Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
When we started our work in SL last year, we were absolute beginners. At this time, we could not say how our work will develop. Six weeks later, we finished our artwork "I'll be your substitute whenever you want me". We did not have any concrete expectations and didn't think about things like that during our work, but when we saw it after finishing, we could say things developed great. As we see it, our concept is to ask about “what is real” works. Also, what works is creating emotions during the trip through the cave and the maze. So things have evolved very good from our view.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
Art in the common spaces of SL will develop more. There are lots of art locations. But many of them show only this art called "single prim art" and use SL as a platform to show things and works from the "real world" they live in. We think that more artists will use SL as a field of experimenting with new forms of 3-D and interactive art. The interesting thing is not to disturb this "nice created" second world anyway, to work subtly.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
No, we have not explored other virtual 3D worlds.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
Our work will continue, but at this moment we cannot say anything about a new project. We think, it is good, to keep the eyes open about new interesting art-projects. Then it will be interesting, if these political motivated demonstrations will continue and if they will become a political force. We will keep you informed about our new works.
Tricia Aferdita – Artist, Promoter and Gallery Owner
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
I think recognition by outside entities such as the Corsa Guide was really significant. I think the future of making art in SL a viable business is to expand the RL/SL connection and make SL a place to go to view art in a 3D environment that is more 'explorable' than a website.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
I am really happy with the way things have evolved for us in Cetus this last year. We have literally seen everything we have envisioned come to light and more. The growth and the great people we have attracted here have been really positive. I look forward to continuing this positive trend and working with all the wonderful personalities we've connected with.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
I think that the increase in the sense of community in the art world has been significant. Having started out from scratch here myself, I can honestly say that having someone who's willing to go out of their way to help you get started is a real gift. I think the SL art world is leaning away from the lone, self-promoting artists and leaning more towards artist collectives and communities where they can all work together towards the goal of making people aware of their art. There have been more outreach projects, idea sharing and communities forming in recent months that make me hopeful this is a continuing trend.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
I have explored a couple of other virtual worlds. I found them to be too linear and restrictive. There was, pretty much, a plan you had to follow to get anywhere. Creativity was limited and I was quickly bored or frustrated. It actually motivated me to do more creating and building here in SL, something I hadn't been doing.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
Cetus Gallery District continues to grow and expand. Some of my plans in Cetus include working outside of the artistic box a little, adding some new things to the District. We are developing a great events team in order to expand Cetus as an events venue. In addition, we are adding more charitable events, starting with this month's campaign to raise awareness and funds for the artists still struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We will be fundraising and holding events all month to benefit this, including live music and a Masquerade Ball and Art Auction.
Cyanide Seelowe - Virtual Artist Alliance
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
2007 was the first year of Krystal Epic's 'Best of SL Art' project. This event was broadcast to Second Life as an opportunity to recognize creators, leaders and volunteers for their achievements in the Second Life art community. Members of the community could nominate themselves or their favorite figure in the art community for any of four categories: Best Artist in the Creation Arts, Best Artist in the Performing Arts, Most Influential Venue and Owner, and Most Influential Patron, Collector, Curator and/or Supporter. Nominations for the Best of SL Art 2007 occurred in September, all members of the community were invited to review the nominations and vote in October, interviews of the top-ranking artists/patrons were given in November, and the gala and release of the list of winners was on the 1st of December. This year's event was a big enough success that it will become an annual event and we anticipate it becoming a much larger event in the coming years. For more information on the 'Best of SL Art' project, please visit http://art.krystalepic.com/index.php?q=node&page=13 and, to view the list of winners, please visit http://virtualartpedia.a.wiki-site.com/index.php/Best_of_SL_Art_2007.
In early December of 2007, I launched 'VirtualArtpedia' (http://virtualartpedia.wiki-site.com), a wiki-site with a focus on the Second Life art community. I started the wiki with the intention of providing the public with a central, objective source of knowledge about the art community that the community itself would be responsible for; this is also part of an initiative to spread the word about Second Life's art community, as it is considered by many to be the backbone of Second Life. The wiki is still in its early stages, but the site boasts over 1500 pages of content and 50 articles about the art community in its first month of operation.
