XXX PRIVATE SHOW to be part of the MaMachinima International Festival

XXX PRIVATE SHOW, a machinima that I helped to create with Arahan Claveau as a part of an installation of the same name for ArthOle Season 2, is being shown at the Ma Machinima International Festival, an event that is held both in Second Life and in Amsterdam. I will be in attendance in Second Life for the event, at around 11:30 am PST/2:30 EST, to answer questions and speak about the film.

I've copied & pasted some relevant information, from both the ArthOle blog (courtesy of Arahan Claveau) and from the MMIF press release:

This weekend sees the return of the annual Ma Machinima International Festival (MMIF), and a machinima entitled XXX PRIVATE SHOW I shot for an installation at the ArthOle gallery in 2008, is showing as part of the festival's schedule. MMIF 2011 runs from Friday June 17 through Saturday June 18, and the ArthOle machinima will play on Saturday in block 3, starting at 11.30am (SLT/PDT).

MMIF is a mixed-reality event, taking place simultaneously at the LEA Theatre in Second Life and Club Karlsson in Amsterdam.

(read the entire article on the ArthOle blog page here)

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Avatars starring at Global Film Festival MMIF 2011

MaMachinima International Festival
June 17 / 18, 2011
Web live + LEA Theatre (SL™) + Club Karlsson, Amsterdam (NL)

‘MMIF 2011′ is the third edition of an annual film festival in 3D cyberspace with an interactive cinema screening in physical space (‘RL’). Audiences can follow some of the MMIF happenings live via the web.

The MMIF is a celebration of Machinima: films created in virtual worlds and video games. On 3D Internet platforms like Second Life® for instance, any kind of movie set can be built at very low cost. The MMIF aims to bring Machinima, a new cinematic art form, to a wider audience. Films by professional machinima producers and by those who are just starting out will be screened at MMIF 2011. Machinima directors and avatar actors from all over the world are present in real time at the virtual theatre in SL. These ’Machinimatographers’ will present over fifty short films and discuss their work in front of a live global audience of viewers.

(read the rest of the press release here)

Artists' meeting, Push sim, July 24, 2010

A number of Second Life artists met today to discuss the future of collaborative projects in SL (& the metaverse at large), similar to the Brooklyn Is Watching concept.

A new plot of land has been donated for our use, and the meeting today was how to best proceed and continue.

It will be another space in which any artist can rez his or her work for a week at a time without restrictions on content.

The aim is, in part, to restart the practice of doing regular video podcasts & critiques of the work. The space will hopefully allow for performance and multimedia as well.

This meeting has hopefully kick-started a movement that will gain more serious recognition in the "real-life" art world.

Newark Is Burning

Arahan Claveau's machinima response to the recent events surrounding Newark Is Watching:

Why was Mab's post deleted?

I used to be pretty heavily involved with the Brooklyn Is Watching (hybrid SL/RL) project in Second Life. To make a long story short (and this is just a very general explanation), BIW closed, became Newark Is Watching, and moved to a different sim, thanks to the very very generous donation of land by art supporter Mab MacMoragh.

Sadly, Mab soon has to give up the land that she so graciously donated for that length of time. She posted about the farewell recently on both the Brooklyn Is Watching and the Newark Is Watching blogs.

However, her post was deleted (censored?) from the NIW blog for reasons that aren't clear whatsoever. Her admin rights to the blog were removed, too.

So, for the purpose of drawing more attention to this, I have decided to repost Mab's post, plus the comments that followed.

we work in the dark
18 June 2010

We work in the dark–we do what we can–we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art. (Henry James)

Take care with people you meet because you can’t see what invisible mountain of burdens they carry. (Anon)

