The “No Man is an Island” is aimed at that social creature in Second Life created by such a creature called an avatar. It is an experiential exhibit in that the avatar participates rather than merely observes. Once inside the outer walls there is one way out and it is through the wall of fear, past the comments of the others, and up together on the ladder.
When the avatar approaches the tower he is given a notecard explaining, not so much, but beginning the journey. Whispers surround the avatar saying free me, love me , respect me, in English and Italian. The fear tower changes to love as the avatar approaches. Proximity affects the message. Text begins to appear in the chat window making statements about the avatar apparently by other avatars nearby.
Statements of Love and statements of Fear. There 100’s of drawings and text in each cube activated by touching. Continuous touching on certain boxes pulls up the picture of the avatar and a message allowing him entry in to the column.
Inside the column is a scroll with visual message telling you to turn on your video stream and asking you to sit on the poseball which has your avatar climb the ladder. The ladder allows you to climb right through the roof which is the only way out of the column and the box which enclosed it in the original exhibition. As you climb there are faces floating up with you to wherever the ladder leads. (Im not telling you)
No Man Is An Island
A virtual journey created by the avatar for the avatar.
Opening Reception on January 28th
Show ran from January 28th – 30th
Aequitas is a non-profit multinational conglomerate of dada intellectuals involved with the exploration of biological impulses and their effect on modern psyche through the medium of anti-conceptual physics and minor abstractions.
The intent is not to make a clear statement, but to overwork and overwhelm with endless details and muddled effects thereby confusing the viewer in to believing they are witnessing something beyond their grasp and therefore true, fine art.
– Banrion Constantine and Sowa Mai
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were: any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee (Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, #17).
– 17th-century English poet John Donne
If people allowed themselves to experience the pain of others — they would not be able to inflict it: no bombs, no murders, no tortures, no attacks of any kind.
If people allowed themselves to remember that the bell of judgment, like Donne’s bell of death, tolls for them, and that their guilt would cause them to pay the price of their vengeance and hatred, of the pettiness of their projections — there would be only peace and no judgment of others.
If people recognized that air, water, and nuclear pollution symbolize caring only for the satisfaction of their greed to the blatant disregard of others, and that such selfishness but hurts them — they would cease to pollute in an instant.
For who would rape minerally rich lands, wresting in righteous wrath treasures that were not theirs, knowing it was their own treasure of love they were losing?
For who would willingly choose the murderous thought system of specialness, inflicting pain and suffering upon another, knowing it was their own death they were plotting?
Finally, which government would willingly choose the murderous thought system of imperialism, inflicting pain and suffering upon others, knowing it was their own riches they were plundering?
– Kenneth Wapnick, Ph.D.
A Journey to One through two.
An awakening from a dream of death.
Please keep arms and legs inside at all times.
There exists
in the wall of fear
A keystone clear
A message spoken
only you can hear
Aequitas thanks:
Carleon
Franz Kafka
Glyph Graves
John Donne
luce Laval
Innula Zenovka
Remnant Ashbourne
Davy Maltz
Neil Young
ArchTx Edo
Roxelo Babenco
Arco Rosca
But in the darkness he can now perceive a radiance that streams inextinguishably from the DOOR OF THE LAW. Now his life is drawing to a close. Before he dies, all that he has experienced during the whole time of his sojourn condenses in his mind into one question, which he has never put to the doorkeeper.… “Everyone strives to attain the Law,…how does it come about, then, that in all these years no one has come seeking admittance but me?” The doorkeeper perceives that the man is nearing his end and his hearing is failing, so he bellows in his ear: “No one but you could gain admittance through this door, since this door was intended for you. I am now going to shut it.”
– Franz Kafka
“ARENA” Event – Hosting the largest art exhibition ever staged in Second Life, held in coordination with Virtual Renaissance, the exhibition to be held in Florence at the Museum of Natural History in the Festival of Creativity .
spoiler below..
The chat text which added to the sense of disorientation was created by a script and used the names of avatars walking within 10 m of the column. The column also detected avatar proximity and responded by changing the text fear to love.
click 4 or 5 times on any 2nd row cube until you see a form asking for your agreement then agree and walk through the prim it will remain phantom for a short time so be quick
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