The Abyss Museum of Ocean Science, built by Rezago Kokorin and Sunn Thunders, was opened in 2007. It is an aquatic environment that combines art and education in what can easily be summed up as a breathtaking collaborative installation. For a list of press releases and articles, as well as project logs by the creators, please visit http://abyss-secondlife.blogspot.com/.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
Setting up expectations for how things will evolve in Second Life sounds like an easy way to set oneself up for disappointment. There are so many brilliant and creative minds at work already, and each day brings us a handful of new residents who exhibit amazing potential; Second Life, as far as I see it, is a collective consciousness, and all of the different elements that compose this consciousness make it the most unpredictable beast in existence.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
I think that the 'Best of SL Art' project will have a significant impact on the community, now that it's out of its first year. Since the community is aware of this event, they have a specific goal to shoot for now; I think it will motivate people to put that extra "oomph" into their efforts if they consider that people might be voting for them to be the Best Artist in the Creation Arts or Most Influential Venue Owner of 2008.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
I haven't had the opportunity to explore other virtual worlds (outside of the occasional close-ended video game) and so, everything I do in Second Life is pretty much a product of Second Life influences. Inversely, Second Life has inspired me to explore the idea of digital cultures and the histories thereof.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
The best way to gauge that is to keep one's ear to the ground, looking through Group Notices in groups such as 'Art & Artist Network!' and 'Creatives, Artists and Musicians' and talking to as many people as you can at as many events as you can attend. You will, of course, hear about popular happenings such as Oyster Bay's events or Sasun Steinbeck's ongoing contributions to the art community; these things are important, but the information is easy to come by since its common knowledge. If one actually puts some effort into reading group notices and talking to Average Joe, it'll become increasingly clear that some of the most amazing accomplishments in Second Life are hidden gems that are waiting to be discovered.
Tommy Parrott - Art Collectors of Second Life
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
Second Life becoming an artisan Mecca, RL artisans flocked to Second Life in 2007 in droves. The ability to exhibit in a digital medium such as Second Life is enticing to many. Once the learning curve is behind, YOU are your only limitation to what can be created. The significance of this is simple, it will be a universal gathering place for artisans of all types to create many wonderful works (static, interactive auditory & visual presentations).
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
Yes, Second Life's growth was explosive in 2007, as were the introduction of many small art galleries. Knowing the potential of SL, I knew it would only be a matter of time until thousands of galleries would pop up, which is the case now.
What were the trends that begin last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
Interactive art. Wall hangings are great, but people want interactivity. Artisans are beginning to fill this need the public wants, changeable art that either suits mood or makes a statement. Static art in SL is, unfortunately, not what SL art is all about. It IS about the freedom to create WHATEVER you can imagine.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
Yes, I have signed up with Hipihi.com. But, no, SL was my first virtual world and, therefore, my favorite, so others will be influenced BY SL.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
That I cannot say as Second Life is an ever-evolving presence with new talent coming in on a daily basis; I would have to say that 2008 will be an explosive year for SL, as its growth of real-world presence will proliferate around the globe, as the art scene in Second Life has in 2007.
ArtWorld Market – Managing Editor and Publisher, SLART™
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
The NMC multi-sim art show 'NMConnect', which brought together a huge number of visual and performing artists. DanCoyotAntonelli's sim-wide "full immersion hyperformalism" installation at NMC, which was supposed to be up only for a week during the Creativity Symposium and is still up. The publication of SLART™ in RL, which brought the SL art world to the RL art world, and provided archival documentation of the early uses of SL as an art medium.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
Yes. People are recognizing that SL provides a unique creative medium for artists, including live streaming performance.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
Realization by artists that the business of art has many parallels in SL and RL, but that the copy ability and reproducibility of works requires more attention to the artist-dealer contract, alertness to IP infringement, and proper settings of permissions when creating works.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
Not significantly.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
We are preparing to open the SLART™ Academy with classes, workshops, and publications directed toward the creation and distribution of art in virtual worlds. In February, we are planning to present the SLART™ Festival.
