An exhibition series of original digital art in a virtual world
UWA Centenary 3D Art Challenge: REFLECTIONS FreeWee Ling, curator
UWA Studies in Virtual Arts | August 2013 | Volume 2, Number 1 ISSN: 2200-7865 (Print)
ISSN: 2200-7873 (Online)
UWA Studies in Virtual Arts August 2013 Volume 2, Number 1 ISSN 2200-7865 (Print) ISSN: 2200-7873 (Online) http://uwainsl.blogspot.com/p/uwa-studies-in-virtual-arts.html Jay Jay Jegathesan (SL pseudonym: JayJay Zifanwe), Project Director, Co-curator D. A. Newton (SL pseudonym: FreeWee Ling), UWA Honorary Research Fellow, Lead Curator, and General Editor Copyright © 2013 by D.A. Newton. All rights to the original works depicted are owned by their respective creators, and images thereof are used by their permission. All text and images by D.A. Newton/FreeWee Ling unless otherwise noted. Contact: Jay Jay Jegathesan School of Physics The University of Western Australia (M013) 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009 Australia Email: jay.jay@uwa.edu.au UWA Studies in Virtual Arts comprise exhibition catalogues, special editions, and monographs on the arts in virtual worlds. Focus is especially upon the 3D art competitions held at UWA’s virtual campus in Second Life®. Citation Contributors retain intellectual property rights to their material and may re-publish it provided that UWA SiVA is acknowledged as the original place of publication. Material in UWA SiVA may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-profit use for the purposes of education, research, library reference, or stored and/or distributed as a public service by any networked computer. Any commercial use of this journal in whole or in part by any means is strictly prohibited without written permission. Any use of this journal in whole or in part should include customary bibliographic citation. “Second Life®”and “Linden Lab®” are trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. The university of Western Australia and UWA SiVA are not affiliated with or sponsored by Linden Research.
Contents Introduction The Winners The Work Exhibition Catalog
Introduction 2013 is the fourth year of 3D virtual art challenges at the University of Western Australia’s virtual gallery in Second Life® (SL™). Through these competitions, UWA in SL has been recognized worldwide as a preeminent venue for the presentation of virtual arts and machinima. This year we again feature two separate, concurrent art challenges with special attention to the UWA Centenary. The UWA Centenary 3D Art Challenge: REFLECTIONS accepted entries from February 1 through May 30, and the related MachinimUWA VI: REFLECTIONS (6th UWA Short Animated Film Festival) launched and a month later, with a deadline of June 30. The respective launches were staggered because MachinimUWA VI was designed to strongly encourage the inclusion of art entries in the film productions and there needed to be time for some early art entries to arrive. As with most UWA challenges, participation was open to anyone and no qualification was required. There were technical limits to the number of parts contained in an object and to server load. There was no size limit except to the extent that it might impede our ability to show other work or impact other activities of the university. We were able to accommodate video and audio media streaming, sound and light emitters, motion scripting, etc. Often we are confronted with work that presents special difficulties in presenting it properly (e.g. we had two entries requiring special landscaping and environmental settings, but fortunately they turned out to be compatible with each other and the exhibition as a whole). We had no insurmountable issues with this round’s entries.
REFLECTIONS UWA Centenary 3D Art Challenge: REFLECTIONS was run in tribute to the 2013 Centenary of the University of Western Australia, as UWA reflects on its 100 years of existence and ponders the question of what the next 100 years may bring.* We allowed the greatest possible latitude in interpreting the reflections theme. True literal reflective surfaces are not yet ideally possible in SL except on water surfaces. (There is testing going on at this time of a “materials” viewer that would add support for normal maps—the underlying technology that currently makes reflective water possible.) So throughout the history of SL the illusion of reflections have been “artificially” created by creating inverse copies of objects and placing them under/behind a semitransparent surface. This technique is used in several entries in this REFLECTIONS show.
*The 2012 Art Challenge was also run in tribute to the Centenary. 2012 was the centenary of the administrative establishment of the university and the hiring of staff, while 2013 celebrates the arrival of the inaugural class of students. ** Linden Dollars are cash equivalent units used in Second Life. They can be bought and sold and the exact value in real world currency fluctuates slightly, but has held fairly steady around L$250 to $1.00 US. So the total awards amount to approximately $2,400 US.
INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION
SPONSORS
We had 64 entries by 66 artists (there were two collaborations). We had representation from 12 countries, including a surprisingly strong French cohort.
This Challenge is sponsored by
19 USA 16 France (incl. 1 from Martinique) 7 Australia 5 UK 4 Spain (incl. 1 from Minorca) 3 Italy 2 Canada 2 Japan 2 Netherlands 2 Switzerland 1 Denmark 1 Serbia AWARDS L$570,500** in prizes were awarded in the 3D art competition, and increase of L$20,500 from the previous year. The awards included: • 1st Prize L$100,000 • 2nd Prize L$75,000 • 3rd Prize L$55,000 • 4th Prize L$45,000 • 5th Prize L$40,000 • 6th - 10th Prize L$25,000 • UWA Special Centenary Prize L$50,000 • UWA Centenary Honourable Mention Prize L$30,000 • UWA Curator’s Prize L$30,000 • Audience Participation Prizes (5): L$20,000 All winners also received a guided tour system of winner’s choice (retail value L$2,199) by The Guided Tour Company, provided by JonyBlade Codesmith.
