Split Screen's opening

The opening of the Split Screen Installation Space went far better than I could have hoped. During the first three days there were around 100 visitors (some of whom came twice), and people have been enthusiastic about the works themselves. Already a couple of artists have asked me about working there.

In fact a lot has gone better than I could have hoped for. When I approached Bryn Oh, I knew she had her hands full with the opening of "Standby," so I simply asked for her to put in her Burn 2 build. When it turned out that wasn't feasible due to the parcel's prim limits, I suggested she put up something else she'd already completed, and she said she probably had something that would fit the bill. But instead, she created an entirely new work. And not just something in her typical mode: although still quite clearly a work by Bryn Oh, "Mayfly" is quite distinctive, perhaps unique, possibly even part of some new directions Bryn seems to be taking. It is a nature setting. It has no robots, no steampunk creatures. Her windlight setting is naturalistic. "Mayfly" does center on her signature insects, but even these are different: they aren't mechanoid, they are wholly organic in appearance.

Miso Susanowa's piece is similarly unusual. Music and sound are normally key parts of her work. But not "Chroma." One person even asked me to confirm that nothing had gone wrong: there is in fact no sound component. Miso put in some sounds but decided they distracted and detracted from the piece. This is a wholly visual work, involving various layers of moving textures that interact in unexpected ways, creating effects that sweep from the pellucid to the psychedelic to the impermeable, sometimes in seconds. Figures appear -- a woman dancing, a couple talking, others -- perhaps suddenly to be obscured by waves of light. Equally suddenly one fines a clear path; turn just a fraction and it vanishes.

In a way, both artists also took a page from the other's book.  Not intentionally or even unconsciously, of course. But in many respects Miso's "Chroma" is a cam build, requiring the viewer to move her camera to different places and try various angles, involving a level of viewer camera skills similar to those needed by Bryn's numerous cam builds. And for her part, in "Mayfly" Bryn has created perhaps her most meditative and peaceful work ever, elements often to be found in Miso's builds, such as her Temple of Sound and the "Solar Symphony" (to some extent even in "Chroma").

Several people have asked me if there was an opening event.  Unfortunately, for various reasons there wasn't. The main issue was that homestead sims allow only 20 avatars at a time, which would be fine if Split Screen occupied the entire sim, but it shares the region with residents whose access shouldn't be blocked. So I would have to either arrange a time when they don't plan to be home, or (better) temporarily restrict the number of people with access to Split Screen in order to schedule the event at a time good for both me and the artists, and I had my hands full enough already. Seeing how many people came to Split Screen during the first couple of days (and considering how many people turned up to the opening concert at Bryn's "Standby"), probably I was right to be wary of inviting lots of people to a party.

Now that things have quieted down, I can think about organizing an event. BUT: if I decide simply to restrict how many people can attend, one option is to invite only members of the Split Screen group. You can join from one of the signs in Split Screen or by searching for it in Groups. You heard it here first...

Later edit: I tried to pull together something for this month, but unluckily, with the holidays nothing worked out.  But I expect I'll manage one for the opening of the next pair of installations.