Arahan has posted on his blog about the surprise announcement that Oberon made on my behalf regarding my inability to continue with Newark is Watching. The comment I wrote in response was too large to be accepted, so I’m putting it here.

~~~~~~

Thank you for this Arahan. You’re a good friend. I haven’t made a statement about closing because I haven’t been capable of knowing what to think or say, and actually Oberon’s shocking (to me) group announcement was the first I’ve really thought about it in concrete terms. He knew I was struggling with a morass and took it upon himself to make it public, which was a tremendous favor to me as it unlocks the issues and makes things move along. I’m grateful for that.

I have no reason today to think the future of Newark is Watching will be anything other than different and interesting and new. This is my hope. The meeting on Saturday with all concerned (Gallery Aferro should attend) will be a beginning step to make it clearer what could happen, what the possibilities and limitations are, what the organization and structure of it should be.

Gallery Aferro has made public their preliminary schedule and, while I don’t know how it would all fall into place, it seems they now have time to learn and plan and revise, revise, revise, revise, if they’re serious and are open to the challenges, realities and possibilities of virtual art. My feeling is they’re interested in committing to a successful ongoing workable format, in whatever ultimate form it takes (probably a much different ultimate form than anyone can yet envision).

Last year when Jay asked me for land to temporarily rezz megaprims I was happy and honored to be in a position to help because I like him personally and felt like I knew him well enough to be able to judge that the financial sacrifice would be worthwhile. However neither of us could know then that not only would this temporary expense be prolonged indefinitely, but he was also asking for my blood, sweat and tears, and most of my real life useful waking hours (I don’t have many).

I don’t intend to take on an administrative role in the new Newark is Watching because it’s impossible for me, a severely disabled person who is frequently debilitated, to sort through nuts and bolts of something so complicated and labor-intensive. It’s dangerously easy for me as a naive nurturer to be swept into things like this over my head beyond my abilities. Too deep, too far. I hope to remain a quiet supportive observer of art on the periphery, as I was before. I have other dreams, long neglected now, set aside for Brooklyn is Watching’s sake. I have to be responsible with my life, as does everyone.

I can’t speak for others, but I have no feelings about what has happened on Push SIM with Brooklyn is Watching other than gratitude I could be of service. No regrets. Even if no one was making official podcasts, we were there talking about the art amongst ourselves, and in that real connection was poetry. I loved Brooklyn is Watching and its artists from everywhere with all their languages who would come and go and come back again leaving their marks and influences like waves on a beach. I’m not an art scholar or an art critic, though I respect those who genuinely are. I have no aspirations or abilities in Second Life to be anything other than an arts lover.
~~~~~~

The past is history. Let it go. Now is the time to prepare for the future. I wish Newark is Watching well. Thank you everyone for all you’ve done.

(crossposted)

Posted by Mab MacMoragh on Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 at 3:55 am.

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2 Responses to “we work in the dark”

Mab, this is a beautiful post. Thank you so much for your support of all of us (I’m not even a SL artist and I feel so supported and nurtured by you!). Your support of SL art goes way beyond the financial – you’ve invested in us spiritually and emotionally, and I know that you gave of yourself until you were exhausted. I know you will remain an avid viewer, cheerleader, (generous) critic of, and participant in SL art, and I’m excited to see what this new chapter brings for you as well as the work that is yet to be made.

Left by Amy Freelunch on July 20th, 2010

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Mab,

I did get your comment on my blog and have just published it and replied. I don’t know why it does that, I think it’s a bug, it does it to me too.

Anyway, ditto to what Amy said and here’s a copy of my reply -

“Thanks a lot for getting in touch and your thoughtful response.

I’ve been much less charitable in my summary of the situation than you, but your patience is a virtue I don’t posses. The lack of communication from Aferro has driven me nuts, call me old fashioned but when I ask questions I expect an answer. They’ve ignored us for a while now and that has caused a lot of bad feelings, so then to suddenly have a burst of activity and expect everyone to comply with their wishes whilst ignoring their failures strikes me as arrogant and deluded.

I do think the project has mainly fallen apart because of Jay’s absence, it needs an anchorman to keep everything focused, secure the guests etc. We all know that his organisation was sometimes chaotic but those early podcasts were often excellent, I listened to every episode very keenly, there were some brilliant guests who offered insights into SL art that was sorely lacking.

Jay seemed to lose interest and sort of wandered off, I still don’t really know why he did that, but the departure of the brains behind the project left a massive hole. Perhaps I shouldn’t be so harsh on Aferro, maybe they were roped into it without really knowing what was expected of them, after all Don at JTP was just the host, he didn’t get involved in organising anything else as far as I’m aware. But without Jay around his role has to be taken over by someone and so it is up to Aferro to take it on themselves or find (and pay) someone to do it for them.