• OPEN THIS END, with thanks to Cristina García-Lasuén (RL) / Aino Baar (SL) • PEACE IS A CHOICE Gallery, with thanks to TheDove Rhode • Virtlantis, with thanks to Kip Yellowjacket • Best of Second Life (BOSL) Group, with thanks to Frolic Mills • Secret Rage • The Guided Tour Company, with thanks to JonyBlade Codesmith • Japanese arts journalist Temi Sirbu • UWA, with special thanks to Professor Ted Snell, Director of the Cultural Precinct, and Jon Stubbs, Director of Student Services. All pieces entered across the year were allowed to be filmed for various machinima projects, and machinima artists were encouraged to include them in their entries for the concurrent MachinimUWA VI competition, which also carried the theme of REFLECTIONS.
The Work There were 64 entries by 66 artists (including two collaborations). Ama Avro (Strasbourg France) ~ The Thinker Anley Piers (France) ~ Once upon a time Artée (The Hague Netherlands) ~ Transcendental Squares Barry Richez (Toulouse France) ~ Quantum Bethlise Lorgsval (Sainte Tulle France) ~ Scene reflexion Betty Tureaud (Copenhagen Denmark) ~ Reflexion on a human mind Blue Tsuki (Seattle USA) ~ Who Are You? Carmsie Melodie & Struthious (Australia / USA) ~ Looking Back Cherry Manga (France) ~ Cogito ergo sum Chic Aeon (Corvallis, Oregon USA) ~ I have walked this way before Chuckmatrix Clip (Elizabeth, NJ USA) ~ The Scent of Her Claude Belgar (Margny-lès-Compiègne France) ~ Reflection of reflection Comet Morigi (Tokyo Japan) ~ Wind Floaters Corcosman Voom (California USA) ~ Narcissus Dusty Canning (Perth Australia) ~ Reflections of a Star Dyzo (St. John’s, Newfoundland Canada) ~ Choice Eifachfilm Vacirca (Zürich Switzerland) ~ Fishing for the Green Rose Elizabeth Spieler (Seattle USA) ~ Reflection of Imagination Emilio Charisma (Salamanaca Spain) ~ Sideral Time Fae Varriale (West Wales UK) ~ The journey: Reflections of a SL artist Faery Sola (Caboolture Australia) ~ Family Tree Friday Siamendes (Denver USA) ~ Darkly Gem Preiz (Paris France) ~ Planet of Knowledge Ginger Alsop (Calgary, Alberta Canada) ~ The Room for Reflections Glyph Graves (Sydney Australia) ~ I Thought I Hated Him GnomeZen (Monterey, California USA) ~ Dream Reflection Jedda Zenovka (North NSW Australia) ~ Genetic Mirrors Jess Oranos (Cincinnati, OH USA) ~ Timely Reflections Jipe loon (Haute Savoie France) ~ Mirror with four virgins on the shores of their depravity Judyblue Stand (El Paso, Texas USA) ~ Reflections on the Past Kaizersem Tenk (Paris France) ~ Bad Toy Kamerina Kamala and Lemon Acidjuice (Paris France) ~ Through generations
Krystali Rabeni (Blackpool, Lancashire UK) ~ Silent Reflections Lalexl Devin (Perpignan France) ~ Ephemeral Reflection London Junkers (London England) ~ Reflections: Through the eyes of UWA Luna Enigma (Illinois USA) ~ Reflections of a Diva Maddomxc Umino (Modena Italy) ~ The Race (Picasso in 3d) Martazul Zemlja (Spain) ~ Science and Evolution Mcarp Mavendorf (Atlanta, Georgia USA) ~ Rotation model Mishawu Zuiden (Daleville, Alabama USA) ~ Distant Past - Inspired Future Misprint Thursday (New Hampshire USA) ~ Echo’s Reflecting Pool Mitsuko Kytori (Tokyo - Aix en Provence Japan/France) ~ Thinking of flower, perhaps autobiographic Nexuno Thespian (cagliari Italy) ~ Sunreflections Nino Vichan (New York City USA) ~ Riflessioni delle Onde (Reflections of Waves) PeanutbuttahJellehTime Magic (Seattle USA) ~ Don’t lose your marbles (especially the big one) Rebeca Bashly (Belgrade Serbia) ~ Fruit of Time Rose Borchovski (Amsterdam Netherlands) ~ Hidden Rosie Dimanovic (Grenoble France) ~ Horizon Secret Rage (Texas USA) ~ Inside the Black SerenVide (Shoreham by Sea England) ~ FromThereToHere Serra Qendra (Melbourne Australia) ~ Lines of investigation/reflection upon Shenn Coleman (Avignon France) ~ Neuron Sphere Silene Christen (Mahon, Mennorca, Balears Islands Spain) ~ Path to Self Knowledge snoop acoustic (France) ~ Reflexion soror Nishi (Kent England, UK) ~ Strange oaks from simple acorns grow Sunday Serenity (Melbourne Australia) ~ Reflections of Life Surfaqua Oh (Luzern Switzerland) ~ Avatars-reflection Takni Miklos (Figueras Spain) ~ Windows into Other Rooms Talia Sunsong. (Berkeley, California USA) ~ Emerging from the Chrysalis Tamashiirent Starsider (Rome Italy) ~ Inspirations Thierry Lowtide (Popes, Avignon Vaucluse France) ~ Reflection AndroHumanoid Thor Effingham (Ohio USA) ~ Better Days Ahead Thoth Jantzen (Boston USA) ~ A Reflection on Reflecting Reflections Yepar Saez (Martinique Island, Carribean France) ~ Reflexions of Reflections carousel
The Winners Prizes were announced at a special awards ceremony 4 August 2013 at the BOSL Amphitheater in the UWA sims in Second Life.
