The roots of the museum were in an exhibition at the Play as Being “Hall of Appearance” in the Rieul sim in 2009. The following was the description of that exhibit:
Opening on February 6, 2009, the exhibition (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Rieul/143/239/69/) explores virtual buildings of a number of eastern and western traditions. Many of these buildings have real life counterparts. Wherever they do, we explored the historical, art historical and spiritual significance of the real life building and then considered the same three areas within the virtual buildings. We raised questions about use of these virtual buildings. We found that these buildings had much to offer in three ways: 1) as symbols; 2) as stages for spiritual activities; and that they could expand our understanding of the concept of space in buildings.
Entrance to Exhibition
As symbols these virtual buildings can reflect all the history, artistic merit and siritual power of the originals. In some sites like St. Catherine’s, Mt. Sinai, we can feel the holiness come through. In others like the Sistine Chapel it is the power of the art as we stand there with our cameras exploring the ceiling above.
Virtual architecture as a stage in played out in many ways. It can be a place for groups to gather for various activities. Some sacred sites provide places for the individual to reflect like the cave in the Bodhi, Land of Bodhidharma or the church at St. Catherine’s.
Hindu Room
Often we just pass through buildings in real life limiting our perspective of the space around us. Virtual buildings invite us to use our cameras to see space from mutltiple perspectives, as if we could fly around our real life buildings. Those of us at Rutgers can experience that in the Kirkpatrick Chapel.
In real life it is not possible to view the actual buildings in an architecture exhibit, especially one of this scope. We took advantage of the ability to teleport to create the signature feature of this exhibit, the virtual travel guides. Every featured building has a notecard called “Sacred Art Guide to <building> with a slurl (i.e. a Second Life url) to the building, often a walking tour, some facts, some opinions, and then a slurl back to the exhibit room from which one left.
Judaism Room
Adams Dubrovna – Coordinator
Avatars Contributing to First Exhibit at Hall of Appearance Opening in February 2009:
An Afterthought
Ariadne Lemon
Abigail Lavendel
Clare Carrasco
Gaya Ethaniel
Glauks Sabra
Hana Hendrassen
Scathach Rhiadra
Real Life people without avatars who contributed: Devon Budrum, Tuna Sare, and Jennie Smithken-Lindsay
Thanks to Storm Nordwind for providing the buildings and innumerable services, for valuable advice and his patience while we set this up and to Genesis Zhangsun for setting up the events and providing publicity, and to Pema Pera, without whom none of this would have been possible.
Thanks to artists AuraKyo Insoo and Dan Yapungku for valuable advice on exhibiting
The exhibition was curated by students and staff of the Department of Art History at Rutgers University and the “Art History” group in Second Life. It was sponsored by the Play-as-Being Group, an initiative of Kira Institute.