I think you’re right to back off and protect yourself, there has to be a limit when things start affecting your health.

The most depressing thing about all of this is Brooklyn is Watching was a really great idea that has been badly neglected. Perhaps Newark will indeed rise to the challenge but it will take a lot of time and effort to bring it back to its former glory.

As you mentioned despite the absence of official podcasts there was still something worthwhile happening on Push. There was just so much uncertainty and confusion about BiW/NiW it always overshadowed everything positive.

Anyway Mab, big thanks to you for keeping the space alive for so long, it will be missed.”

Left by Arahan Claveau on July 20th, 2010

So... is there some reason that we're missing as to WHY the fuck Mab's post would have been deleted? She generously donated her land and time and money to supporting artists in SL without really asking for anything in return. The fact that she was basically given the finger by the NIW people is really goddamn awful.

She left these big boots behind at the Newark Is Watching parcel:

GIANT MOTHERFUCKING BOOT

Description: made for walkin'

----------------

Update - Mab has posted again on the Brooklyn Is Watching blog:

moving forward

Hello Gallery Aferro and Jay,

When I woke up today (I sleep at odd hours, similar to a baby’s schedule) I had communications that my latest blog post was taken off the Newark is Watching blog.

I can see that for myself now, and also that I have been denied access to the blog.

I realize it’s possible you may not understand this but I was involuntarily put in the very tough position of buffer between Aferro and Second Life® virtual artists whose work I care about and believe in, all of whom have been trying to do the best they could on a completely voluntary basis, blindfolded and hamstrung by uncertainty.

For every question you were asked and didn’t answer, I probably had a dozen related come to me, which I answered as well as I could and as promptly as I could, even if it was just to say ‘I don’t know, let’s try to find out’ or ‘we must keep an open mind’.

I have never attempted to influence anyone’s opinion on anything that has happened except to urge for understanding, patience and tolerance on your behalf.

The art in Second Life®, as in all participatory conceptual art, depends on engagement, curiosity, and timing – you get from it what you bring to it.

One of the things I have said to my son about being an artist is: Art must hit on the beat or have a good reason not to, otherwise it’s not art- it’s just dust in the wind.

Thank you for your time and as I said in my now-removed blog post, I wish you well.

Mab MacMoragh

Posted by Mab MacMoragh on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 at 12:29 am.

"...what/who IS Bunnyken, anyway??"

This post is long overdue. I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain the story behind Bunnyken, so I'll make an entry here for posterity.

Simply put, Bunnyken is a half bunny, half chicken creature -- hence the name. Although I often refer to it as "he," it is of indeterminate gender.

But the mythos of Bunnyken cannot be explained that easily. Not by a long shot.

It all began about 5 years ago, when I came across a very strange item for sale while searching weird auctions on Ebay just for the hell of it:

(image copyright: the original photographer, whoever you are...)

It was listed as Bunnyken, and I thought it was funny & creepy and odd, so I saved the pictures of it.

Fast-forward to a couple of years later, when I was pondering what avatar to wear to W-hat's Third Birthday celebration (April 27, 2007) in Second Life.

Arahan, CickMy Lunt (now known as CensoredMy Lunt, due to SL's ridiculous, crybaby policies) and I were set to DJ for the event, so I wanted something funny and weird to wear.

I somehow remembered the pictures of the bizarre bunny/chicken doll I had saved, and I thought I'd try to recreate it in Second Life.

Arahan (left) and me get ready for the big party!

The above picture shows the first incarnation of the Bunnyken avatar. I later improved it with better texturing, etc.

In Second Life, I began to make various prim sculptures of Bunnyken -- the first significant one being, of course, Bunnykenball at Brooklyn Is Watching, about a year ago:

I grew more and more obsessed with this mysterious character, and wanted to know more about it. I searched the web in vain for any information about its origins -- there is literally NOTHING out there, I have tried.

I kicked myself for not bidding on that Ebay auction! I didn't think I would ever be lucky enough to find one again... but lo and behold, about one year ago, I found ANOTHER for sale on Ebay, and I bought it.

This is actually Bunnyken in its original form.

