Art and Soul at the OSF

OpensimFest has as its motto 'The chemistry of community' and that's why the regions take their names from the periodic table. Some are words we're all familiar with like Oxygen and Carbon, while others have names that sound a bit made up, come on, admit it, by scientists who just want to mystify their craft. 

The heart of Chlorine. Greyer than I expected, tbh

Here are two OpensimFest regions you might like to explore,  one with an everyday name, the other sounding more exotic. What do they have in common? Big art, and interesting projects. Both regions are full of good things to look at, I've chosen my favorite three from each, so go and explore, perhaps you'll find something I have overlooked.

More than Music: OSF's Event sims

OpensimFest opened on Friday July 8 and will stay open for a full 17 days, including three 3-day weekends with twelve hours of musical entertainment, focused on the four Event regions that are all smooshed together, with four separate stages, so each performer can have the backdrop that matches their musical style. There is a shared dance floor spanning all four regions, and you can hear the music, whichever sim you happen to be dancing on. If you missed the first couple of days, no worries, there is plenty more to come.

Some of the performers have really gone to town in creating an ambience for their events, like this set up by Karima Hoisan, a perfect environment for the wonderful poems.

Many have brought the house down just with a bit of nifty dancing, as seen here where Holocluck Henly and Snoots Dragon are giving it welly.

Spectacular Sound & Adorable Alice

   The final Safari of the season (We start back up again on September 14) and two more absolutely unmissable destinations. If you and everyone you know don't know these places, well... Go. See. Enjoy. HG Addresses are as always at the end of the post.

First up, a visit to The Nuna Gallery on 3rd Rock Grid, more specifically, some sky-high sound based installations by the sorcerer of sound, Lorin Tone and region owner and brilliant builder and region owner Alia Soulstar.  

The Nuna is a walkable Encyclopedia of world art that is as peerless as it is rigorous. For me, it's one of the Seven Wonders of Opensim. Magnificent in its size, layout, detail, complexity, and precision, it must have taken a vast amount of time and talent to put together. This is a useful and beautiful place, an educator's resource of the highest quality, and a place that anyone can enjoy, and find within its walls serenity, knowledge and beauty. 

The Gallery opened in December 2019, and comprises five floors of outstanding world art, with information that sets it in context and basically will give you a degree in Art History by the time you've done the whole building, or, if you just sample a few bits, will in any case expand your mind and help you make sense of the world of art. It's bliss in a box.

Goodbye to Metro

 Nobody would argue (and on this venerable grid, that is really saying something) that the hero of Metropolis Metaversum is Neovo Geesink, seen here dancing along with the other star of the Goodbye to Metro party, LadyJo Martin. Wait, did this gif capture the hand of Kashi Takeshi? Classic Opensim. Metro was slated to close permanently on June 30, 2022, and we decided to party her offline.

LadyJo in green, Neovo in grey, with the partygoers

The party got started, not at noon Pacific as advertised, but well in advance, thanks to the fabulous

The Gift

– Adieu, dit le renard. Voici mon secret. Il est très simple :

on ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur.

A secret, a heart, a book, a voice, a concept, a collaboration, and a sim. A gift.

It began with Unadecal Masala. He runs a region hosting service, where you can rent a fast, efficient region connected to OSGrid, and I think other grids too, but you should ask him. He has always been a supporter of the Safari and Opensim Arts in general, and he offered a space for a project by and for the Safari. 
The idea of doing an event  this season to mark the 122nd birthday of Antoine de Saint-Exupery was already on my mind. His most famous text is The Little Prince, written in French but translated into over 250 languages and dialects, making it one of the most international and best loved books in the world.

But who to take on the job of imagining the book for opensim? It could only be one person, Wizardoz Chrome, machinimer, conceptual artist, word lover and a brilliant and delightful collaborator, not to mention one of the founding members of the Safari. She soon involved others, including Tina Bey, Art Blue, Venus Adored, and Cherry Manga, who presented each of us with a white animesh rose, freshly invented by her, on our arrival on sim Exupery. A truly international group to celebrate these sublime words that have resonated in hearts all around the planet.

Babylonie

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; 

and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 

And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language;

 and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, 

which they have imagined to do.  Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, 

that they may not understand one another's speech.

So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: 

and they left off to build the city.

Genesis 11:4-8

Arrival - Photo by Fitheach Eun

Ignis Fatuus grid, our second destination this week. Ustengrav is a new region from Max, Chip and Harthelie, whose prowess in intricate construction and textures is always mindboggling. The theme is Mesopotamian, proto-Mediterranean, with  a little pre-Columbian mystery in there for good measure. An idyll of idols, if you will. Colors and textures, layout and lighting, this is not a build that is meant to be immediately understood.
We were, how can I put this, informationally challenged, in that yes, there was an intro to the build, in

Dreams of Destiny: Paul Stephen Dixon at Pangea

Lampithaler and Marlon Wayne's Art and Culture Festival on Pangea Grid continues, this time with "Dreams and Nightmares", an art show by Paul Stephen Dixon known inworld as Tryad Destiny.  

