Elements: White Room photo-contest

Quoting Butterfly Laa on her weblog:

This morning proud to present our first contest entry! Elements photo taken by Mallory Destiny, who has an Art Gallery of her own in Tournicoton, and a wonderful site on the net, http://mallorydestiny… Has lots of good information there!! Thank you Mallory !!! Nice Photo!!!

The White Room Contest October 2008

Theme: The four elements (Earth, Wind, Fire & Water)
Give us a picture of something you refer to the four elements in SL and win 1500L$!

If you love me, with love

“Si vous m’aimez d’amour”or “If you love me with love.” is the latest installation of Mariaka Nishi and her friends Sacremeustache Beerbaum, Naastik RAU, Philippe Kodekko, Manser Acronym, Sayax Milev, Michoko Ugajin, Typote Beck Biosynapse Tae and Elfe Imako at the fabulous Tournicoton art gallery on the island Kuai Hele in Second Life.

The installation of photo’s in black and white seem to reflect the memory of a summersday at the beach, several years ago. This mood which is very suitable in this time of the year, is also supported very well with the video clip in a slight sepia. A fine experience in a restless world and with a fine eye for the magic in life.

Teleport to the exhibition right now!

Weblog of Tournicoton (french)

Artists of Tournicoton: Philippe Chaplin

When we meet, we both know we only have an hour for the interview as shortance of time is a mutual issue. But as Philippe Chaplin is a very efficient person, and an hour is more than enough to show his art in different places in Second Life.

I introduced Philippe before, in the article about the angels-expo at Tournicoton Art Gallery. (“We will be angels”) For this article it was Philippe who helped me with translations of texts that are used in the expo and he also made some excellent photo’s for my article.

Of course, we start at Philips gallery-unit at Tournicoton. there he has both paintings and photographs on his wall, what makes clear at once that he is in these two disciplines of art: painter in Real Life and photographer in Second Life.

MD: Where did you start? As I see both Real Life paintings and Second Life photo’s?
Philippe Chaplin: I started painting in Real Life before I knew about Second Life. I came in and I thought it would be nice to have some exposure. To have people to react on my paintings. That was the start. It is easier to expose here than in Real Life.
MD: Have you exposed in Real Life too?
Philippe Chaplin: No. In Real Life you need to be a known artist to have a chance. But I am thinking about having a small exposition locally, though.
MD: Is Tournicoton your first gallery in Second Life?
Philippe Chaplin: No. I have been in Second Life for over a year. I was first at the Artloft, a small gallery owned by a New Yorker. It has closed since. Then I rented a space at the french Quarter, a mall… It has closed since. Now I have a few pictures at the Ginsberg Grand Gallery too. And I am also at SLACC and a few works are at the Jardin des artistes.
MD: Both with paintings and photo’s like here?
Philippe Chaplin: It was only Real Life work first. Now I have concentrated my paintings at the SLACC and here it will be allways a mix.
MD: And why did you start at Tournicoton?
Philippe Chaplin: Oh, interesting. I was for long only connected to the anglo-saxon community, allways speaking in english. Then I met some people from the french group, and that is why I got here. Because of the “Echelle des Anges….” And that is all your fault….LOL
MD: I am very sorry! (not :-P)
Philippe Chaplin: So I stay. And I am happy as it’s a living community.
MD: Is Tournicoton much more ‘alive’ then other galleries?
Philippe Chaplin: It looks like it, the owners seem keen to help and organize things. The collectivity is great here and that is why I will stay.