[The one in the yellow suit must have been someone else's weird creation -- a Bunnyken head on a decapitated doll body. Genius.]

It appears to be some kind of cheap plastic Easter toy. The head is easily removed and has a hollow tube neck. The button on the front of its body turns. I think it's some kind of candy dispenser -- fill it with jellybeans or other small candies, turn the button, and a single jellybean will be dispensed into one of the little indentations on the base, each of which has short phrase:

-- BE GOOD -- BE HAPPY -- YOU'RE SWEET -- I'M IN LOVE -- LUCKY ONE --
-- ROCK 'N ROLL -- SAY YOUR PRAYERS -- HUG ME -- KISS ME --

(image copyright: the original photographer, whoever you are...)

I asked the sellers if they knew ANYTHING about Bunnyken's background -- what year(s) it was made, where it was manufactured, anything. The sellers had actually brought this Bunnyken to Antiques Roadshow, and even the appraiser had no idea what the hell it was.

From the Ebay auction page:

"It reads BUNNYKEN on the bottom so I am assuming that is who made it.

I took it to the Antiques Roadshow, they had never seen or heard of one before and thought it was pretty rare and very different than anything they had seen.

They apprised (sic) it between $75 and $100...."

Since then, Bunnyken has returned time and time again to my SL artwork (often with Arahan's help)...

I have since found and purchased yet another Bunnyken on Ebay, but I am no closer to figuring out anything about its origins.

It is still as mysterious, creepy, and whimsical as it has ever been. And I am not really quite sure why, or how, but the character of Bunnyken seems to have taken on a life, and will, of its own. It is a godlike figure, and demands worship.

Arahan's new blog

YAY! Arahan Claveau (Steve Millar), my friend and fellow Arthole artist, has created a new personal blog, finally!!

http://arahanclaveau.blogspot.com/

AM Radio on Arthole Radio this Wednesday!

Arthole Radio is pleased to announce that the first ever voice interview with elusive Second Life artist AM Radio will broadcast as part of The Amy Freelunch Hour this Wednesday, November 26th (details below). The interview was recorded after the two met in person last week, over breakfast.

In Amy Freelunch's words:

"I was honored - and shocked, actually - that AM agreed to meet up with me and to record an interview. In person, I found him to be deeply thoughtful and articulate, more than I even expected - and I had pretty high expectations! He has much to contribute to the art community through his ideas and words, all of which makes me very excited to share this conversation with you."

Freelunch is in the process of creating an archive of recorded conversations with Second Life artists; this talk with AM Radio is the first in that series. Next week (December 3rd) her show will feature a conversation with writer Cyrus Huffhines (known in RL as Bryan Campen), who produced the virtual installation for 77 Million Paintings by Brian Eno. Huffhines speaks about a build he is currently working on, recreating his childhood home from which he and his family - including his bi-polar father - were evicted when the artist was an adolescent.

In real life, Amy Freelunch (aka Amy Wilson) is an artist and college professor of art, art history, and critical studies at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Formally a regular contributor to Brooklyn is Watching, Freelunch joined Arthole Radio shortly after its launch in September 2008. She writes about Second Life art and culture in her blog see-through - amyfreelunch.wordpress.com.

Arahan Claveau: 9.00pm UK/GMT (1.00pm SL/PST)
Amy Freelunch: 10.30pm UK/GMT (2.30pm SL/PST)

-INTERMISSION-

Nebulosus Severine: 9.00pm US/EST (6.00pm SL/PST)
Amy Freelunch: 10.30pm US/EST (7.30pm SL/PST)

To listen to the stream, copy and paste this link into your streaming media player - http://slan13.ipr365.com:10320

Arthole aftermath

Some pics from the opening event for Arthole Season 2:


Me



Arahan



Jinx Paz

sp00ky Graves

See the rest of the Season 2 collection here.

Busy busy weekend for Arthole!

Lotta stuff going on for Arahan & me over the next few days:

ARTHOLE WEEKENDER

SATURDAY August 30, 2008 -- 4 pm til 4:30 pm SLT/PST
'ORIENTATION'

Arahan Claveau and Nebulosus Severine will be hosting a live performance entitled "ORIENTATION" for the event Club Goodbye Dollar. This is a cross-reality event; the performances in Second Life will be broadcast simultaneously in a cinema in Amsterdam and also via live audio and video streams on the web at:
http://www.debalie.nl/live +
http://1.live.nu +
http://dfm.nu
and inworld on Second Life virtual videoscreens.

