Split Screen opens with Bryn Oh & Miso Susanowa

About a month and a half ago, I noticed that half of a homestead sim near my house was for sale, and with it, I saw an opportunity to do something I've long wished to do, in a form I can actually afford, and from a sim owner I trust.

I leapt at the chance.

I am pleased and excited to announce the opening of the Split Screen Installation Space, where 1-2 artists at a time will have two months to create and display a relatively large installation, preferably of the sort not possible in real life. I hope that from time to time I can provide space to artists who haven't had much opportunity to create large builds.  But I'm delighted that the artists who are helping me launch Split Screen are two of SL's most notable: Bryn Oh and Miso Susanowa.

At Split Screen North, Miso has built "Chroma," in which she returns to the pixel magic that drew her into computer art in the first place -- the interactions of red, blue, green, and luminance. Within the moving, glowing colors, she has placed various figures which become visible if you place your camera just right. Along with being a tribute to the foundations of computer graphics, it is a celebration of the Season of Lights.

At Split Screen South, Bryn created "Mayfly," a new work that consists entirely of a natural environment -- something I don't think I've seen her make before. Dare I say, it's lovely? It might be unique within Bryn's oeuvre. Be sure to pick up the notecard for the Windlight sky setting, and watch the machinima as well (either at the site or from here). The first time I saw "Mayfly," someone was already relaxing there!

Both works will be on view throughout December, after which I hope to have two other artists come in. So visit soon!

I am grateful to both artists for their willingness to help me kick off Split Screen. I have already begun looking for the next artist(s), and I welcome applications. Here is a fuller description of Split Screen and its goals from the notecard I'm using in-world.

The Split Screen Installation Space is part of a homestead sim, set aside for artists and builders to develop a large installation and exhibit it for a set time. In general, one or two artists will use the space for two months (give or take), and then another artist will take over. Depending on circumstances and goals, a quarter or half of the sim will be available.  Homesteads allow fewer prims, scripts and avatars than regular sims. A quarter sim has a little over 900 prims to work with. However, aside from that restriction, creators can use scripts, have music/media streams, build in the sky, terraform, set a landing point, etc. I am mostly interested in work that either is impossible in real life, or in some manner deeply involves or challenges its audience, or is a lot of fun, etc. The space is meant for large builds that utilize the possibilities of Second Life as an artistic or immersive medium. I am also particularly interested in giving opportunities to creators who have had not yet created many or any larger works, and can use an opportunity to think big and experiment. Machinimatographers are welcome to film in the space, provided they credit the artist(s) and the Split Screen Installation Space itself. (Please note: my permissions do not extend to the residential areas on the rest of the sim.) Creators may sell their works from vendor boxes/panels, and I don't plan to charge a commission. Please do not use more than three vendors -- if you want more than that, I'll give you a multi-object vendor. In general, installation pieces should not be vendors themselves; besides, you may want "touch" scripts. I will use a few prims for an information kiosk, tipjar, etc., to be located in a mutually agreeable spot. People are welcome to ask me about working in the Split Screen space, and I'll be happy to hear about artists who might benefit the opportunity. Send me a notecard in-world or an email describing your ideas, along with a landmark or SLURL so I can see some of your work. If you'd like to know more about what sorts of things interest me, it may help to see my blog.

I'm sure I'll revise this statement of intent as I go along, but as you can see, Split Screen aims to be a micro-version of Caerleon, the New Media Consortium, etc. I'll have to think about how -- or whether -- I should blog about the artists I support, so stay tuned. But I'm looking forward to promoting SL art not just through commentary, but also through direct support.

I want to thank Syzygy Merlin, who owns the sim where the Split Screen Installation Space is located, and the sim where I live. She deserves credit for letting me use half of a residential homestead in order to undertake this venture. I'd also like to thank Miso for creating Split Screen's logo (final version to be unveiled soon).

Finally, on the financial front, in order to lessen the burden on any one person (i.e., me), strengthen Split Screen's existence, and create the possibility of its expansion, I am inviting people to become regular monthly donors. I'm happy to say, one person has already stepped up to the plate -- Kara Trapdoor -- and a couple of others are at least thinking about it. Even small amounts will go a long way. Donors get a special group tag and the pleasure of becoming an acknowledged source of continuous support for the arts (and maybe other perks in the future). Please contact me if you're interested!


[For those of you who are wondering if I know what I'm getting myself into: yep, I'm aware that relationships between artists and patrons can be tricky, as described for example in the editorial written by NMC's Larry Johnson, aka Larry Pixel, and the many responses to it. I already had a mild brush with an artist who visited the space. So hopefully I'm going into this with open eyes, and a sufficiently thick skin.]