Sasun Steinbeck – Art Gallery Owners
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
The biggest is, most definitely, the introduction of sculptie prims. This has enabled a whole new era in 3D art in SL. The types of sculptures you can produce has been expanded and changed immensely. Sculpting with "regular" prims will always be an art form in itself, as will traditional 2D texture art, but sculpties have and will change the nature of SL sculpture forever. Its potential remains to be tapped and we have yet to see very many masters of this new art form emerge.
In the last year I can't really point to any other monumental milestones, but rather a steady and consistent growth in the number of art galleries and art-related events in SL, just like the year before. On 1/1/07, we were at about 150 galleries and, one year later, at 400. This in itself is an amazing achievement for art in SL.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
I think the steady, straight-line growth of the number of galleries in SL has been a bit of a surprise to me. I never had any idea I'd reach 400 galleries on the list, this number is just staggering. On 5/1/2006, when I first started recording these numbers, there were only 50 galleries on the list.
The other trend that I would have predicted is to see more art that takes advantage of SL's unique ability to script objects in interesting ways to create fascinating audio/visual experiences for the observer. Douglas Story is a great example of an artist that collaborates with scripters to realize very unique and stunning audio/visual experiences that interact with and really engage the viewer. vIn my opinion, SL is just ripe for more of this kind of art. This is SL's unique palette and we need more artists to understand it, explore it, and try bold new things that simply can't be done anywhere else.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
Sculptie-based art will become a major presence as more artists learn the skills necessary. There will be more experiments with scripted, immersive, multi-sensory, engaging art experiences that will make big news.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
No, SL keeps me busy enough :)
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
We will see more galleries that will demand a higher percentage of the sales of their artists' artwork. This is both good and bad. The costs of running, promoting and keeping traffic consistently high at a big art gallery are very high and time consuming. Though the artists get less out of each sale and more of each sale is going toward the costs of running the gallery, the benefits are that more people are attending events and visiting these more visible galleries and therefore buying more art. There will always be galleries that host other artists' work for free because they want to help promote art in SL and their costs are not high, but as SL continues to grow and the art-purchasing market expand, you will see more large galleries that charge commissions for art to help keep the gallery running and successful.
You will see the influence of some of the premier sculptie experts like Light Waves spreading to other artists. Seeing what is possible can capture the imagination of new artists that get inspired to learn the necessary tools to create amazing sculptie-based sculptures and this type of art will begin to spread.
Nebulosus Severine - Art & Artist Network
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
In no particular order for chronology or importance, here are several milestones I can think of that had an impact on SL art in 2007:
- The formation of Bettina Tizzy's NPIRL group, which has united some of the most influential and creative artists who use Second Life as a medium;
- The Rezzable SIMs, such as Dark Swan and the Greenies installation, which devote entire SIMs to a particular theme or work;
- The return of Starax Statosky, now known as Light Waves, who is arguably SL's most well-known and best loved artist;
- Brian Eno's '77 million Paintings' installation, probably the most significant example of an SL-RL crossover art event;
- The Second Life 4th Birthday celebration, which gathered together a wide range of artists, builders, and content creators, and was attended by thousands of residents, despite the massive technical problems plaguing the event.
- Burning Life 2007, which was handled completely differently than any other year, causing a huge amount of controversy and drama for many residents involved, including the censoring of a sculpture by Cheen Pitney and resulting outcry as a result.