1st Prize (L$100,000) Glyph Graves (Sydney, Australia) I Thought I Hated Him
2nd Prize (L$59,000 each) Carmsie Melodie (Australia) & Struthious (USA) Looking Back Jipe Loon (Haute Savoie, France) Mirror with four virgins on the shores of their depravity Krystali Rabeni (Blackpool, Lancashire , UK) Silent Reflections
5th Prize (L$30,000 each) Barry Richez (Toulouse, France) Quantum Misprint Thursday (New Hampshire USA) Echo’s Reflecting Pool Shenn Coleman (Avignon, France) Neuron Sphere
8th Prize (Total L$25,000) Nino Vichan (New York City, USA) Riflessioni delle Onde (Reflections of Waves) Rebeca Bashly (Belgrade, Serbia) Fruit of Time
10th Prize (L$8,500 each) Blue Tsuki (Seattle USA) Who Are You? Rose Borchovski (Amsterdam Netherlands) Hidden Yepar Saez (Martinique Island, Carribean France) Reflexions of Reflections Carousel
UWA Centenary Special Prize (L$50,000) Awarded to the artwork that best reflects the spirit of the UWA Centenary, as determined by the UWA members of the judging panel.
Soror Nishi (Kent, England, UK) Strange oaks from simple acorns grow
UWA Centenary Honourable Mention (L$15,000 each) Ama Avro (Strasbourg, France) The Thinker Misprint Thursday (New Hampshire USA) Echo’s Reflecting Pool
Curators Prize (L$15,000 each) Awarded by FreeWee Ling, Curator
Takni Miklos (Figueras Spain) Windows into Other Rooms Thierry Lowtide (Popes, Avignon Vaucluse France) Reflection AndroHumanoid
Audience Participation Prizes Awarded to members of the public who most closely guessed the rankings of the actual winners.
First (L$7000): Gisele89G Second (L$5000): Michelbritz Third (L$4000): Kara Trapdoor Fourth (L$2500): Temi Sirbu Fifth (L$1500): QEOY
Ama Avro
(Strasbourg, France)
The Thinker CO-WINNER: UWA CENTENARY PRIZE HONOURABLE MENTION Ama's mesh piece is a completely original vision and is elegantly symbolic on many levels, addressing directly the UWA Reflections Centenary theme. In the piece a young boy stands under a tree that sprouts from the middle of a book. The page is open to a map reminiscent of an Australian Aboriginal style. The map shows objects along the trail that the boy will acquire on a path with wisdom at the end. All the objects are connected with UWA—a key, a swan, peacocks, symbols of learning in art, history, science, etc.
Observing closely the other leaves in the book, we can see pages similarly decorated with music, art, and so on. And on the front cover is an embossed version of the key. While the symbolism is replete and obvious, it does not overwhelm. It's all part of a deeply considered and engaging presentation. I spoke to Ama who told me all the textures are original. Even the tree bark is from a photo made from a tree in his yard.
Anley Piers (France) Once upon a time Anley presents a surreal and interesting interpretation of the UWA Centenary. A chimeric creature with a bird’s skull, an ant’s body, and a light bulb for a tail, contemplates the beginnings of an idea a century ago.
ArtĂŠe (Artistide Despres) (The Hague, Netherlands) Transcendental Squares
A highly kinetic piece that is difficult to capture in a still photo. It consists of a large faceted cube with rapidly changing glowing edges. Inside are four small boxes that dance around their particular orbits. As they collide with the small squares brief sounds similar to muted plucked strings are emitted.
Barry Richez (Toulouse, France) Quantum CO-WINNER: 5TH PRIZE
Barry's piece is a statement about discreet moments in time: the past, present, future, and subjective reality. It relates to the UWA Centenary symbolically with the 4 figures symbolizing the past through the future. The entire piece rotates slowly and makes a ticking clock sound as well as a repeating short musical phrase.
The probability of the uncertainty principle is the same probability that the observer will have with any future event.� Basically, the more we know about one aspect of a thing, the less we can know about some other aspect. I'm always wary of using principles of quantum physics as a metaphor for macro level ideas. In this case it seems to work in a coincidental (not causative ) way. ~ Barry Richez
Bethlise Lorgsval (Sainte Tulle, France) Scene reflexion
REFLECTION A word that has multiple meanings: The reflection with respect to the future, And reflection of an image, a "mirror." My scene has all its aspects. Firstly, the debate on the future of the university UWA in next 100 years: Image 1: Do not forget the past, Image 2: Technology, which will fly and help us on our way of thinking Image 3: A woman looking in a mirror Image 4: 100 years of the University Image 5: Construction will change, it will become more modern, fantasy Image 6: Space, a place where humans are more comfortable Figure 7: The past, the future, the book ... Image 8: Silhouettes that vat we become? • The flowers, mainly red, for genetics that will change our lives. • Avatar arm, out of the ground for molecules disintegrate and congregate (teleportation). • The brain with the avatar, is the pure reflection of a human being on the fate of our race and our planet. ~ Bethlise Lorgsval
Betty Tureaud (Copenhagen, Denmark) Reflexion on a human mind
Blue Tsuki (Seattle, USA) Who Are You? CO-WINNER: 10TH PRIZE
An immersive environment. The viewer sits near one of the candle lights and the poses are mirrored in the sculpted figures below. There are voices whispering....
Who are you?
Is it the truth?
Who’s there?
What do you want?...