MD: And your work in Second Life. What made you start with Second Life-photography?
Philippe Chaplin: I made a decision at the beginning which was to try to live without bringing Real Life money in. And so I realized that selling art was not good enough and I started with Second Life photography. It’s like in Real Life, everybody can take snap shots, but not all are good pictures though.
MD: Who are your clients, where do you find them?
Philippe Chaplin: It depends. I sell some, I do specific work for clubs or for people who want good portraits. Lots of girls like good pictures to add in their profile. Some I have found and when I have free time I can go to a club and do a bit of public relations, but lately I don’t have time for that. And some are just asking, they come from recomendations. Some also need pictures for fashion contests.
MD: You made some pictures for me and they were excellent! How many models do you have, lets say in a month?
Philippe Chaplin: Maybe one a week. I can take 10 pictures to have one that is satisfying.
MD: So, you delete a lot?
Philippe Chaplin: It’s all kept in my pc. I can show you my private gallery and the studio if you are interested?
MD: Yes, sure!
Philippe Chaplin: Ok,let’s go. You will see more work.
It’s a residential area. You see? The place is as a gallery, but the door is normally closed. So here are works from Real Life, some you know allready, some are new, like the tulip, or the sample from the Iris serie.
MD: Yes, very bright, beautiful!

Philippe Chaplin: My paintings are done with a spatula, normally from photo’s I have taken previously. Do you see the yellow shutters here? This the photo, its in a little town in Brasil. Now come here… that’s the painting…. Same image, different media.
MD: The painting is very close to the original.
Philippe Chaplin: Yes, that is my problem. I have difficulty changing the reality… it feels like cheating, but in fact it would be creativity.
MD: It is the artistic freedom to change reality, or to show it in a different way, as your point of view is reality too.
Philippe Chaplin: True… I am slowly getting there. Well, abstract is closer to virtuality, because it does not exist.
MD: I think that is what art is about; show a different reality than usual.
Philippe Chaplin: It’s one part of the definition…yes.
MD: What does make you think that is does not exist?
Philippe Chaplin: It does not exist but only in my brain until I paint it.
MD: Some say: “It exists, because I think it“. Is that not so for you?
Philippe Chaplin: Hmm… that becomes philosophy. It exists because it is material. It’s an abstract. No photo’s, just colors and shapes, so it did not exist until I did paint it, not even in my brain.
MD: Started it to exist when you made it up? Or when the painting was done? Or somewhere on the way?
Philippe Chaplin: Exactly… it did not exist before, and it did afterwards.
MD: So, to exist it must be touchable?
Philippe Chaplin: Yes, unless we are talking about thoughts..dreams…feelings….
I am a visual person.

I will show you the next floor.

Philippe Chaplin: So here are the Second Life pictures. The third floor is where I prepare the model wall in Tournicoton. Let’s go up to the studio. So here we are. It’s a skybox at 400 meters above the house. You can try to take the pose-stand, so you will see how I work.
MD: And you controll this pose-stand?
Philippe Chaplin: Yes. Girls like to change outfits too. It can take an hour to get a good shoot.
MD: How many photo’s do you make in a shoot?
Philippe Chaplin: 30 or a bit more, it depends on what is needed. Less than half will be realy good to display. There are more than 30 poses in this stand.

Philippe Chaplin: we can go at the SLACC to finish the interview.
MD: Yes, please.

Philippe Chaplin: I have only paintings here at SLACC.
MD: Just, after all… where is your passion? In paintings or in Second Life-photography?
Philippe Chaplin: I have a period of Second Life photography now, it’s fast and I love the interaction with the people. But I have the prospect to return to painting in Real Life, probably next year…
MD: Does the Real Life-art inspire you in Second Life-photography?
Philippe Chaplin: No. They are separated, but the way I look at things is the same, I like rythme in colors and forms.
MD: Does the Second Life-work in it’s turn inspire your Real Life-work?
Philippe Chaplin: Good question, the answer is no. But I know an artist that did. She is an English artist and she came in and got the inspiration to do a serie of paintings. She did the inauguration in paralelle Second Life and Real Life, with a video link. We could see the Real Life people in Second Life and they had a screen and could see us.

A funny experience…..