- Project Open Letter, written to Linden Labs and signed by many residents frustrated with the repeated techinical difficulties with Second Life. Many SL artists, some of the most passionate content creators, were among the thousands of residents to add their signature to the letter. http://www.projectopenletter.com/
- The controversial "Keeping Second Life Safe, Together" post in the official Linden blog raised concerns of Free Speech and Free Expression for many SL artists. http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/05/31/keeping-second-life-safe-together/
- Massive inventory losses affected many residents, among them important and highly respected content creators, such as Arcadia Asylum, whose frustration led her to leave Second Life for good.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
I personally did not anticipate the population of Second Life to grow so drastically. As a result, the art world has exploded here. I expected the art world to grow, but not as much as it actually did!
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
Artists selling "limited editions" of their work. This practice arose a fair amount of controversy, documented in part in ArtWorld Market's SLArt blog: http://slartblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/no-more-phony-limited-editions.html
Immersive sound installations, such as those created by Juria Yoshikawa, Daruma Picnic, and Adam Ramona.
Art SIMs, in which an entire SIM is devoted to a gallery or installation, such as the Rezzabor the collaborative 'Dynafleur' project on the Princeton South SIM.
Artist collectives, in which several significant artists with similar styles occupy a shared major gallery space, such as Oyster Bay (mostly sculpture) and The Cannery (featuring Snapshot photography).
Art blogging. Many individual artists and art collectives have blogs now. It's a great way to document events, gatherings and achievments as blogging is often the easiest (and usually free) way of creating a personal webpage. Many artists also have accompanying Flickr accounts to document their work and supplement their blogs.
"Mixed reality" events, SL art galleries or events that have a real life/first life equivalent occurring at the same time.
Live music events. These have been going on for a couple of years, but 2007 was the year that probably saw the greatest influx of new musical acts. I believe that this trend will continue to grow in 2008.
Windlight. While not a "trend," is something that will have a huge impact once it is fully integrated into SL. The atmospheric possibilities are almost endless for artists who are able to control SIM settings, and I imagine many will take the opportunity to incorporate Windlight aspects into their installations. There is also a new option for prims, "Glow," which will give sculptors even more to play with while building.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
Second Life is my first 3D online environment, so I have no outside influences from any other online worlds or MMORPGs.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
I'm usually too wrapped up in my own projects to know about new events until they are happening! I am definitely looking forward to what Windlight will bring; I hope Linden Labs will be able to release a stable version of it this year. I've also got several personal and collaborative projects in mind for this year but, so far, those are all top secret!
Filthy Fluno – Artist
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
Real world art players and publications like Artworld Market, The Revolving Museum, Big Car Gallery, Axiom Gallery, Artnet, Artinfo.com and Art Magazine have started to pay attention and publish articles about artists in SL.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
I never thought in a million years that I would be able to quit my RL job and be a full time RL artist who adventures in SL and makes and sells art about it.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
RL/SL counterparts.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
I have explored Kaneva, Hipihi, Activeworlds and Sims. I can't do anything even close to what I do in SL. I do have an art "space" in Kaneva but it sucks big time.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
I have more mixed reality mashups of music and art planned for 2008 - bigger, better, and more yummier than 2007, for sure!
Xander Ruttan – Promoter and Gallery Owner
What were some of last year’s key milestones in the SL art world and why were they significant?
One event struck me as a milestone, and that was the in-world exhibition of Gottfried Helnwein's work. Until then, SL's art world seemed to be more about either do-it-yourselfers (self-promoting artists without significant RL art world repute), or presentation of major art world historical figures, shows which raise a lot of questions about copyright infringement and deceased artists' estate issues. Helnwein is a high-profile, living artist and, while the art world establishment lacks consensus about the merit of his work, he has as least some RL art world credibility. His SL presence came at a time when few, if any, other major contemporary artists or high-profile RL galleries had yet to venture into SL (and really have not come into SL even now, so long as average SL residents are not significant collectors of RL contemporary art. The RL galleries must, by necessity, go where the monied art audience is found.) Cetus is well-positioned to attract RL galleries as its design reflects the RL environments where they typically set up shop - places like New York's Chelsea gallery district, or the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon, where I lived.