Carmsie Melodie & Struthious (Australia / USA) Looking Back CO-WINNER: 2ND PRIZE
Carmsie gives us a powerful portrait of the death of a fictional woman named Marion, an apparent suicide and victim of domestic violence. We inhabit her mind as she remembers her life; we overhear the whispers of her family and friends at her funeral as they experience a range of emotions from blame, to guilt to sadness.
Looking Back can are three main poi you reflect. The pi our hope is that it upon their own lif seek peace.
Many have asked u experience and the characters that form resemblance to rea coincidental.
be interpreted a number of ways but there ints of focus - she reflects, they reflect, and iece has a sad but important message and inspires - even just one person - to reflect fe and find the strength and the courage to
us if this build stems from personal e answer is no. Marion and all other m part of this work are fictitious. Any al life persons, living or dead, is purely ~Carmsie Melody
Cherry Manga (France) Cogito ergo sum
Cherry Manga uses recursive forms to illustrate the paradox of introspection—a brain that can both contemplate its own existence, and comprehend a reasonable facsimile of a universe billions of light years in size.
Chic Aeon (Corvallis, Oregon, USA) I have walked this way before
This art installation was made in part as a film set for "No Regrets," a machinima entered in MachinimUWA VI: REFLECTIONS. Chic describes the film and this scene (in italics): First there are only tomorrows the future at our fingertips. we wonder why we are here -what miracle, plan or cosmic accident brought us to this place and time. we make our choices -- we live with consequences* and if we are lucky -- we can leave with no regrets only memories only expectations
Chuckmatrix Clip (Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA) The Scent of Her When I was younger I spent ten months in a mental hospital. After several months, and much discussion as to the safety of it, the doctors allowed my parents to bring me the stuffed bear that I had been given on my first birthday. He had seen me through some hard times in my life, and during this challenging time, I had asked for him several times. Finally, I had him, and I sat him against my pillow. That night, I lay down in bed, cuddled up with my teddy bear, and took a deep breath. I smelled the scent of my mother's perfume so strongly. Leaning down I sniffed lightly at White Bear (I named him when I was one, ok?) and he smelled like my mom through and through. I realized in that moment, that SHE had been sleeping with him for comfort. I realized that we had both sought comfort from him as we, in essence, sought the same thing... ME. The me who had been lost in mental illness and resentment of things past. And so, I screamed. I buried my face in my pillow and let out a silent scream that only God could have heard, and cried for the first time in years. It was a moment of deep self reflection. I knew in that one moment everything that had changed, everything that would need to be changed, and that I wasn't as separated from my parents as I thought. She had found comfort in my old stuffed bear, and actually given up that little bit of comfort for my sake as I fought to find myself somewhere deep in a disturbed mind. ~ Chuckmatrix Clip
Claude Belgar (Margny-lès-Compiègne, France) Reflection of reflection
Claude’s piece is one of several in this show that uses the technique of placing a duplicate scene in reverse behind a semi-transparent wall or floor to give the impression of a true 3D reflection.
Comet Morigi (Tokyo, Japan) Wind Floaters
Comet often uses the ambient wind of Second Life’s environment in her work. There are only a few things that are normally affected by wind, such as flexible objects or particle emissions. In any case, an object must be scripted to be affected by wind. In this case, Comet has set a rezzer in the middle of this large platform that covers the entire sim (at high altitude). A block somewhat taller than an average avatar is rezzed about once every three seconds and simply moves steadily in the direction and speed of the wind at its particular time and place. So the objects are not aware of each other, but are simply following similar trajectories. This produces interesting, not-quite-random patterns that are ever changing.
Corcosman Voom (California, USA) Narcissus
There were several pieces in the exhibition that were about literal reflections. Corcosman and Misprint Thursday both used the mythic story of Narcissus falling in love with his own reflection. Corcosman is known for making highly expressive works in normal prims. This piece shows an abstract multicolored Narcissus gazing into a golden mirror. The many multicolored prims take advantage of transparency collisions so the color shift and appear to move as seen from different angles. It is appealing for its simplicity and abstract energy.
Dusty Canning (Perth, Australia) Reflections of a Star
Dusty’s entry is an homage to Charlie Chaplin, the great star of the silent movie era. As we peer into the core of the star-shaped base, we see a 3D rendering of Chaplin surrounded by mirrors that reflect the infinite facets of the figure.
Dyzo (St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada) Choice
Dyzo shows us chess boards in black and red and disconnected blocks. The parts are all rotating slowly.
Eifachfilm Vacirca (Z端rich, Switzerland) Fishing for the Green Rose
Eif presents us with a somewhat ghoulish confrontation of alien creatures. He states: “A university teaches the advancement of human knowledge and of society in general. But can idealism survive the burden of profit? We all face death some day. At this point we ask ourselves what advances have we really made and what legacy will we leave.�
Elizabeth Spieler (Seattle, USA) Reflection of Imagination
About this complex work, Elizabeth writes: The Origin of Oz mystery maps are the focus in this presentation and in my theory, are the foundation of the Myers & Briggs Personality test, promoted by Carl Jung. This build gives imagery to reveal how L. Frank Baum transposed the bible characters, known as the 12 tribes of Israel filtered through the four gospels. Showing a reflection process that leads us into greater understanding of the monsters that appear on the Great Throne, in the book "The Wizard of Oz" (1900). I used the UWA location of the Sunken Garden because it goes much with my theme, being that the heavens reflect the earth, or the garden we call earth. Sunken would imply ignorance to the process of this garden, and the evidence of that is clearly seen and witnessed by all in what is known as "The Law Of Reflection." I added fire, to show the reflection of the "sunken" state the mind can enter into. ...
