Travel to Originalia – Art Exhibition Opens Today in Second Life

A new art exhibition “Travel toOriginalia” opens today at Amase Levasseur's Originalia SIM. The showing is open to the residents of Second Life beginning at 1 pm PDT/SLT and includes three never before seen exhibits. The featured artists and their works are; "Postcards Home" by Callipygian Christensen, "Adapt or Perish" by Cherry Manga and "Gateway to Hell" by Fuschia Nightfire.  The announcement I’d received also said, “As a special treat, visitors will also be treated to a reprise of the much loved exhibit ‘The Docks"’ by Scottius Polke”.

I had been invited to a press preview this past Wednesday and took the ride over to look around. When I arrived I was greeted by one of exhibition artists, Callipygian Christensen.

“Welcome to Originalia ... let me know if I can help you with anything.” She said

We exchanged pleasantries and I scanned the notecard which had been open on my screen before I asked. “Postcards Home .... An interesting name, what was the motivation it?”

“The overall theme I was given was travel. Postcards are the universal documentation of our travels. So I decided to just do postcards of SL places.” She replied with a smile at the end of the chat line.

 “I'm trying to recall if we'd met before, I know your name is familiar.” I said.

“Probably, I've been in Second Life a long time, and doing photography for most of it and I also DJ. Come on in and let me show you the postcards that will be available at the opening!” She said, and then turned toward a nearby building and proceeded to walk in that direction.

I followed her avatar toward and then into it. Without too many people on the SIM at the time, the movement of our avatars was fairly smooth. As we entered through the doorway, the pictures begin to rezz and I noticed the one of an AM Radio build, the Texaco Gas Station. “I recall the AM build, the picture is nicely done.”

“Okay, mouse over the one on the counter, the left one.” She said.

I did as she suggested and received an inventory offer and a chat line that read;

postcard for Nazz lane! Thank you so much for visiting the show!

postcard for Nazz lane! owned by Callipygian Christensen gave you '*FDC* Pink Rose Barette'  ( http://slurl.com/secondlife/Originalia/58/190/22 ).

“Hopefully you just got a message and a gift, in the ones for the exhibit it will be a copy of the postcard. So you can set it for anyone, leave it out on the table or wherever and they touch it, get your message, and a copy of the card. So I liked the idea of letting people 'send' each other postcards.” She said.

“Yes, it is a good idea.” I commented.

"So the name of the SIM is in the corner of each card. Some no longer exist though ... so much like the old Victorian postcards, they are historical images.” She said.

“You've been in Second Life for a good while now, there must be a number of places you've photographed that no longer exist.” I said.

“Oh … many indeed, this one behind me, Bogon flux … is actually a thing more than a location. It's been in a number of places.” She commented.

“How many of the postcards here are of places that are gone?” I asked

“Miriel over behind the door is gone. AM's installations on full SIM’s are of course 'gone' once they leave a SIM, he doesn’t install exactly the same again.” She said in reply

I’d moved my camera view toward the door and saw the picture of a sea side view. The side of a broad cliff, reflected in the water of a calm sea. “The Seacliff … it’s a beautiful photo, congrats! I like how the colors of the cliff reflected in the water.” I said.

“Oh thank you … I love to play with light and saturation.”

“I see that you do, you've a good eye.” I commented.

“That is what I am often told ... I have no training so I must have something. Personally I think this is the best image here.” She said and moved toward the far end of the building and stopped in front of a postcard of what looked to be a houseboat anchored amongst several large trees. The limbs of the trees were draped in what appeared to be Spanish moss and I commented on how real life the picture appeared.

“But over the years I've found what ‘I’ like the most isn't what most others like the most. Quite often the most popular image in an exhibit is the one I almost decided not to include. So I am clearly a poor judge of the popular.” She said.

I moved my camera view around to several of the others and spotted another sea side view. There were several large rocks in and around the water of a small bay along with a tall fir tree on the point of land nearest the view point. “This one looks like it could be the coast of Maine.”

“Callistei, that probably is a good comparison.” She said and after a brief pause she added; “It's the kind of landscape that appeals to me, and it was my home for 3 years.”

“It’s a very nice view. I do have to run Callipygian. Thank you for sharing your postcards with me. I do appreciate your taking the time to do so.” I commented.

“My pleasure Nazz, thank you for stopping by. Hope you can stop by on Saturday for the opening.” She said.