Portal
The Space between the Real and the Other Real
Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design
10 September to 4 November 2007
Presented by Object Gallery and Odyssey Contemporary Art and Performance (Second Life)
Curated by Malcolm Smith
In the past, architects and designers have used the virtual world as a workspace in which to experiment and develop prototypes for real world projects. In recent years we’ve seen the growth of networked 3D environments in which users socialise, play games, establish businesses and even fall in love. With millions of registered users of these environments worldwide, the Virtual World is no longer simply the sweatshop for the Real World; it’s fast becoming the Other Real World.
This exhibition is a portal to the virtual architectures of Second Life, a 3D online community where people can fly, a block of land costs about $3.00 and the laws of physics generally don’t apply. While a virtual building doesn’t provide much in the way of shelter, it still functions as a stage for interaction and an effective way to signify identity. As a consequence, there are plenty of fantasy palaces and Barbie mansions in Second Life, but there are also other sites where architects have been able to rethink the possibilities of human interaction with the built environment.
Model builder – Sugar Seville
Technical Support Aaron Newton
Model hosted at East of Odyssey
(East of Odyssey 67, 27, 40)
Project Partners
Odyssey Contemporary Art and Performance
www.odysseykunst.com
Object Gallery
www.object.com.au