The wheels should go up and down, but due to scripts and heavy prims, that fully moving model is set up for display at the location below. Must go all the way to the top level to view it. That version also shows the theory behind what is called "biorhythms." The space ship is not a UFO; I like to giggle and say I have identified them. They are natural occurrences of the earth's natural movement, according to my theory anyway. Much like the northern aurora lights, and a common rainbow. We must understand much from outer space is reflecting upon us, and the ship is used to reveal consciousness, and what that looks like to the human eye. We can't see gravity or wind, but we know they exist. These images are carved on the walls of the "Great Pyramids of Egypt." Christopher Columbus describes following one to the new world, and of course, the architects of the Seattle Space Needle must have used the same imagery, as the evidence shows an exact match to the vision I compare it to in the book Ezekiel. The build also has a tour available in Second Life, if this interests you, stop by and peek into the brilliance of L. Frank Baum in his discovery, and the writing of this American fairytale, that is now listed to be the most watched movie on earth.
Emilio Charisma (Salamanaca, Spain) Sideral Time
Emilio’s piece responds to the presence of the viewer. It presents a sequence of scenes/events, beginning with a pastoral view if UWA’s Winthrop Hall with the night sky behind.
Then the numerals begin to fall from the face.
Soon, the image of the clock face appears.
And finally the words appear in 3D letters rising from the bottom.
Fae Varriale (West Wales, UK) The journey ~ Reflections of a SL artist
As virtual worlds have been around for over 10 years now, artists and others are beginning to mature and to look back at where they came from as they ponder the future.
Faery Sola (Caboolture, Australia) Family Tree
Faery has a wonderful sense of whimsy and fantasy. This piece is best seen with a lot of people sitting on it, which is not easy to achieve in a gallery setting. The trompe l'oeil tree sports a dozen or so fanciful poses.
Photo and avatars by Temi Sirbu
Friday Siamendes (Denver, USA) Darkly
Friday’s intallation is about seeing. It shows an image seen and processed by the eye and brain. It was made as a set for “Four Eyes,” his entry in MachinimUWA VI: REFLECTIONS.
Gem Preiz (Paris, France) Planet of Knowledge
Gem’s piece is deceptively complex and remarkably beautiful. The sphere turns slowly and reminds one of images from space of Earth at night. He states: The installation consists of a sphere in 128 parts, rotating above an open old binding book showing Mercator map. The sphere is covered with a spheric fractal pattern. The book evokes Knowledge and Science, a highly valuable and respectable relic evoking the past, the ancient way of storing and transfering knowledge: printing, engraving, physically holding. Mercator map represents how universal knowledge concern has always been. The sphere, floating and soflty glowing above, seems an emanation of this tradition, though with a much more modern and technological aspect. The fractal pattern, just as knowledge, branches out and seems made of an infinite network of seemingly insignificant details which weave on a large scale understandable structures. I let the spectator imagine what could represent the pattern, from microengraving for data storage purpose to macro-mapping of futuristic urbanism or whetever else. The sphere, rotating as Earth does, with the same inclination angle, reminds the global vocation of a top ranking university, and its colours (sand and sky) UWA ones. It is glowing as in the classical vision of knowledge bringing light to Mankind. As a summary, “Planet of Knowledge” could be seen as a prayer to UWA, or a mission statement like : “Go on, as you ever did, leading innovation, storing knowledge and teaching, at a global level, for the benefit of Mankind.”
Gingered Alsop (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) The Room for Reflections
I thought a lot about how to represent this theme. Clearly it’s easy to create some physical object and simulate a reflection, but I wanted something deeper. The purpose of this piece is for you to reflect upon things you’ve experienced, the good things or the bad. The images and the music are a catalyst. There are a lot of images, but focus on the few you love, ignore the rest as unimportant to the objective. The images will cause you to remember something good or bad and the music will take you on a journey; to new places or old. If you feel anything at all besides the pretty colors of the graphic art, then the intent of the room has succeeded for you. For me, throughout the construction of this art piece, I’ve had to deal with the loss of a friend of mine. I didn’t know him a great deal personally, but he was a well respected work colleague and his loss is sudden and sad. This art piece has given me peace throughout that experience … it makes me feel like I need to soar with these images and music, and I always end in a place of tranquility no matter how I felt when I started. It’s my hope that the journey you take has a similar destination. ~ Ginger(ed Alsop)
Glyph Graves (Sydney, Australia) I Thought I Hated Him GRAND PRIZE WINNER
This is a romance of the old style pulp paper book variety A story of dark twisted passions that lay just beneath the surface. Where tensions and disagreements have only served to fuel an ongoing passion. They express their devotion in song He by flute, She by kalimba, Each note a mapping of their respective prices, for that... is the language of their love. It is also a dance piece, one conducted between the New York Stock Exchange composite index and the Shanghai Stock Exchange composite index. It is in effect driven by the desires, thoughts and buying/selling of the millions of individuals that trade on these markets. A reflections of their wants. Each dancer retains the last two hours of trades from each of their respective composite stock indexes. When the exchanges are open they sample new prices from the exchanges every two minutes adding that and deleting the oldest. They move towards or away from each other depending upon the "price" of their index. Like all relationships the resulting dance is an interaction between the two. ...
She... moves to the left or right depending on the volumes of shares traded He .. on the change in his prices. I give you the last page of this "bodice ripper" .. but remember .. it's a story that continues ...
