to seeing it today (Glyph Graves's Liquidity opened at IBM C on May 5th which I haven't been to yet).

Find more photos like this on Watashi Wa Iru

It is always a challenge to find truly original art in Second Life and this exhibition is almost unprecedented for me because I have nothing to compare it to, I can't say it reminds me of anyone else's work, except perhaps Sabine Stonebender, who also uses similar consciousness-expanding textures and vibrant colour palette to stunning effect, the content of each artists' work is entirely different however.

Nettrice really knows her subject matter and she has lovingly brought to life a universe that pays homage to J.J. Grandville and a whole black American subculture of funk and jazz heroes.

From the notecards -

"Alternate Futures" is an interactive, immersive 3D art experience primarily concerned with Afrofuturism, an artistic, literary, and cultural aesthetic that combines elements of sci-fi, artscience, fantasy and magical realism with non-Western concepts in order to investigate contemporary issues of people of color, but also to re-examine linkages to historical events of the past. This Second Life simulation overlays virtual art with a socio-political dichotomy and asks the visitor to choose. alt_Utopia represents the imaginary & ideal. alt_Dystopia is anti-utopian and deals repressive social control, a lack of individual freedom, and a state of constant warfare or violence (sound familiar?). These latter themes overlap and contrast with the open, transparent, blue-hued virtual 3D Utopia that is full of possibilities.

Note: This is a non-linear, Afrofuturist's narrative. Some works are still in progress and others are complete. A few will evolve over the next month or so. Feel free to keep this notecard and visit as often as you like. The Seed Station is a sandbox for visitors to contribute something based on the simulation.

___________

Wassup y'all.

Do not attempt to check your teleporter, there is nothing wrong.
We have taken control as to bring you this special show.
We will return it to you as soon as you are grooving.

Welcome to station V-Funk, better known as Virtual-Funk,
Or deeper still, Alternate Futures: Afrofuturist Multiverses & Beyond.
Home of the funky virtual 3D space invaders,
Dealers of funky Afrofuturistic art.
V-Funk, immersive 3D funk, The ISH.

Coming to you directly from the IBM Exhibition A Simulation
Top of the Second Life Milky Way, several servers of V-Funk-power.
So kick back, click, while your avatar takes you on a journey.
And me? I'm known as Afro.Steampunk Nettrice, alias the Afro-Haired Funk Spelunker.

My motto is:

Make my funk the V-Funk
I want my funk uncut (make mine the V)
Make my funk the V-Funk
I wants to get funked up. (wants to get funked up)
I want the bomb,
I want the V-Funk (yeah)
Don't want my funk stepped on
Make my funk the V-Funk
Before I take it home.

YA DIG?!

Yes Nettrice, I dig!

Sun Ra in Second Life, can you get any cooler than that? OK well how about George Clinton, Parliament, Funkadelic, Grace Jones, Rammellzee and I'm sure Afrika Bambaataa is in there somewhere, talk about the Mothership Connection!

This is a refreshingly confident, ambitious and inspirational show, which proudly reflects the indomitable spirit of those cultural pioneers, who through their music and art inspired the belief in an alternate future where anything is possible.

Note: The majority of what I discussed here is located around the central SkyWalk and there is quite a lot I wasn't able to see as some of the areas were still under construction or closed off. There is a map at the entrance but clicking on the gold buttons to each area did not prompt a teleport response. I'll definitely be returning to check out anything I might have missed.

More information on the artists' blog.

That was the week that was

2010-07-25T18:03:00.045+01:00

It's been a very eventful week for Second Life art, starting rather depressingly with Mab MacMoragh's announcement of the closure of Push and the furore over Newark is Watching, and then getting a bit of a lift with the excellent new shows by Rod Mandel and Penumbra Carter. There has also been a spectacular burst of activity from many of the artists at Push which has the sim looking amazing.

This week has also seen the very welcome return of Ichibot Nishi to Push. Ichibot has created a sprawling, abandoned post-apocalyptic town, adding all the usual brilliant details that ensure his work is immediately recognisable whilst always remaining fresh and surprising.

So with Push currently resembling an angry nerd (© A. Freelunch) convention I contacted CensoredMy Lunt (formerly CickMy Lunt), to recreate our 2007 collaboration Turdhenge. Nebulsosus Severine popped in to add Bunnyken Druids worshipping at the sacrificial altar.

