Again Tutsy???

Yes I become boring and predictable and expose my personal favism (new word   . . ) I suppose. Maybe the time has come I should be brave enough to reveal the secret behind my blog. That I am only a puppet on a string, controlled by Tutsy, who allows me to blog on all I want, but also makes sure I never forget or skip his creations! Slavery in SL exists? Poor me :P  Or maybe I find his attention so irresistible I will do all to get it. We could be secret lovers as well of course. Everything is possible in SL. And many people believe all texts they read on the Internet so if I am smart I can manipulate my fans with all kinds of information. We see it every day at the moment don’t we? How information gets twisted and even becomes a weapon to influence a war and public opinion. It seems to be a skill people are losing more and more  . . . . to think for themselves and check facts and sources. To not be an echo. And irony is something not everyone understands, which can add to confusions and make a truth go viral that is no truth at all. It does make it possible for me to declare my personal truth to you. That I am Tutsy’s work slave and that I am waiting for people to start a campaign to set me free!

Also, for who is tired of ‘again Tutsy’ I have some good news, or bad if you like that better. The news is I contributed as well this time. Probably my bonus for being the blog puppet. No, I joke of course ; )  I am as free as a bird and we just felt like doing a little cooperation together again. It was  big fun to do so. Tutsy did the actual exhibition part and I did a space for the opening party.  I am happy to confess to have been using elements made by others, for the nice effect they generate. I borrowed prims from Cherry Manga and Eupalinos Ugajin. So yes, I again will fail to be called ‘official artist’ this year because of that. The sacrifices I make! Or . . . . , maybe I did deliberately  . . . . to not have to upgrade myself into something I am not ;  )

Is this all true or fake news?

I never fake news. I only twist truths. Oh wait, that’s the same? Hmm. But yes this all is very true, I promise. The prims exist. The exhibition exists. Tutsy even has an existential avatar identity crisis after several avatar changes this week, which also is very real and I myself I think lost my head somewhere along the process of creating, but I found myself a new one with artificial intelligence. I do feel very smart all of a sudden, or maybe I just am. . . . ; P   You exist as well most likely, because you are reading this. That needs some form of life and some form of intelligence. Well done and thank you. But if in any case you see some strange looking characters, you probably are witnessing our next level existence in SL. A bit blue and yellow with shiny features. I do not have to explain the blue and yellow I hope?  Not a random choice no.

And what is it all about?

Well, I do not want to scare you with risking your own identity crisis in Second Life, but it is all about avatars and changing your looks. A replacement of your picture perfect pretty faces with layers of make-up and other enhancements. A replacement of your newly bought fashion at the events everyone visits. This is a tribute to avatars that breath true creativeness, diversity and quirkiness all in one. Avatars that have been made with love and care for being different than standard and avatars that tell a story of how creating is the most rewarding way of expressing oneself. Partly realistic, partly a dream and fantasy. As if you walk into a book with fashion and styles you will never see in any shop, but that have a world of design inside. To dare to look old in Second Life is something special. To not be the pretty face people will fall in love with is something as well in Second Life. Because all has become too much about looks and how you present yourself, just like in RL. Alas   . . .

Two people who have done a great effort to make it possible to create avatars that are out of the ordinary, original and poetic, are Meiló Minotaur and Capcat Ragu. Between 2010 and 2015 they initiated the Meta-Body project. Many avatars were created by different people, including Meiló and CapCat themselves and it is tempting to say those were the days of true creation, but that sounds cheesy yes, I know ; ))   Anyway, not only did they and others create many wonderful avatars throughout the years, they also shared them for free with the public. The sim Delicatessen used to be the home base of it all, but it is no longer there. I entered Second Life in March 2011 with my first avatar and therefore was lucky to have seen most of the creations. But now it is your lucky day, in case you missed all these avatars or never knew they were there. Because the exhibition made by Tutsy showcases many of these free avatars. The pictures he made of them can be clicked and then (re)deliver the showcased avatar to you. It is a selection, but enough to have fun with. Almost every part of the avatar is modify and you could play with colours or size etc. Not recommended with every avatar however, because sometimes it will break a look too much. Tutsy and I used a ‘Boy’ and ‘Girl’ avatar because those were very suitable for changing it into our present blue yellow shiny look. You also can just change nothing and use the original avatar.

Where? When?

Ha! You wish to come? Wonderful. I mean Wonderland. Because that’s the place you need to be next Saturday. And yes we wish you all to take down your pretty avatar faces you worked on for weeks and weeks, and just change your avatar with a look from Meiló Minotaur and Capcat Ragu. I heard they are creating a new avatar as we speak and that it soon will be available. How can you not want to be part of that and show it with a change of looks into creative styles from the past.

Sooo, Wonderland it is. To be more precise: Wonderland Art Galleries, owned and managed by Norton Lykin.  It is a big place with many gallery spaces, containing works from many artists in Second Life. An eclectic mix I would call it. It also includes a lot of works of the owner himself and several of them I really liked. Best to just see for yourself if interested in exploring the place. At the main landing point you can click on a box for a TP HUD, which I recommend, because otherwise a bit hard to know if you have seen all there is, plus just easier as navigation inside the buildings. Below you can see one part of the gallery I liked for its visual effects. First time ever I danced with a whirling dervish, a creation made by Theda Tammas. Your TP for the main landing point:  Wonderland Art Galleries

I also had a little chat with the owner, asking about his vision on creating in Second Life and his galleries. You can read the outcome below and I think it is a nice and insightful way of looking at ‘things’.

Reflecting on nature, love, perception and cognition I see clearly that what we perceive as reality is a flux depending on our ideas, history and conditioning, that the present moment feeds us with all kinds of possible realities. Throughout this there is one stable factor, love, love of this being, which in its imperfection is perfect and wholesome. We are in this journey called life,  given the opportunity to be open and question our ideas and the history we tell and this is my project.

Bon voyage – Norton Lykin

The exact details

OPENING PARTY: Saturday March 19
TIME: 12:00 NOON (SLT) , 20:00  (EU TIME)
PLACE: Wonderland Art Galleries / NORTON LYKIN
TP TO EXHIBITION: POETICAL OUTFITS
ARTIST: TUTSY NAVARATHNA
FAKE ARTIST: YOON
WINDLIGHT SETTINGS: NIGHT (or simply use Shared Environment) and ADVANCED LIGHTING MODEL activated. 

Kanjena Sweetleaf & Elizabeth Dovgal will be the party DJ’s.
And yes the name POETICAL OUTFITS relates to what the avatars breath.
A sense of magic, not in words, but in visuals.

With thanks to the owner of Wonderland Art Galleries, Norton Lykin, for granting the prims we liked to use.
I think he probably has a crisis too now, because somehow prim eating is a thing I seem to not be able to manage so well myself. Prim crisis, identity crisis   . .  ah it’s all nothing when compared to the multiple crises we face in First Life huh   . . . Be happy you have the luxury to enjoy a Second Life with silly virtual crisis problems. Fake crisis is the new hype ^^

 

Disclaimer and update

In case of any hurts by the cleaning service we hired ( a bunch of cats vacuuming 24 h a day to keep the place shiny and bright) we deny and refuse all claims. Yes we are aware they are powerful and are able to corner you or make you stumble. But we are avid cat lovers and always will choose their side. Cats for president! Just saying   . . .

I also have an update on Tutsy’s existential avatar identity crisis.

He only said 2 words: Giddy Up!