Landmarks

! TOURNICOTON Art Gallery, Kuai hele (228, 143, 21)

SLACC – Second Life Art Community Centre, Lilac Island (23, 31, 27)

Coulaut Menges: Emperor in the Bibliothèque Francophone

Before I start with interviewing Coulaut Menges, I have to make an apologise for an huge mistake that I have made and what I deeply regret. As, when writing about “3 espaces” and “Babel Tower, Gutenberg Library Project” I have not mentioned the great part that Coulaut had in these projects, as if he had not been there, these two projects, and many others, would not have been as they are today.

How it came all as far as it is now, is what I talked about with Coulaut Menges, shortly after the release of Library 2.0 on the mainland (Second Life Library/Info Island, Info Island (148, 47, 33)) and the manual-video on the Biblio’s Blogspot.

It is almost one year ago that Coulaut has set his first steps into Second Life. As he did not see anything interesting, he soon wanted to leave Second Life for what it was. Just an advertisement by a French-speaking Library, placed in one of the info-islands for newbies, triggered his interest and that is how he entered the Bibliothèque Francophone and met als Hugobiwan Zolnir, who was till then running the place on his own.

Coulaut was very moved by the “masked poems” and he wished to add some of his own, as a present for Hugobiwan. That brought him on a slippery slope and it got him involved with the organisation of the Biblio. Some talks with Hugo made clear, that they have ideas and interest for arts, innovations and culture in common and that co-operation could be a good idea.

MD: “I already mentioned the ‘Babel Tower, Library 2.0’ that you did with Ange Zanetti and ‘3 Espaces. What other projects did you do? And of which are you proud?”
Coulaut Menges: “I have started with building books in 3D in my own design and scripts. Some of them are here in the Biblio to be seen. And I started with ‘masked poems’ of some of my own.” The greatest achievements were the new building for the Bibliothèque Francophone and the conception and realisation of the sirius gallery here at the biblio with Mariaka Nishi for the expo ‘Les Anges Revent Aussi” (The Angels Also Revent).

MD: “What is your dream?
Coulaut Menges: “My dream is to launche a true artistic vision and to maintaine the high level of innovations that the Biblio now has. I want to give the visitors the desire to return to the Biblio, to discover how we keep on developing arts and innovations in high standards. That we can show them things, that not existed before.

For me, it is my knowledge of scientific information that I want to combine with my taste of arts, and so I get the chance to create things that I could not have imagine to exist, and even beyond that.”

MD: “Googling “Bibliothèque Francophone” gives the real one in Limoges (France) as first hit. What is the relation to the real Biblio.Fr.?
Coulaut Menges: none. It is purely a coincidence of names. But at the moment, real libraries are stating to show interest in our ‘virtual library’, what will bring more opportunities to connect Second Life with Real Life.
Achievements like the Babel Tower are in many ways important. Not in the least because sponsors might get interested too. But our most important standard is, to stay independent. We do not want to be influenced by any financer or institution or company and we want to stay open and for free for everybody who is interested in arts and innovations.

MD: “What is the relation with Metalab? And what are they? An institution?
Coulaut Menges: “Officially there is no bond with the metalab. The biblio is a completely private organisation and an initiative of individuals. The metalab is a public organization that has intentions to accomodate public structures on Second Life. But one of the persons in charge of the metalab (in Real Life) is also responsible for the biblio 🙂

MD: “Since this is supposed to be an interview about you… Coulaut Menges, my final question must be: What moves you?”
Coulaut Menges: “In fact an enormous curiosity. I have allways been very, very curious about the development of new ways of communication. This has begun with ‘Minitel’, that was an ancestor of internet that was very populair in France, it worked fine for more than 10 years, but it got swept away by the launching of Internet; and after with the new technics on data-processing. Just France had sticked with ‘Minitel’ for too long and has therefor been behind on internet for a long time. But now taking over fastly, as for now French are the third in population on Second Life. And moreover as this type of structure allows us to have relations everywhere in France, in Europe and in other continents in the world.