Neb had met artist oona Eiren earlier in the day and told her about Push, oona visited whilst we were there and placed her own piece Standing room only which is well worth seeing. It's great that oona felt welcomed and I encourage all the artists involved with Push to follow Neb's example and help spread the word.

With the announcement of the closure of Push and the end of BiW/NiW it had left our community of artists without a home, but fortunately we have been offered the use of a sim (details soon) for at least a few months, which will allow us time to find a permanent space and formulate more ideas. Many of us met yesterday to discuss what to do next, it was a very positive and productive meeting and we all seem to be in agreement that we want to work together to expand the audience for virtual art, in and outside of Second Life. More details on our plans and new home soon.

Check out some of the fantastic work currently on display at Push -

Find more photos like this on Watashi Wa Iru

Changes to Burning Life

2010-07-24T13:41:00.003+01:00

I meant to blog about this a few days ago but got sidetracked. Basically Linden Lab are relinquishing control of Burning Life and giving it back to the Burning Man community. This may be a good thing as the event has been a complete mess for the last few years, hopefully those in charge will organise it more effectively.

Changes to Burning Life

Posted by Philip Linden on Jul 21, 2010 12:19:50 PM

Hi everyone,

I wanted to announce some changes to the event known as Burning Life. After seven years of support, the Lab has decided to transition the organization and ownership of the event to the official Burning Man team effective immediately. Burning Life will be renamed BURN 2.0.

As we shift our focus to usability, the basics of running Second Life and ultimately, doing less better, we thought this was a good opportunity to take a project that has run pretty well since it’s inception and return it to the community who inspired it. Over the years Burning Life has shown us again and again how creative and innovative Second Life Residents are. From music and performance, to intricate installations and the occasional snail ride, Burning Life has been a joy and a surprise to experience, and I feel confident that this legacy will live on as BURN 2.0 continues to be organized and run by a coalition of passionate Residents.

For general information and communication, the BURN 2.0 team will use the SL group BurningMan 2.0. Members of previous Burning Life groups will be encouraged to join the new official group.

Finally, http://www.burn2.org will be the website for news and information about this unique community event.

Thanks,

Philip

Flickr Find

2010-07-24T05:40:00.011+01:00

My friend Khamudy alerted me to this trend in Second Life photography where people are superimposing their avatars onto real backgrounds (SL morph). Most of it is avatar faces pasted onto real bodies with predictably tacky and disturbing results, as in these horrific examples.

But praise the Lord for the gift of laughter and behold this wonderful find from Flickr -

*note the lens flare on the arse crack

Newark is Burning (machinima)

2010-07-23T06:19:00.003+01:00

Newark is Watching official closure announcement

2010-07-22T19:44:00.003+01:00

So it is finally official, Gallery Aferro have pulled out of the Newark is Watching project. It is unclear their exact reasons for doing this but they will be making a statement soon explaining their departure. This post is from Jay over on the Brooklyn is Watching site -

was watching… will be watching…

Hi Y’all. Emma and Evonne will be posting on the NIW blog in their own words about this, but I decided to just go ahead and say a few words from my point of view here. NIW is coming to an end. I hope when the dust settles there will be a little more understanding on both sides – I may write more about it at some later point, but the main thing i wanted to say was thank you to Mab for donating the sim to this project all this time and for her amazing efforts at helping it all keep going and thank you to Solo for the amazing new tower and thanks to everyone who participated in the old tower coming down, and thanks to all the artists that created work and to amy and sowa for their podcasts. Thanks to Emma and Evonne who did more than anyone currently knows at Aferro to try to make this work and who (lets not forget) donated all the TVs and VCR’s that made last years show at Jack the Pelican possible.

Thanks to everyone in the BIW community who worked so hard to try to keep this all going.

NIW was always kind of a new experiment- I can talk more later about what happened..

What happens next? I am not at all sure. Maybe something… there will be discussions… I have to run- its my turn to take care of Theo. (my baby born June 25)

Posted by jvanb on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 at 11:40 am

Newark is Burning

2010-07-22T16:22:00.003+01:00

Ah! Ichibot

2010-07-21T18:21:00.004+01:00

Ah! Ichibot, weary of time,

Who countest the steps of the sun,



Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done;

Where the youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves and aspire;
Where my Ichibot wishes to go.

At Push. NOW!

