Art Appreciation 101

Coco St. George

From the moment our forefather Pookh stamped the palm of his hand on the walls of his cave to the time Banksy felt compelled to do something not too different in the streets of London, art has been a key factor in people’s lives. We could even go further and say it’s been a decisive element in the evolution of mankind.

We can only speculate about the motivation the cavemen had to decorate the walls of their caves with all sorts of paintings. Some think it served a magical purpose: If the drawings on the wall depicted an animal being hunted down, that animal would be hunted down also in real life. But there was also a will to preserve their memories. The paintings on the wall, thus, would serve as a pictorial record of the most memorable exploits achieved by our forefathers. And we cannot dismiss a simpler explanation: Cavemen decorated their caves with paintings so they looked prettier. Just like we do in our modern lives, where we hang the portraits of our loved departed to preserve their memory, a sacred image to feel the connection with a higher power, or the painting of a landscape just because it’s beautiful.

Art has been with us for so long that we could say it is part of our DNA, and we couldn’t imagine a life without it. Nor can we imagine a Second Life without it. That’s why we can find a lot of sims devoted to different manifestations of art— and some of them are worth visiting more than once.

When we think of the aesthetic pleasure of watching paintings, we think of museums and galleries. And if you’re looking for art, you can’t miss The Vordun, one of the best-organized art museums in SL. You only need to see this imposing building to realize these people know what they are doing. The museum features several temporary exhibitions, so you can visit it often to watch the new pieces.

As you cross the threshold, you are offered an experience you need to accept in order to get a HUD. This HUD will be your audio guide in the main gallery, where you can currently admire 300 years of paintings by the greatest European masters. A number identifies each of the 28 paintings. After clicking that number in your HUD, you’ll hear an explanation (which also appears as text in nearby chat) about that particular painting.

There is also a room devoted to one painting: “Netherlandish Proverbs” by Pieter Brueghel, the Elder, a piece of art full to the brim with people, animals, and all kinds of things. If you look very closely, you’ll find depicted 112 Netherlandish proverbs in this work. Of course, in this case, there is also a HUD to guide you: press Start to make the camera focus on a particular part of the scene and have the proverb explained in chat. Keep clicking Next to see all of them. Even those who can’t speak Flemish (“Flemish Proverbs” is another name for this painting, as well as “The Blue Cloak”) will certainly enjoy the wit and wisdom embodied in these sayings.

The museum also features some temporary exhibits; currently, you can appreciate and enjoy the art of Claude Monet. Here you’ll admire his historic painting, Impression, Sunrise which gave rise to a new school of art called Impressionism. Something more to know about Monet: he led a life rife with significant challenges, including the great financial hardships he underwent while his wife was very ill. At one point, while he was painting, a bailiff came along to collect some debts. Monet had no way to repay the money he owed, so he offered a painting. Eventually, that painting made its way to an art dealer who sold it for a considerable sum, thus providing Monet with the financial stability he so badly needed.

The Vordun has several galleries, and you’ll want to visit them all— especially the one devoted to tapestries, located on the second floor. And before you leave, remember to visit the gift shop to take home a souvenir from this wonderful place.

Walking through the galleries and admiring the majestic building, you can’t help but wonder what our lives (both analog and digital) would be like without the wonderful gift of art. And so, we recognize we’re lucky just to be able to appreciate these works of art from the comfort of our homes.