But Is It Art?

The advent of Conceptual Art started putting into question what art was. Really, though, the question of what art was predated that by a bit; long ago, art was less about self-expression and more about ornamentation. Now, art is less about ornamentation (in fact, I remember my Studio Art teacher being offended by the insinuation that someone might use colors to match a given decor) and much more about self-expression; in a way, though, this has devalued ornamentation even when that ornamentation rises from accurate self-expression. Sometimes those two values get layered, though, and the Gallery at Fruit Islands Art could be seen as an example of that. Set up as a traditional art gallery, a lot of the concept behind it rests on the fact that this normal situation exists in a virtual world. Also, the paintings keep changing; I have to say I found that caused me to pay less attention to the paintings and art, and more attention to the figures looking at the art.

The figures (except for me) are all NPCs, unmoving NPCs at that, so the Gallery is simultaneously populated and not; there are the shadows of figures without any of the animation or awareness of figures. I was also struck by how normal everyone looked - which I have to admit was probably part of the point, but it disappointed me; one of the often ignored capabilities in Second Life is to look very strange and different, and the extent to which people reproduce normal appearances always makes me a bit sad. On the one hand, the very virtuality of the art display is itself a message about the nature of art - that it is often hollow, meaningless, a series of things going through motions for the same reactions of looking and murmuring. On the other hand, part of me would have loved to see what an Second Life gallery could be - winged voyeurs, tinies and animals living together, walls which no longer have to be walls in the conventional sense but rather can be mere representations without weather to keep out. That would be a very different conceptual art piece, though; perhaps sometime I'll see if I can take what's in my head and bring it into the world - even if that world is virtual.

My awesome outfit is from artME Fashion - another example of art - this time as fashion.

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De La Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose (promotional item)
Eyes: De La Soul, Rainbow MESH (promotional item)
Ears: Illusion, Seelie Ears
Eyelashes 1: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyelashes 2: *X*plosion, PrimLashes
Eyeshadow: Mock, Makeup Faerie Punque
Lipstick: L.Fauna, Lipstick Black
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Sybille2 Mesh Hair
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Dress: artME Fashion, Absinthe Fae
Shoes: G Field, Mesh Long Cuff Boots "Will"

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Fruit Islands Art
Light Settings: Free's Sunset
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only