Miss Shanghai I thought I hated him, why, just a few years ago we used to say all sorts of nasty things about each other. I thought I hated him, but I just can't seem to get enough of his bonds. Oh, I know know it can be scary, when he says he feels like doing a bit of quantitative easing... it really sends shivers down my spine but even that just adds to the frisson. And lets face it, he does like to puff himself up a bit from time to time. So he does do a bit of posturing. So what?, its something we both do a bit of.. Mr New York Mmmm ... she does have a nice set of sweat shops... Sigh.. yes, sometimes I feel guilty about being obsessed by them but then I pull myself together and think "Just do it!" After all she is the Apple (TM) of my eye. Sure, yes, some say she has me by my bonds but its not true. She really has so many nice qualities.
GnomeZen (Ashland, Oregon, USA) Dream Reflection
Dream Reflections was made as part of GnomeZen’s machinima entry of the same title in MachinimUWA VI: REFLECTIONS. The bas relief rendering has several layers and a bit of motion.
Jedda Zenovka (North NSW, Australia) Genetic Mirrors Mother and daughter embrace each other in an alien landscape.
Jess Oranos (Cincinnati, Ohio, USA) Timely Reflections
Jess gives us a minimalist reduction of the Winthrop clock tower at UWA.
Jipe loon (Haute Savoie, France) Mirror with four virgins on the shores of their depravity CO-WINNER: 2ND PRIZE
Jipe has made a surreal vertical 3D kaleidoscope of strange visions.
Judyblue Stand (El Paso, Texas, USA) Reflections on the Past
Kaizersem Tenk (Paris France) Bad Toy
Kamerina Kamala and Lemon Acidjuice (Paris, France) Through Generations
This beautiful monument to UWA’s Centenary features life-size figures of a scientist, an astronaut, a graduating scholar, an aborigine, an a mother and child. The motto in the floor states, “Knowledge is a bridge between generations that leads to our future.” The artists describe the piece thus: “Transmissions, memory, culture, knowledge, breadcrumbs (or Ariane’s thread) from mom to child, teacher to student and past to future, all reflecting each other.”
Krystali Rabeni (Blackpool, Lancashire , UK) Silent Reflections CO-WINNER: 2ND PRIZE
Krystali’s installation shows a woman returning to the ruins of her childhood home. She stands and recalls the place that made her what she has become.
I have lived
I have loved
I didn't give up
I didn't lose heart
I have been through waters, and I didn't drown I have been through dirt, and I didn't get buried I have been through fire, and I didn't burn Yes...I have been through; and I didn't dieSo... I'm destined to make it!
~ Krystali Rabeni
Lalexl Devin (Perpignan, France) Ephemeral Reflection
LAlexel challenges us to respond to his surrealist work at whatever level we can. Taking Baudelaire’s quote as a beginning helps us to understand the symbolism. The central figure seems to be contemplating its existence in a nightmare of thoughts about the finite and infinite, life and death. The mirrors around the perimeter rotate, always reflecting the center from whatever angle. The mirrors spin faster and faster until the image of a spirit appears on all.
Free man, you will always cherish the sea! The sea is your mirror; you contemplate your soul In the infinite unrolling of its billows; Your mind is an abyss that is no less bitter. ~ Man and the Sea (Charles Baudelaire)
London Junkers (London, England) Reflections - Through the eyes of UWA
100 years of knowledge, 100 years of wisdom, 100 years of love and care, of joy and growth. Over 100,000 graduates have witnessed the greatness of UWA. Others, like me, have touched its beauty in a virtual manner. The piece represents the view of those who travel the path of UWA, past, present, and future, in the form of an eye. This is the eye that sees it all, the eye that let us see the advantages of education, discipline and belief. The eye that silently guides us through the darkness of ignorance, and lets us reflect what is good and what is not. Inside the eye, UWA, helping us, bringing the light and enriching our life. In the back of the capsule, the nerves, transmit what is learned to the future generations, like propellers pushing the capsule through the fragile fabric of space and time. Congratulations to UWA, for the great effort. And thanks specially for letting me participate and express my gratitude to the project. Best of wishes, and see you in 100 years ;-)) ~ London Junkers
Luna Enigma (Illinois, USA) Reflections of a Diva
Luna’s piece is remarkable for its decepti masquerading as simplicity. The attentio as the images reflected in the mirrors or smoking man in her scrapbook, draws u
ive complexity on to detail, such the mysterious us into the scene.
Maddomxc Umino (Modena, Italy) The Race (Picasso in 3d)
A beautifully rendered 3D homage to Picasso’s Two women running on the beach (The race), 1922 (MusÊe National Picasso, Paris).
Martazul Zemlja (Spain) Science and Evolution The surreal piece features two large android figures dominating a scene with falling eyeballs and a crowd of workers.
Mcarp Mavendorf (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) Rotation model McCarp is known for attention to detail and precise, complex motion scripting. This piece is deceptively complex with its various orbits, rotations, and colors that randomize on touch.