Looking back to the start of last year, have things evolved the way you thought they would? Why or why not?
Cetus Gallery District has unfolded very much according to the original vision I had for it. In many ways, Cetus has exceeded my expectation by attracting great people, including a lot of RL art world people. We have a thriving community here of more than 30 gallery owners and residents who have joined in to collaborate and do charitable works (for example, raising money for needy artists still struggling to recover from Hurricane Katrina). Many Cetus residents have been there from the start, so it's also one of the more stable art communities in SL. We're celebrating our one-year anniversary throughout January '08. And we have a lot to celebrate, having been chosen Best Cultural Site in SL in the Corsa Guide popular vote this first year, and also among the Top 6 Most Influential Art Venues in SL in the 'Best of SL Art' event a couple of months ago.
What were the trends that began last year that will have the greatest impact in 2008?
The trend I have been seeing that will mean the greatest success for the SL art world is the mirroring of RL art world practices. The trend is toward providing more substantial or scholarly information and authentication, toward a bit more restraint in creating environments in which art looks good, is allowed to be seen as important, and a trend away from gimmicky, self-indulgent spaces which compete or fail to flatter the artworks shown. Just because one CAN build a multi-colored, patterned, flashing, spinning fluorescent-looking SL gallery space doesn't necessarily mean that's a good way to design an art exhibition. It also doesn't mean it’s art, when SL artists use every trick afforded them by SL tools. Just because it flashes and spins or has a tricky script doesn't make it art or, at least, good or important art. I think the trend is toward SL artists deepening the concepts behind their art to reflect the unique virtual culture we live in here, toward a more truly indigenous art, and for RL artists to present their RL art in surroundings that dignify things just a bit more. Whimsy is good but it's just one of many vibes to explore. For some galleries, a little more realism and attention to detail wouldn't hurt, and I see a growing interest toward that among the Cetus art dealers, especially. The realism is part of what attracts them here in the first place.
Have you explored other virtual worlds and has that had any influence on what you've done in SL? If you have, has what you've done there been influenced by what you've done or not done in SL?
So far, no other virtual world intrigues me. I've read about There.com, about MTV's forays into virtual lifestyle stuff with Virtual Lower East Side, but SL is the only environment whose founders had the courage to give us powerful tools and the freedom to create what we want. Of course, that cuts both ways - a lot of people glimpse SL at a distance on first visit and pronounce it horrible-looking. But that's the price for user-created content. There is a lot that is worth considering in SL but, just like RL, you have to sift through a lot of bad stuff to find it. I'm willing to do that.
What can we look forward to in 2008? (Events, openings, influences etc.)
In addition to our One-Year Anniversary Celebration mentioned above, Cetus will be relocating to its own SIMs and expanding. This will greatly improve our residents' visitors' experiences and performance. Our growth has been explosive, even as overall SL population has declined, so we are now nearly full occupancy with a waiting list for certain kinds of spaces here. In other new Cetus-related developments, I'm organizing solo exhibitions of a few very high profile RL artists for Ruttan Gallery, which is my own space among the various other art galleries I lease to others here in the District. But the biggest project under construction here is the Cetus Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, for which a board of directors is forming, an effort made up of RL art world people, with curatorial input from RL art museums that will give it some of the best-developed exhibition and art education programming in SL. It has RL nonprofit status so it will be governed very much like a RL arts institution, and be able to attract tax-deductible contributions and grants. Our goal is to create a dynamic conduit for the RL art world so that RL and SL art and artists may flow more freely between worlds in a more permeable way. The Cetus Museum promises to advance Cetus' mission and vitality by stimulating a very provocative conversation among artists and art world people as SL and other virtual worlds continue to unfold and become a more routine way to interact about art over the Net, and virtual artistic and commercial possibilities are tapped more fully.
My thanks to each of the above for their assistance and contribution. A special thank you to Tini Jewell, my "Chief Editor" for her comments and contributions to this and others in Lane's List.
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