Rod Mandel - Your assumption is correct

2010-07-21T02:23:00.345+01:00

I've been feeling quite negative about Second Life art lately, a malaise brought on by a combination of the debacle over Newark is Watching and attending some very lacklustre exhibitions. So, it was an unexpected and very welcome antidote to experience Rod Mandel's brilliant new installation earlier today.

There is so much going on in this work it's difficult to know where to start, but Rod's description is as good a introduction as any and it's what greets the visitor upon arrival -

"Influenced by the writings of Jorge Luis Borges, Mandel’s work often takes the form of ‘historical fiction’, offering the viewer the freedom to decide which aspects, if any, they believe. Part of Mandel’s fascination with History stems from a contextual idea that history does not exist. “Your Assumption is Correct” is a metaphor for the act of reflecting on an idea. The piece is a process-based examination of recent poignant events in American Culture. The scene, an offshore oil rig transformed into a contemporary art museum, alluding to the indecipherable line between fact and fiction, is the predetermined context."

I was immediately struck by was the incredible political potency of the piece. The unifying message is a focused, complex indictment of the artists' homeland and the impact recent events and policies in America have had on itself and the rest of the world. This impression hit me as soon as I entered one of the cages near the entrance, part of the floor is made up of photos of soldiers, presumably casualties of the current occupation of Iraq, but it wasn't until I looked at a snapshot I'd taken that the image of Bush's face jumped into view.

On the wall at the back of this cage is a sepia image of a pack of wolves or wild dogs, one lying lifeless, the others scavenging around on top of a dry, dead patch of land. This striking combination of symbolic metaphors continues throughout the installation.

There are striking similarities between Rod Mandel's style and that of Dekka Raymaker, I was particularly reminded of Dekka's 'Psychotic Zoo' (still on display at Odyssey). Although the meaning and intent of both of these works is very different, the strength is in their attention to detail, it's what draws you in and makes you want to discover everything for yourself.

There are many powerfully realised moments throughout the "museum" or oil rig, carefully scripted and interactive elements that trigger an effect. Direct and more oblique references to 9/11 are abundant and very effectively incorporated into the space.

The very title of the piece invites you to think about what you're experiencing and then make your own conclusions, and part of the appeal lies in piecing it all together. It is very unusual, rare even, to find such a rich, political work as this in Second Life, and rarer still that it doesn't seem to come from a personal perspective, it's as if the artist considers himself unimportant compared with the issues he's aiming to get attention for.

I have complete admiration for what Rod has, in my opinion, very successfully achieved with this piece. It confronts, with a clever, provocative and skilled execution, issues that are happening right now, wars, greed and ugliness that are affecting the quality of life for the entire planet. It isn't telling us anything we don't already know and it doesn't pretend to offer solutions, it is one artists instinctive yet carefully calculated reaction to what he sees going on around him. But most valuably it forces us to think about what we've seen, to take away from the experience something of importance, to remind us why we need to always be aware of what's going on around us.

________

Lovers Lane Studios at ::: Soup ::: Magoo is proud to present “Your Assumption is Correct” a process-driven installation by Rod Mandel, curated by Mab MacMoragh. Mandel is an Artist and Founder of the Invisible Museum of Post Contemporary Art. July 19, 2010 – August 30, 2010.

Teleport to Magoo (SLurl)

Complete slideshow of images here.

When Push comes to shove

2010-07-19T03:38:00.013+01:00

UPDATE 20.07.10
Emma from Gallery Aferro has made an announcement regarding the future of Newark is Watching.
______________________________

So it's official (well sort of), Mab MacMoragh, the generous host of the once mighty Brooklyn is Watching project and valued supporter of the SL arts scene, can no longer afford the rental of the Push land and it will be closing effective as of August 1st 2010.

This is a very unfortunate but not unexpected decision given the amount of confusion and lack of direction the BiW project has had for a long time now, the appointed new hosts at the Newark based Gallery Aferro have continuously failed to respond to emails, blog comments and even a podcast by Amy Freelunch, all citing concerns. Their silence has unsurprisingly led to a lot of very negative speculation.

I have no idea how Mab feels as she has not made any announcement herself but if I were in her position I would resent paying for land that wasn't being used for the purpose it was intended. For months now any work being left at the space has not been talked about, I can't even remember when the last official podcast was.

There are plans to hold discussions amongst the artists and interested parties but ultimately this leaves Brooklyn is Watching / Newark is Watching without a home and what will happen as a consequence of the closure is uncertain at this time.