Other live performances include the Shamanes, The Avatar Orchestra Metaverse, Second Front, d-oo-b, DFM RTV INT, Lauren Weyland, Akrazul Boa and Amari Soyinka.

Full details on the debalie cinema website -
http://www.debalie.nl/artikel.jsp?articleid=258551&podiumid=cinema

*PLEASE NOTE THAT AUDIO AND VIDEO IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PERFORMANCE. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR OPTIONS ARE ENABLED PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE LOCATION.

SLurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cow/52/14/1030

---------------------------

SUNDAY August 31, 2008 -- 1 pm SLT/PST onward
ARTHOLE SEASON 2 Launch

On Sunday 31st August from 1.00PM SLT/PST Arthole reopens to reveal the new Season 2 work. The three levels in the gallery will feature -

LEVEL 1 WEST WING - PARANOIA, Watching the Skies for Planes - New version of Burning Life 2006 installation by Nebulosus Severine.

LEVEL 1 EAST WING - Injustice - An extended chance to see this work by Arahan Claveau, originally part of his super fun happy club and The Love That Dare Not Speak its Name for KunstVlaii.

LEVEL 2 - XXX PRIVATE SHOW - Arahan Claveau & Nebulosus Severine have together created a disorienting, unsettling environment, incorporating audio and video into the experience.

LEVEL 3 - systems of reference - The smart talent of Selavy takes over Level 3 from Ichibot Nishi and begins residence as our new guest artist for Season 2.

SLurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kress/168/89/391

See you over the weekend!

'Chasm' machinima by Arahan

Holy shit!

My dear friend/partner in art-crime, Arahan Claveau, has taken some footage of 'Chasm' and crafted it into an amazing, flawless machinima that really captures the mood of the installation.

Today, and various things

Let me get all this down before I forget it. :P


Tomorrow is my youngest brother's high school graduation party. I bought him a DVD ('No Country For Old Men') and a copy of The Catcher in the Rye, which had a big impact on me when I was about his age. I know, I know -- how cliché. Haha. Anyway, I wrote a little something in the front of it for him -- I didn't think about it, just wrote:

Dear ___,
When I was about your age I had to read this for school, my senior year. Back then I really didn't care about my classes, but when we were assigned to read this I really got into it. I never did the reading assignments at home and read this in class when everybody else was talking about the day's lesson. I don't think anyone in the class liked this book but me. I hope you like it too. --- Love, ____.

Somehow I am not feeling nostalgic or sad about this, despite how I usually am. This is a good thing, though! Christ, I am sick of being moody.



One thing I AM sad about, however, is the fact that Arahan, my friend , fellow artist, and cumpatriot (yes, spelled that wrong on purpose) has decided to leave Flickr - he deleted his entire account today. I can barely express how shocked and sad I was to find this out... Our mutual friend, Kham, has posted a wonderful tribute to him:

(image courtesy of Khamudy Mannonen)

I was supposed to DJ a set for the Garden of NPIRL Delights today, and instead hung out with friends in Arahan's locker at Arthole and dedicated my music set to him. I recorded it, but it needs editing, and when that's done I will post a link to the file in this blog. I took a ton of pictures too, & you'll see those here as well.

And speaking of The Garden, I am rather pissed off with their selective promotion of the music events. I have seen notices sent out about other music acts and DJs, but none have been done for me at all. I wouldn't have had any audience at all for my set on Monday if friends of mine hadn't pulled together to hang out with me. Ah well, whatever. The Garden of NPIRL Delights as an exhibition was rather underwhelming for me. Can't win 'em all, I guess. I might just blow off my set tomorrow, although I haven't yet decided.

Oh yeah, by the way, the last day for the Garden is on the 23rd, if anyone cares. Haha. Meh.. there were some decent builds, and a lot of people seemed to have fun with it, but... I was disappointed with the experience overall. I'm grateful to have been a part of it, it just didn't grab me. Oh well.