Standing Against Opression

"Je Suis Charlie" image by Yokufo / Installation by Ebony Glendevon

The collaborative installation "Standing Against Oppression" by Ebony Glendevon is one of the pieces with the most impact in "The Oxford" and one of the main reasons the gallery exists in the first place.

"This installation contains a number of components which speak to my belief that we must all do our part to carry light into whatever realm we find ourselves, no matter the personal cost of doing so."

Ebony Glendevon

The first component of the installation is a framed image, "Je Suis Charlie" by Yokufo. The candles scattered across the floor in front of the image form the second part of this installation.  These candles are an expression of the light each of us carry within our souls and appear in a random, never repeating pattern. Though they eventually wink out, there will always be another to shine forth, and another, and another.  Darkness does not exist, it is merely the absence of light. This kind of darkness must not be permitted to prevail.

"There will never be enough candles to commemorate the victims of oppression. It is my belief that if each of us do our own small part to stand against oppression, there need be no more victims."

Ebony Glendevon 

The final piece of the installation is the strongest.  Visitors may light a candle by clicking on any candle to have their name shown above 'their' candle, among the names of the others who feel the same.  Ms. Glendevon has chosen to show the actual, not display names as she believes we must all take indelible, personal responsibility for our actions and beliefs.

If your conscience permits, you can show your support for these principles and freedoms, standing with others in the ongoing fight against any form of oppression we all are facing in these dark days.  Though all names may not be showing at any one time, all names will be shown in turn. Visitors may re-affirm their stance at any time by clicking on any candle.

"It is appalling that a country which was the birthplace and home of lights such as François-Marie Arouet, more commonly known by his pen-name of "Voltaire", should be the scene of atrocities against the very principles they championed.  This image was created in response to the atrocities of January 2015; it was placed on display at the original location of the gallery shortly thereafter.  The recent relocation of the gallery is due to my personal decision not to cede to others within Second Life who would seek to curtail the freedoms so many of us take for granted.  It is no overstatement to say their attitudes and actions need only a balaclava ski-mask and AK-47 to complete the ensemble."

Ebony Glendevon

"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."

John Stuart Mill (May 20 1806 – May 8 1873)

  in an inaugural address delivered to the university of St. Andrews: Feb. 1st 1867 

  

"One can only hope the people in charge take courage from those they're supposed to be leading."

Ebony Glendevon,

in open chat, Second Life, January 8, 2015

You may be interested in the "Je suis Charlie" group in Second Life. 

The original "Je Suis Charlie" image by Yokufo on DeviantArt (1063x752), created after the horrible murder of the editors and artists of "Charlie Hebdo" can be found on Yokufo's page on Deviant Art. Subject to attribution, the artist has given explicit permission to reproduce this image.

We'd also like to draw your interest to Yokufo's image "Peace for Paris".

"Peace for Paris" by Yokufo

Featured Image "When Time Slows and Her Mind Wanders"

Here is another hand picked piece from the vast collection of The Oxford Eclectic @rt Gallery. Enjoy and make your day a bit colorful. 

 "When Time Slows and Her Mind Wanders"by Serenity Bliss

"Heavily filtered, I loved how the colors blended into silhouette like frame." Serenity Bliss

Come and see it at the The Oxford Eclectic @rt Gallery 

In the words of the artist:

"Spending many years in Second Life has shown and taught me many things about imagery and myself.  I started by posing for my own pictures in studio based settings. Once I found the in world enhanced lighting though, I decided to try more natural shots taking 'in the moment'.  Some images, I have enhanced with filters but mostly I like to stay away from that. I began to see stories unfold as I was angling the camera around and playing with lighting. Mostly though, my emotions often seep into my photos.  I hope you enjoy viewing them." Serenity Bliss 

The featured image by The Oxford is brought to you by Ebony Glendevon, Gallery Manager

Beyond Imagination: The Idea of a Virtual Gallery

People unfamiliar with Second Life could easily confuse this virtual world with some type of three-dimensional on-line game. Without going deep into game-theory, the most important difference is that, unlike a typical game which has a predetermined "story" structure with "obstacles", "achievements", "levels" and "goals", Second Life provides an open environment which people are able to create and tailor to their own wishes within the limits of the technology, and in which they may interact with others in any way they wish within the broadly-defined "Terms of Service" as set out by the providers of the service, Linden Lab. 

The advent of the internet extended our conceptual platform for information sharing, collaboration and creativity. The implementation of the World Wide Web expanded and simplified that functionality, bringing it within the reach of the casual, non-technical user.  

Second Life takes this expansion a step further, falling within the broad definition of "Web 2.0" by creating a virtual three-dimensional environment in which you are immersed in a space where artists are no longer limited by cost or the laws of space-time as we know it.  Second Life implements exciting new avenues for artists as they may now create inside this three-dimensional environment in a manner impossible before now.

Art in Second Life is not uncoupled from our actual, physical lives.  It evokes emotions and can inspire, reflecting back into the real world. A good and intense artwork involves the viewer emotionally, regardless of the setting.  The immersive Second Life environment allows them to see this art as real, even it is "only" a virtual representation of the artist's imagination.

If I had to pick a single word to describe the whole of Second Life, it would be "ephemeral". While change is the only constant in our universe, Second Life takes this to extremes. Constant change is the norm rather than the exception. This can make it more difficult for artists to be recognized than it would be in a more constant world.  

This is where the benefits of a non-profit gallery in Second Life attain a sharp focus. It is a perfect way to carry the experience of viewing carefully and thoughtfully curated exhibitions into this exciting world of constant change. As Second Life users carry their real world experience into the virtual world, the established and proven concept of a gallery where one is able to walk through and "touch" the exhibits delivers a familiar experience and bridges the gap between the virtual and real world. A virtual gallery affords artists the opportunity to showcase their sculptures and images within the established concept of a real world exhibition. This allows for an easy transition of established art into this world, while removing the limitations of cost and physical barriers to their creativity.

Central to the idea of an exhibition of virtual art is the involvement of the 3D personas (avatars) and the traditional elements of placed and catalogued exhibits. A virtual gallery reaches beyond this traditional concept by utilizing new aesthetic-technological dimensions and by the nature of the artwork itself, which has often a completely new, almost ephemeral quality. 

Due to the fact that real world art can easily be brought into the virtual space, artists can not only create inside the virtual world but also present existing real world artwork to a completely new audience who might never set foot in a gallery. The barriers to entry are minimal or non-existant; there are no transportation costs and there is no need to find a parking space; the galleries are open all day, every day and there are no entry fees. The barriers between the visitor and the artists are similarly reduced; a more direct contact between artists and audience is possible, messages are delivered instantly or stored and forwarded as required; temporal and geophysical separations fall away.  The virtual creations are freed from real world restrictions and often are of outstanding beauty as they may also be created by mixing real world art with virtual art.  

An essential part of the creative process is the recognition and stringent protection of the artists' intellectual property rights.  The Oxford Eclectic @rt Gallery takes this responsibility very seriously.  No pieces are exhibited which have been obtained without the requisite permissions. No pieces are for sale from the gallery. The artist should be contacted directly if the visitor wishes to obtain their own copy of any of the pieces on display.

A curated non-profit gallery in Second Life is able to bring all of these elements together and deliver an amazing experience for the visitor. Using tools like notecards and links to personal profiles or websites allows the visitor to gain a deeper insight into the artist's thinking and affords a smooth delivery of information, including "outside links" to more traditional websites and photo streams.  A virtual gallery in Second Life offers most of the benefits of a physical visit to a museum or gallery but without the majority of the barriers to such a visit.