A couple weeks ago, I found out my proposal was accepted for the LEA Artist-in-residence fellowship. I am honored and so excited. I received my whole sim a couple days ago. Yes, a whole sim with 15000 lovely prims to use!!
My project is called Ce n’est pas une peinture and is a complete abstract and spontaneous sculpture/installation/immersive environment inspired by my paintings, mixed media work and sculpture within Second Life. Some of my influences for this work include: Murakami, Yayoi Kusama, Beatriz Milhaizes, Polly Apfelbaum, Jennifer Steinkamp, Lee Bontecou and I’m sure many more I am forgetting at this moment.
If you have gotten to know me, you know I have already been playing. I have already set up a couple installations and destroyed them. It has been a fun process. I call these my sketches. I am documenting each step with images and can’t wait to see what the end result will be. I will be posting pics and info here as I go along. This blog will be my notebook.
I have 4 months to complete my environment then the space will be open for viewing. Ummmm, I am only on day 3…LOL
My project summary:
My idea is to deconstruct one of my paintings/collages into a full sim installation that avatars can walk and fly through and get lost in. Just like my 2D work in RL I will create the installation using chance and spontaneity, color and texture, mood and atmosphere.
From the time I first joined SL in 2006 there has been an ongoing debate about the validity of RL 2D work (paintings, photography etc) brought into SL vs NPIRL work. While I fit in both realms as well as in between and outside, I want to take my RL 2D paintings a step further and create an NPIRL installation by using the tools in SL to create a brilliant, beautiful, sensual, sumptuous, exotic, unreal space. I will also have a stream of music playing which may be classical or jazz. That will be determined while I am working on it.
I want to use the space as an opportunity to develop new skills of textures and shine, lighting and transparency. I want to expand on the idea of blowing apart a painting to evaluate and experience each layer separately and as a whole. After working on avatar Identity for the last couple years, I want to work with my ‘hands’ again and get down to the essence of making an art object/installation.
I would also like to imagine the SL installation as a possible RL installation either in a gallery setting or as a public work of art.