It was a blur

2010-07-17T16:26:00.010+01:00

Just got back from visiting this new group show which opened yesterday. I was alerted to it by Selavy Oh who is one of the participants, and I'm always interested in anything Selavy is involved in. Unfortunately I was left less than inspired.

Aesthetically it got my attention, the stark bleached out landscape made me want to investigate, but soon became blinding and gave me a headache, and the actual content turned out to be very disappointing. The main issue I had with it straight away is that it felt like a glorified store, what with all the items for sale.

That initial negative impression was reinforced by the other visitors wandering around who seemed like they were mainly there to go shopping and stand around looking glamorous in their purchases, posing for snapshots. These activities were actually encouraged in the welcome note and it seemed to be the overall intention of the creators.

There was an uncomfortable sterility to the place, it felt like a calculated marketing exercise thinly disguised as an interactive art installation, and I kept expecting the dreaded Rezzable logo to appear.

There were a couple of points of interest, Selavy's message "Don't be afraid" scrolling around the circular walls of the space provided some familiar comfort, and a series of scattered notes by Serj Enoch were quite compelling to read, although I couldn't work out why each was on sale for L$30.

If you're one of those people that when visiting the Tate Modern would ignore the art and head straight for the gift shop then "It was a blur" may be your virtual heaven. I came away feeling empty and used.

Teleport here.

Soup Radio

2010-07-07T04:24:00.002+01:00

If you're feeling starved of quality Second Life art-related radio you could do much worse than tune into Soup Radio. The internet station hosted by Mab MacMoragh is currently streaming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including the latest podcasts from Amy Freelunch and classic Arthole Radio shows.

Tune in by opening this stream in your media player (iTunes, Winamp etc).

Or listen on the Push sim in SL.

DRHA 2010

2010-07-05T02:34:00.002+01:00

I just heard that my proposal for the DRHA 2010 conference at Brunel University has been accepted. I've been invited to present and talk about my Second Life work at a roundtable discussion event between 5-8th September. Specifically, they will be showing a video of a live performance I did for PLANETART/Kunstvlaii festival in 2008 and then afterwards there will be a discussion and I'll get a chance to explain the piece and answer questions. It's a great opportunity and I'm looking forward to it.

The feedback (see below) I got from the reviewers was very positive, they seem enthusiastic about the work and keen to have me there in person. It should make for a stimulating experience.

"This is a proposal for the inclusion of the machinima 'Judgement from Above' plus contribution by the artist to the discussion of the Second Life roundtable/discussion event.

Including this submission in the roundtable would open up the debate regarding questions of mortality and existence, queer politics and sexual identity which would partner well with Stelarc's work. Specifically, it would offer the artist and audience the chance to discuss how virtual art allows creative opportunities that go far beyond those offered by real world environments. The artist is also concerned with the unique dialectic that can be exploited to interrogate actions that occur both in the parallel reality of Second Life and in (or as an alternative to) the real world.

In addition to focusing on the key areas of digital media in time and space and performative practices in Second Life this discussion would also cover the delineation of new collaborative practices and the interchange of knowledge and collaborative interdisciplinary practices of embodiment and technology."

The New Amy Freelunch Show - Episode 4

2010-06-29T12:32:00.004+01:00

There's been a lot of concern and confusion amongst many Second Life artists regarding the recent transition from Brooklyn is Watching to Newark is Watching. In this episode Amy analyses, breaks down the situation, and makes some suggestions about how to move forward. She also visits the Push sim and critiques the Rose Borchovski piece that was recently rejected from SL7B, and Solo Mornington's new tower for NiW.

Oh, Newark. by Amy Freelunch

Arth0le Radio Archives

2010-06-27T14:54:00.004+01:00

I finally got around to making a permanent archive of all (well most) of the old Arthole Radio shows. I was particularly determined to have Amy's important interviews and conversations with Second Life artists preserved, and big thanks to Amy, Selavy Oh and Mab Macmoragh for finding and sending me some of the shows I had lost.

A selection can be found on Soundcloud and the complete archive is over on BlipTV. The BlipTV archive is a little less accessible as it is intended for video, so the most effective way to stream or download the shows is to subscribe via RSS or iTunes:

Arahan Claveau RSS / iTunes
Amy Freelunch RSS / iTunes

-Arahan-

Arahan Claveau by ArtholeRadio

Amy Freelunch by ArtholeRadio

Controversy at Corporate Lag-Fest

2010-06-22T16:02:00.030+01:00

The Second Life 7th Birthday celebrations got off to an inauspicious start yesterday with the banning of two artists.