The "Dreams and Nightmares" exhibition is at pangeagrid.ddns.net:8002:Norge

 The venue is your classic NPIRL place. Dancing in a forest sim. A few meters away looms an unusual hemisphere gallery, alive in the half light, quite unlike the typical bricks-and-mortar framework favored by many artists in 2D.

All the Fun of the Fair

lifted.pixel: I am already enjoying this corn cob 

You're still in time! Just two weeks before OpensimFest begins, and there are still a few FREE parcels of land available, where you can show off your creativity, get publicity for your region, grid, products, or group. Don't miss out, go to OpensimFest.com and get the ball rolling by registering today!

This week the extraordinary Jessica Pixel filmed our adventures, so watch that, if reading is not your thing. Click here to watch it on Youtube

This week's Safari was to Cuteulala Artis' sims on Winxtropia, and then to the OpensimFest grid to catch up with Fest coordinator Shelenn Ayres. HG Addresses, as always at the end of the post, and this time let's mix it up by telling about destination two first.
We met up with Shelenn on Zen, one of the regions of Opensimfest grid that is closest to being finished - only about two weeks are left, so everyone is in the final rush before testing and checking leading up to the Opening, on July 8th.
Thirza Ember: First question, Shelenn - Opensimfest - what made you take it on?

Arthur in Pangea, with Terra Merhyem

On Pangea Grid, there is an Art and Culture Festival going on, and to kick it off, Terra Merhyem has prepared a magnificent region celebrating the Arthurian legends, on a region called Avalon. 

Afterlife at Amerika art

Terra joined in Second Life in 2016 and immediately got started with art shows featuring both 2 and 3D art. 

She twice qualified for a sim at the LEA and in 2021 also had a SLEA region. She's had going on for thirty art shows altogether in Second Life, and has two permanent exhibitions, at The Galleries  and at The Peace Gallery 

Terra came to Opensim thanks to the art initiative Amerika Art, the brainchild of Art Blue with Juliette Surrealdreaming. You can find the installation among a constellation of important SL names like Glyph Graves, Thoth Janssen and Bryn Oh, on the Amerika regions of Craft Grid. 

If you would like to see the exhibition just go to Craft Grid, type into your Map Amerika and when you get there, look for the funky little chairs deep in the bowels of the pyramid. There are various rooms that enable you to travel to the installations, most many thousands of meters above the ground. There are plenty of installs, all following the theme of an afterlife in various ways, to choose from. It only took me about 45 minutes to find Terra's.

But worth it. Terra's build 'The Afterlife' is a spectacular sculpture soaring high up into the night sky, full of fire and energy, a bit like the lady herself, and from that positive experience on Craft Grid, great things have happened. Was it easy to connect with people in Opensim?

Safari goes Little and Large

This week was all about the great and the small. We started small, on Weelandia, Digiworldz grid - full HG Addresses, as always, at the end of the post. 

Small inconvenience getting to Digi - well, a very big obstacle for quite a few, who could not navigate the rather daunting ID process. So our group was not as big than it might have been, which is a shame, because Digi is a nice grid with lots to see. But that's part of the Variety of Opensim, everyone has their own strategies and concepts about grid security and community. You have to like difference to love the HG.

Because none of that could stop us from visiting with the lovely Nebby Newman, in company with aminata Potez, for an extraordinary visit to a true gem of a sim, Weelandia. 

Safari goes to Hell and Back

Come quando la nebbia si dissipa,

lo sguardo a poco a poco raffigura

ciò che cela 'l vapor che l'aere stipa...

Dante, Inferno XXXI

Beth Ghostraven: Hi Ubit!

Luna Lunaria: Hiya Ubit :-)

Ubit Umarov: nice regions stress your arrival :)  You bring own chairs..  good idea.  i was about to rez a few boxes.. no need

Lux Tergeste: Thank you Thirza for the handy chairs :)

Beth.Ghostraven: this dress is stain-proof anyway

Safari goes to the Docks

This week, two Beatles related builds! One recreating Liverpool Docks, and the other recreating all the joy of the Yellow Submarine. Both exploring a time long, long before you or I were born, naturally. Liverpool is a city with a rich, sometimes troubled history. A port city from the beginning of the 1700s, the ships that plied the Transatlantic routes carried all sorts, manufactured European goods, American cotton, tobacco, sugar, and people - immigrants, but also slaves. The famous Penny Lane immortalized by the Beatles is named after James Penny, described by some as a slave merchant, although the jury is still out on that. One thing that is without a doubt is that the Beatles are Liverpool's number one export, the pride and joy of the city. A huge Beatles museum is located a converted warehouse building on Albert Dock.

We start with a truly amazing trip to Kitely, and the Old Liverpool Dock. This region is normally closed to the public, so our visit was a little bit of HG heaven, and our host Graham Mills has done a

The Sponsors' Tale

 Organizing a big festival is always a huge headache, and you really have to take your hat off to anyone with the nerve to do it. They often end up making a significant financial contribution too, because the setting up of a temporary grid costs rl money. 

