Second Life as you may know has been around since 2003. The buzz about its art community has been around for many years and I thought I’d check out the virtual world for myself. I signed up – my SL name is Kara Cobalt – and explored the first gallery I encountered: Chromutate. It’s brand new and definitely worth exploring.
This psychedelic installation moves and reacts as you interact with it. Platforms will rise and fall, objects will drop from sky, things will spin, and your avatar will dance!
Wow. So this may be the opening to the doors of perception. This artist renders what is impossible to convey in real life (RL). Second Life (SL) enables you to fly, teleport and even walk on water. This world is pure fantasy and the artist’s “perception is not limited to what is biologically or socially usefull.” (Huxley) Escapism – I got lost in Chromutate for 45 minutes without realizing it.
This is a world where everything moves, light beams, sculptures dance and colours swirl. I found myself walking in a rainbow river and upon emerging from the river I found a dance ball that gave my avatar the ability to do ballet. I was twirling in a gazebo, laughing, crying and blowing kisses.
Then I stumbled upon the biggest drive-in theatre you’ve ever seen. I mean multiple screens clad with sexy women – some recognizable movie stars. I touched one of the screens that was YouTube operated and a movie started playing with big surround sound.
It was now night time, I suppose so the movie screens shone brighter, but I was feeling strange in the dark all alone; so I flew out of there and into a building. Yes, I said fly – it was glorious. When I landed on the building I climbed some stairs, found a piano and started playing! Alone in the dark so it was time to find another art spot. Teleport home…
Click here for a listing of art galleries in SL.
Godspeed,
Universe of Art 
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