It started with Rose Borchovski having her exhibit returned to her with the accompanying message - “The images on your build are in violation of our general rating, to be clear: Nudity is not allowed at art events with a general maturity rating.” Yes, Rose's piece did contain nudity but it was an integral component of the work, not simply some gratuitous pornographic display. This is what Linden Lab, and the individuals they hire as their spokespersons, fail to recognise time and time again, they are not able to, or refuse to see beyond a certain line. If we used the same insane logic in the physical world it would be against the law to see Michaelangelo's David in a public art gallery.

As a response to the Rose Borchovski situation Misprint Thursday placed an image on her own SL7B plot of a naked Barbie doll, which (to cut a long story short) resulted in her also being banned from the event. It was however, the ensuing conversation between Misprint and one of the official moderators that is the most infuriating element in all of this, and demonstrates the very low level of intellect we are dealing with.

SHAWN Masters: Misprint...do you have children
Misprint Thursday: Shawn-you are out of line asking me that, that is not your business
Misprint Thursday: and has nothing to do with this
SHAWN Masters: there are on average....20 pedifiles within a 50 mile square
Misprint Thursday: listen
SHAWN Masters: SL is a breeding ground
Misprint Thursday: that has nothing to do with this

I have little sympathy when residents deliberately flout the rules in 'PG' or 'G' areas clearly knowing what the likely consequences will be, but this situation is not so black and white. I don't know Rose Borchovski but I do know Misprint Thursday, who is certainly not a publicity seeker, and this case surely proves that there has to be some margin of freedom when it comes to art and LL's uncompromising policies. I say this knowing from my own experience that we have no real rights in Second Life, when we sign the Terms of Service we bind ourselves to a very strict agreement that can be used to limit our artistic freedom at any time. A few years ago I was forced to censor one of my own installations and that was on private land, in a mature sim, hundreds of feet up in the air!

As I'm writing this there is a debate going on about whether or not the Newark is Watching collaboration at SL7B should be removed in protest against the recent actions. I instinctively don't want anything to do with the event now, but as one of the artists pointed out it might be better to keep the plot to express how we feel.

More background on the story here.

SL7B

2010-06-21T19:25:00.001+01:00

Second Life 7th Birthday celebrations started today. Not much to report yet because unfortunately performance in the sims is pretty poor right now. Might be best to try again tomorrow when it's less crowded.

http://secondlife.com/destinations/birthday

The new Amy Freelunch show - Episode 3

2010-06-15T14:34:00.007+01:00

Amy Freelunch has published the third edition of her new podcast on Soundcloud, so grab it before it disappears. I'm building a permanent archive of the old Arth0le Radio shows and have asked Amy to supply me with her shows so I can add them there too. Will post links asap.

The new Amy Freelunch show, ep 3: Exploding Selavy by Amy Freelunch

Anyway, this latest podcast is, as always, fascinating and provocative. Amy talks about the viability of Second Life art in the marketplace and how it is perceived by academics. She was prompted to tackle this subject by an article on New World Notes discussing the term "Virtualist" and whether or not it is a label we need to start using. Read the article on NWN and listen to the podcast to hear Amy's conclusions.

Being an artist myself that uses Second Life and other online platforms I can appreciate how crucial it is to get our work recognised outside of our often limited audience, and if we are to have any degree of acceptance and permanence in the long-term, (as Amy also points out in her podcast) we must be able to communicate with and grab the attention of the right people. One way of doing this is using terms and descriptions that can be comprehended by academics, art dealers, galleries etc, and submitting work to be talked about in institutions and by students.

I recently submitted a proposal to Brunel University's DRHA 2010 conference (Digital Resources for the Humanities and Arts) on Sensual Technologies, the aim of which is "to look to new approaches offered by various emerging fields and practices that incorporate new and existing technologies." If my proposal is accepted the work will be discussed at a focused Second Life roundtable event led by performance artist Stelarc. Events like this are a great opportunity for any artist, particularly those of us specialising in new platforms, it opens up the discussion much wider and of course gets exposure for our work.

I'm still not convinced about the term "virtualist", just getting my work talked about is enough for me, one all-encompassing label is quite limiting. There will always be a certain amount of confusion and lack of comprehension about any emerging art-form, that's just the way it goes. Some Second Life artists are making very successful connections with institutions and galleries and all those efforts will undoubtedly help earn our rightly deserved place in the history books.