This year, the total cost of running the festival is $1040, and a little more than half that has been pledged.  One way that you can help out with it all is by becoming a Sponsor. 

For as little as three bucks you can get kudos and publicity, and brownie points with the higher power, so why not consider helping out? OK I may be lying about the higher power, let's call it the HG power.

There are lots of levels at which you can contribute, and each one brings a bigger slice of land, publicity and warm glowy feeling, although the last might just be the wine, so don't quote me on that. 

Any extra money generated by the sponsors will be shared out among the performers - there will be about 90 over the 17 day event. 
Here are some stories from people who chose to go ahead and put their hand in their pocket for OpensimFest. How hard is it to sponsor? why did they want to do it? What do they hope to see at the event?

Notes on a Safari

 This week two great musical guests, Joao Frazao and Moses Rae. Dang, even their names are musical. As usual HG addresses are at the end of the post.

Starting with destination two in this post, just to mess with your head. 

Belfast and Japan - Photo Finish

History featured strongly in this week's safari as we visited little slice of Asia and of Europe on two grids, Discovery and OSGrid, and found out about a past that may have passed some of us by. It's also a journey into the passion of builders, scripters, and virtual residents, as the kaleidoscope of creativity continues to enthrall us. HG Addresses as always at the end of the post. 

First up, the new project on the Belfast regions of Stiofain Mactomais. Known best perhaps for his music venue the Maritime, modeled on the real club of the same name where Van Morrison got their start, there's much more here - poetry, real world architecture, an exhibit celebrating the Belfast-built Titanic. 

This visit was to the Falls Road, and a project that can be enjoyed using your phone, Oculus rig, or as we did simply inworld.  Called the Belfast Archive Project, t's all about bringing the social history of this part of the world back to life in a vivid and accessible way. We met outside the inworld version of the historic Conway Mill.

Three Good Reasons...

Opensim Fest is still more than a month away,  but plans are already well in hand for this unusual event. A dedicated Festival grid will be home to a true meeting of minds as people from all over the hyperverse set up their exhibits and stores, and dozens of performers keep the party atmosphere going, each in their own way. 

Particles by Torben Asp

If you haven't registered for your free 'ticket' yet, don't delay. It will make it possible for you to sign up as a Greeter, or Performer, Sponsor, or Exhibitor. But wait - Still feeling a bit 'meh' about joining in? Here are three good reasons to get interested and involved - three performers who will be sharing their original content with us at gigs during the 17 day long event.

Come Fly With Me

This week's Safari was something of a time-travel trip of the mind as we visited two very different imaginings.  First on Kitely, at the International Spaceflight Museum where we saw the optimistic imagined future of colonizing Mars, and secondly, an imaginative past of empires and honor, on the grid CounterEarth. HG Addresses, as always, are at the end of the post.

I love ISM on Kitely, there is a stateliness and grandeur about the region.  A veritable forest of rockets dominate the Museum Ring part of the build, with ships, satellites and rockets from all over the world.

 The creators here include Kelly Bucklaew and Asterion Coen with smaller contributions by Samuel Greenway,  Ai Austin, and Miguel Rotunno, but the lion's share of the building is all down to the man himself, Mike Lorrey.

Aedifex Rex: the art of Nyx Breen

If you ever spent any time in the temples of art in Second Life, you will have come across the work of Nyx Breen. Based in Massachusetts, he has a long career as a real-world fine art photographer, and in virtual, a list of winning entries as long as your arm, in particular at the  UWA, the virtual campus of the University of Western Australia. 

After more than a decade of nurturing and rewarding digital art and artists, the UWA powered down in Second Life back in 2020. I thought the place was gone forever, but the great JayJay 'Zifanwe' Jegathesan tells me that the original UWA sim persists there, along with Nyx's Moreton Bay Fig. I asked JayJay about his friend and collaborator.

Kicking off in Canada and Japan

Finally, a true Safari! Earlier this year, on Season One, we had ten whole weeks of trips around the hyperverse without crashing a single sim or having any unexpected hiccups, in the main. That's disappointing, in a way, because for me, the Motto of OpenSim is Liberty, Variety, Instability. 

You've got to have a bit of danger, be kicked off a few sims, freeze, swap avatars, regroup at the clubhouse a bit. That's what adds to the fun, and the sense of group, the best bit of all in a Safari. That said, if you crashed or couldn't get into the two destinations this week, everyone who was able to do the tour will tell you they are both amazing builds, and merit a visit whenever you have the time. Both are huge, and give you the sense of the Great Outdoors, Indoors. 

The Queens of the Castle

               Imagine walking along a beach. Alone, or with a friend.  

Beaches are nice, but they can be awfully samey, same ole trees, and sun, and sky, and sand. 

That's why you often see people on beach holidays reading a book under the ombrellone. 

Now imagine that, instead of bringing your own book to the beach, you could go to a beach littered with books that you could jump inside of, where you will discover action, adventure, humor, and even the meaning of life... is that too much to ask? 

Not at the Nook.