Extreme

We live in a hyper virtual world. Everyone is connected with each other and the world around them in so many ways and so inescapable, most people will feel trapped at certain moments in their life. Trapped in a world where many expectations grow: to be available at all times, to be present everywhere, to be up to date with all news, to live a perfect life, to have a good job, to have a respectable status, to finish a study with a future, to look well, to live healthy, to have an opinion on what happens in the world, to show your best side at social media, to be a good friend, partner or neighbour, to be wise, to be patient, to be helpful and attentive. And so on, and so on. This world of hyper connectivity and hyper perfectionism with endless expectations, challenges and evolvements can be extremely demanding when taking all and everything 100% serious every single day. Such a world can drive you mad and therefore it is no shame to sometimes just pull all the plugs and withdraw from that.

To live a simple life without too many distractions except a few you like and which do not generate stress and expectations is something I personally like very much. Away from all madness and shit. Not watching the news, not reading a newspaper, not calling anyone who needs one hour to tell nothing essential, not being online so much maybe if that is part of a stress related routine and simply enjoy life for its basic pleasures like a good cup of coffee, the sun shining in your face, reading a book, cooking a nice meal, drown in music and allow yourself to sleep without an alarm telling you it is time.

Hyper Virtual installation by Moki Yuitza

Moki Yuitza created a hyper virtual space which I connected in my mind with the world we live in at the present time. She calls it an insane space and you will see why when you visit it. It is like entering a hall of mirrors with reflections. Some of them are in motion, others are static but because the use of transparent layers the surrounding never looks the same and feels like being in a hyperactive world without any option for your mind to disconnect. Even with no sound, it still is an environment that for me represents how our brains in our world are receiving an overload of triggers and information when never taking a break. Some will function well like that by the way, I know. Born to be in motion 24 hours a day in some way seems to be fun or motivating for certain people, especially when young and into making a career. And maybe some are more skilled in activating protective shields like not giving a shit about many things and people, but when that’s the tool to survive I think it is justified to ask ourselves if that’s who we want to be. I rather take breaks to empty my head and regain new energy for wanting to be present in the best way I can when connecting back.  Anyway, Moki did a great job with her installation and I liked to walk around there for a while.

Hyper hyper hyper

When putting on my restraint jacket (you never know what I will do in a crazy world) and walking around I decided to try another film experiment. Very short again, but with several layers and effects and tons of sounds to recreate my own world of hyper hyper hyper virtuality and madness. To express how I can feel sometimes when people want too much from me or when the world is going crazy over things I cannot control or do not want to be connected with. The last few weeks this Corona virus madness irritated me in several ways. Stupid people shouting at Chinese residents, silly behaviours with masks on places where it is just not needed, the continuous headlines on all kinds of conspiracies and how we can all die if  . . .   Sure, it is a serious thing, but come on, keep your common sense and don’t create a stupid panic.

Also the Brexit news, The Trump impeachment show, and the whole circus and revival of  nationalist politics and regimes make me run away from places where people gather to fight over yes, no, left, right in a totally black or white way like they are taught to do by their great leaders. If not 100% pro, then you are anti and that kind of beliefs. It makes me sick, together with the horrible methods to influence opinions of the not so well informed people who easily can be manipulated. A strategy of making people believe everything has become quite a sport. Twitter is a poison for that. I also notice to not like the new fashionable job titles like INFLUENCER. Everyone seems to have his or her personal Jesus or Maria or whoever for the most silly things you can imagine. And once you are titled an INFLUENCER (via vlogs on YouTube for instance or via Instagram) you are treated like some God who will save the world. Bullshit, sorry. It is just a fancy way to generate income, nothing more, nothing less and you sell only one product and that’s your big SELF. Cool if it helps someone, for sure, but really  . . . influencer????  So many people help other people in a less visible and ‘LOOK WHAT I DID TODAY’ way and they are just called friends.

So yes I can be hyper hyper hyper mad about the world we live in and sometimes indeed will close all doors to it. Or maybe I am just insane and need to learn to see the world as a hyper sane place. Hmmm….

Whatever it is, in my case, here is my short but hyper mad video on the installation. Sounds matter a great deal, so please turn your volume on :)

Where can you go mad?

Hyper Virtual can be visited in the Womb at DIXMIX Gallery. Please mind the instructions on scene before entering the space. A little hint to not get lost: The entrance shows a moving pattern of rectangular white shapes, like a pedestrian crossing. Follow that pattern once you are inside. It will help you to not bump at the surrounding walls and inner cube and also shows you how to find the way out again. Took me a while to see it, but once you are aware of the logic in the madness it is easy. Shakespeare already said there must be some method in this madness and he was right.  Madness is just a state of hyper methodical hallucinations with its own logic and sense.

Enigma by Storie’s Helendale

When you visit also please look at the latest addition in the gallery, ENIGMA by Storie’s Helendale (Glitterprincess Destiny). Storie’s makes great pics with an always somewhat mysterious, dark, distorted atmosphere.  She actually shows how our world can look perfect on the outside but is insane on the inside in many cases. Her work sometimes has the look and feel of RL paintings. One of the pics reminded me of the movie I am not sure I really want to see yet, but read about: Midsommar, due to the hair decorations of  the girls. If so, that maybe is a bit how I look at Storie’s work. She tells stories in visuals and poetry about strange sometimes scary or mad worlds. Not always, but regularly. I like it. Enough pictures with perfect persons in Second Life already :)  I feel very normal when surrounded with such pictures and almost took of my restraint jacket to proof that!

TP to the gallery and the WOMB

DIXMIX GALLERY