Oberon Onmura's TRANSITION ZONE

2010-05-17T15:58:00.003+01:00

Arrays of 64 floating panels are generated periodically. As the panels float toward the other end of the piece, they pass through two "transition zones" which affect their color and orientation. If a panel contacts an avatar, it turns black, takes the avatar's name, and floats away.

With TRANSITION ZONE Oberon is exploring themes seen in some of his previous work, on a basic level that of avatar identity and the temporary, fragile structure of virtual worlds. The impressive scale is what is most immediately apparent, but as the panels break away, carrying your avatar name upwards, it transforms into a much more sophisticated, contemplative piece.

Teleport here.

The new Amy Freelunch show (episode 2)

2010-05-17T15:05:00.006+01:00

Episode 2 of The new Amy Freelunch show is out now, the artists discussed include Betty Tureaud and Oberon Onmura. I really appreciate that Amy is taking her time to discuss the art and artists, there doesn't seem to be an urge to move onto the next thing which makes for a much deeper listening experience.

It looks like Amy is replacing each episode with a new one, so probably best to get a free Soundcloud account, start following her, and download new shows as they appear -
http://soundcloud.com/amyfreelunch

Teleport to Oberon's Transition Zone.
Teleport to Brooklyn is Watching.

The new Amy Freelunch show!

2010-05-11T01:11:00.003+01:00

If it hadn't been for Selavy Oh posting a note on Facebook a few hours ago I wouldn't have known that Amy Freelunch has recorded a new radio show. Nevertheless I am very excited to hear that she's talking about Second Life art once again, because nobody does it quite like Amy.

This is a great return to form, I especially enjoyed her insights and comparisons with the real life art world. In this episode Amy discusses Penumbra Carter, Rod Mandel, Vanessa Beecroft, Chris Burden and others.

http://soundcloud.com/amyfreelunch

Arth0le Radio - April 29th 2009

2010-04-29T15:10:00.000+01:00

One year ago today I aired a special extended edition of my Arth0le Radio show. Twenty Second Life artists each selected a favourite piece of music and explained why they chose it. Here is the result -

Arthole Radio - Arahan Claveau (April 29th 2009) by ArtholeRadio

Selavy Oh interview at art21

2010-04-14T17:52:00.001+01:00

Responsive Art & Evolving Artificiality in Virtual Worlds

Nettrice Gaskins: So. Tell me about your current work, ménage à trois.

Selavy Oh: Ok, so first: the English text is not part of the work but I don’t mind. It’s always like that here at BiW. Other people comment by placing their work here. The idea was, anyway, to interfere.

NG: So your initial intention was not to have interference?

SO: Not from chatting prims but from visitors. It would be very easy to filter out all other chat but I didn’t.

NG: Why is this work significant to you?

SO: I had a piece in mind which would use automated performers doing simple things. One of my topics is the space. Exploring it. Navigating it. Measuring it. That is what they do with the square as a basic unit. They always walk from one corner to the other. You have 4 corners and 3 bots.

NG: What do they mean, these autobots? I find them entertaining.

SO: They are what actors in a performance would be and of course the similarity is important. By choosing the same shape, that of an avatar, it is easier to identify with the bots, to think about what is happening in the space. When you walk or teleport around, there is this visualization. Is this a conversation or is it three separate talks? We don’ t even know who’s telling what.

NG: What’s your inspiration?

SO: There is a performance by Bruce Naumann called, Walking in an Exaggerated Manner Around the Perimeter of a Square. Nauman’s work deals a lot with space and body. Also, there’s a work by Samuel Beckett called, Quadrat I and II, which I discovered after I did ménage à trois.

NG: How long did it take to create this work? What did it entail?

SO: The walls took me not very long. That’s HTML on a prim. It took me quite some time to get into the coding of the bot software. I used Linden scripting together with a modified client software based on the libopenmetaverse. Not much. Most of it already existed from a library that is freely available. There are only a few artists in SL using bots that I know of, including Mosmax Hax and Gazira Babeli. However, the technical details are not important. What is most important is what you see.

NG: So what do you want the Art21 audience to know about you/your work?

SO: They should think of a virtual world as another form of medium. Someone started to use video, to make art with it and now video art is widely accepted. Now we are using something new.

See the full article and an interview with Glyph Graves here.