Mishawu Zuiden (Daleville, Alabama, USA) Distant Past - Inspired Future
My art displays two swans: one swan being the past and the other the future. The swan of the past is the traditional idea of what a swan would look like, which represent experiences and ideas from the past. The swan of the future is an abstract swan which is inspired from the swan of the past, and which represents experiences and ideas that were inspired and have evolved from the past. Our past experiences give rise to the future and then eventually the future becomes the past thus bringing more experiences and ideas for the future to evolve from. What we experience now or even know now is the reflection of the past. I used swans for this project, because the UWA seal contains a swan and I wanted to stay as close to the UWA spirit as possible while putting my
own spin on it. I also added the books with the Latin writing on it that are also contained within the UWA seal. This piece also displays the subtle figure of an abstract numeral 100 for the centenary of UWA's existence. The sword forms the "one" and the two swans are the zeros. The piece assimilates a Japanese influence which I thought would be perfect with the idea of reflection and the UWA's swan integrated. The two swans also represent UWA looking at what it was, what it has become and what it may become. Art is an evolution of old experiences and ideas constituted into new ideas or experiences. As long as UWA continues along it's artistic path it's evolution is limitless. ~ Mishawu Zuiden
Misprint Thursday (New Hampshire USA) Echo’s Reflecting Pool CO-WINNER: UWA CENTENARY PRIZE HONOURABLE MENTION CO-WINNER: 5TH PRIZE
Echo's Reflection Pool is a twist on the epic tale of Echo and Narcissus. In this version Echo calls with her voice and also seeks her own reflection. The reflections of sound and image come back upon her and the viewers who visit also become immersed vicariously through her experiences in the scene. Media: the video in the piece [used as a moving texture] is by Misprint. It features some time lapse footage of narcissus blooming. It also features footage of an area in New Hampshire which appeared exactly as one would imagine the tale of Echo and Narcissus to unfold. The editing was done with mirror effects to refer back to the reflection theme. Because Misprint enjoys celebrations, there are Centenary Particles which feature images of the Rose Window in Winthrop Hall, Hakea Flower, and peacocks. All of those images are significant to UWA. The particles go off every 100 seconds to celebrate UWA's 100 years!
Mitsuko Kytori (Tokyo, Japan/Aix en Provence, France) Thinking of flower, perhaps autobiographic
A meticulous meditation on Ikebana..
Nexuno Thespian (Cagliari, Italy) Sunreflections
Nexuno uses animated dancing figures, shifting colors, music, and eyes that follow you as you move, all to the delight of the senses.
Nino Vichan (New York City, USA) Riflessioni delle Onde (Reflections of Waves) CO-WINNER: 8TH PRIZE
The large immersive environment includes mysterious electromechanical sounds and moving light effects. As you enter the following is spoken in text chat: “Light waves possess all colors Reflections off objects filter these light waves These reflections are the colors we see Sound waves possess all tones Sound waves reflect off objects Reflections of sound are the echoes we hear�
PeanutbuttahJellehTime Magic (Seattle, USA) Don’t lose your marbles (especially the big one)
I thought to myself, “what the heck would reflect what an art student would go through?� I went to college. I even earned my AA degree. I started thinking about "losing your marbles" and thought about the cool old marbles my grandmother collected; colorfulness with sunlight reflecting off of them and how mad she would get if we lost them ...ahahaha. I started jotting down attributes and feelings I felt in college. Judgement is a big thing; always being judged on how well you do in school and such. Don't lose your big beautiful marble! ~ PeanutbuttahJellehTime Magic
Rebeca Bashly (Belgrade, Serbia) Fruit of Time CO-WINNER: 8TH PRIZE
Rebeca is known for her expressive and exquisitely detailed sculptural work. This piece shows a figure growing from a thorny rootstock picking pears and passing them on—an apt metaphor for UWA and for education generally.
Rose Borchovski (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Hidden CO-WINNER: 10TH PRIZE
Rose presents us with a dreamlike image in a dark hall with a child looking fearful and point back towards the viewer. The child’s duplicate large head seems to intensify the fear.
Only when we enter the space and turn around do we see what the child sees: his own reflection with an evil grin. A sort of classic confrontation of internal good vs. evil.
Rosie Dimanovic (Grenoble, France) Horizon
Rosie created a uniquely surreal landscape in a box the size of a large aquarium. It is the imagining of a future world, perhaps the UWA campus 100 years from now. Stunningly rendered reflections in the water, in the background, in the allseeing eye (in which we see the subtly reflected image of Winthrop Hall).
Secret Rage (Texas, USA) Inside the Black
This piece did not come from my dreams as most of mine do...when I thought about the theme for this competition I started thinking about what reflection really means to me. Obviously, mirrors come to mind. But~ what is it we see in the reflection if we look closer than just the surface? It is a measurement of time...and of places and of remembrances. After all is said and done in our lives...and age takes over the beauty of youth we once saw in the mirror~it is not the money we end up with that makes us rich... it is what we are able to reflect back upon. Though this piece at first may appear desolate...it is in fact also a testament to the joy of life. We see the old woman looking at the young one..clearly, yet wistfully...and in a good light. The younger dressed for a gala, the older dressed in memory~reflection~of her. She looks back at a life lived well and full of meaning...and though she is dressed in mourning for that which she has lost to the ravages of time..she knows that by having the life she has lived which included having an unending deep love and the perfect first kiss has made her rich beyond compare. Inside the Black refers to riches, the colour worn for mourning and the sadness of loss. ~ Secret Rage
SerenVide (Shoreham by Sea, England) FromThereToHere
Portraits of (the artist?) as a young boy and as an old man in swirling psychedelic waves of color.
Serra Qendra (Melbourne, Australia) Lines of investigation/reflection upon
I like to (try to) communicate in a symbolic visual language. To find ways to say things through signs and metaphors. Of course, lots of things have many associated meanings attached to them through our cultures. I like that and it's intriguing to try to understand the connections in the layers. I think that contradiction and paradox are inevitable and, actually, strangely reassuring. ~ Serra Qendra
Shenn Coleman (Avignon, France) Neuron Sphere CO-WINNER: 5TH PRIZE
Shenn’s enormous environmental piece was among the favorites of machinima artists in the MachinimUWA VI: REFLECTIONS competition.
Silene Christen (Mahon, Mennorca, Balears Islands, Spain) Path to Self Knowledge
Silene’s piece is about contemplation of the body image. The central figure is surrounded by funhouse mirrors that distort the body in ways not dissimilar to how we tend to subjectively perceive ourselves. Body image is an especially interesting subject in a world where our choices of body type are virtually unlimited.
snoop acoustic (France) Reflexion
Snoop’s piece is peculiarly engaging. It is elegant in its simplicity, with elements thrown together in odd ways. But altogether it works as abstract design. The blue water has an upward spewing motion, but without changing shape, seeming to be squeezed between the rollers. At the end is a ball bearing axle seemingly attached by rods to the large wheel, while an electric arc flashes between them. Somehow the water energy is converted into kinetic energy and then to electrical energy without any obvious mechanism.
soror Nishi (Kent, England, UK) Strange oaks from simple acorns grow UWA Centenary Special Prize The extensive attempts some make to populate this new world with "realistic" copies of the Old World show a colonial tendency to ignore the native culture and superimpose a pre-formed visual style on this new medium. This may be due to a fear of the new, or simply a lack of courage, hopefully Time will eradicate this anachronistic tendency. This medium (Virtual Worlds) has more in common with stained glass than with photography, and failure to recognise this results in poor copies of boring everyday objects, architecture, flora and fauna. ~ soror Nishi
Anyone who has been around the art scene in virtual worlds for some time will instantly recognize soror Nishi’s trees. While she is not as active in SL as she has been in the past, she can reliably be expected to show something in the major UWA competitions, and has won prizes in several. This entry is the winner of the L$50,000 UWA Centenary Special Prize Awarded to the artwork that best reflects the spirit of the UWA Centenary as determined by the UWA members of the judging panel.
Sunday Serenity (Melbourne, Australia) Reflections of Life
A young woman sits before a mirror that reflects an old woman’s face. She ponders what she has gained and lost in her life
Surfaqua Oh (Luzern, Switzerland) Avatars-reflection
To examine the self deeply is to expose one’s heart, and, perhaps, to find something special.
Takni Miklos (Figueras, Spain) Windows into Other Rooms
CO-WINNER: UWA CENTENARY CURATOR’S PRIZE
Takni’s large scale kinetic piece constantly changes as new squares are added and find a place in the grid. (Perhaps a metaphor for life in virtual worlds.) It moves elegantly and responds interactively as one touches or moves through it. Takni never fails to engage the mind and amuse the senses. This piece is a co-winner of the UWA Centenary Curator’s Prize.
Talia Sunsong. (Berkeley, California, USA) Emerging from the Chrysalis
An homage to the UWA Centenary, showing a new graduate emerging from her academic cocoon.
Tamashiirent Starsider (Rome, Italy) Inspirations
I used to travel a lot around the world (most of Europe, Japan, Australia) and doing this I could mod my soul, making it more sensitive about many different ways to think and to be in this life. I’ve been working randomly on many commissions in real life as a digital graphic, painter and sculptor. I never considered Second Life seriously as a real tool to create art. But since there has been a leap in the quality of the mesh, my opinion is radically changed. I think it has finally started a new adventure and capable artists can express themselves without limit. ~ Tamashiirent Starsider
Thierry Lowtide (Popes, Avignon Vaucluse, France) Reflection AndroHumanoid
CO-WINNER: UWA CENTENARY CURATOR’S PRIZE
Just 4 years in SL. I have seen the evolution of SL through the matrix: prim, sculpt and mesh, scripts, sounds, animations that make up the virtual world. This creation is a unique piece made for the challenge UWA. It is a projection in the reflection of tomorrow. Here, we are a tiny part of the matrix, on a giant chip card. The binary coding took power on the human to feed the reflection. The system needs a diode stored in human fetus. Through time, the hourglass generates synapses, brain connections to looping on the question of the future. The reflection is the hidden face of modernization, and they see the reflection of the face of andro_humanoid both outside and inside the skull. Mirror reflection of a reflection and a little special effect. ~ Thierry Lowtide
Thierry’s brilliantly conceived, rendered, and scripted scene is at once humorous and terrifying. Specifically created for the REFLECTIONS show, he has included subtle references to UWA in the labeling of the IC chips.
Thor Effingham (Ohio, USA) Better Days Ahead
Thor presents a romantic image of lost love and a broken heart under cloudy skies, but the figure’s reflection shows a much more hopeful vision of the future.
Thoth Jantzen (Boston, USA) A Reflection on Reflecting Reflections
This media sculpture approaches the "Reflections" challenge theme on a couple of levels, both literally and figuratively, using mediaactive textures to create the illusion of reflections within the illusion of a virtual environment. ~ Thoth Jantzen
Thoth’s work uses brilliantly colored video images combined to form an abstract kaleidoscopic bombardment of the senses, both visually and aurally.
Yepar Saez (Martinique Island, Carribean, France) Reflexions of Reflections Carousel CO-WINNER: 10TH PRIZE
Ideas, knowledge, love, death, and life, like a scar from a wound, but come they will always stay, play and jump, like a carousel that turns. ~ Yepar Saez
Yepar’s carousel is much more than a child’s amusement. It carries symbols of life, love, learning, and place. The reflected image in the marble tiled floor are the same, but different. The carousel objects are not in the same order and are colored. And it’s there that one notices the brain in the top, suggesting ideas and emotions spinning in our psyches.