Those of you who know me in SL know I’m not shy, so I’m willing to go public with my list of picks for the top 30. (I waited until the vote was closed to post this to avoid influencing the other voters.) I chose to vote for only one work from each artist, not counting collaborative works (so Ichibot is represented three times, and Arahan and Selavy twice) to do my part to create as broadly representative a retrospective as possible. There were a few others that were hard to leave off my list; paring it down to 20 wasn’t easy! Here goes (in alphabetical order by first name, in the usual SL way):

Alizarin Goldflake: Summer’s Halloween
Ally Aeon: Virtual Formalism
Arahan Claveau: fuck me / shoot me
Bryn Oh: Drawing Out The Shiver
CickMy Lunt: luntsberg candy castle
DanCoyote Antonelli: Negative Space
Dekka Raymaker: 8 Platforms
Gore Suntzu: 1000 Suns
Ichibot Nishi: episodic.atomized
Ichibot Nishi and Arahan Claveau: Beyond Human
Ichibot Nishi and Selavy Oh: Playground Space
Klink Epsilon: Vermilion: Betrayal, Anger and Sorrow
Nebulosus Severine: I’m Sorry Dad
Patriciaanne Daviau: Lilliton
Rachel Breaker: MAGICENCHANTED DREAM FACTORYNOBASE
Selavy Oh: Spiral
Shellina Winkler: The Big Bang
Sunn Thunders: Boundary Conditions
Tanith Cattaneo: Untitled Protest
Tuna Oddfellow: Gateway

After I made my choices I had a look at the results of the public vote, and had another look this afternoon. I’m guessing that the results of the public and podcaster votes are going to be VERY different. The public vote mostly favored the “prettiest” works; the fact that some of the voters were probably basing their choices on the blog posts and images rather than on personal experience with the works is probably a big factor, as those are the ones that tend to look best in static photos. In contrast, the favorites in the podcasts I participated in were ones that explored the interactive and kinetic potential of Second Life, the most emotionally powerful works, and the ones that were commentary on the nature of art itself; the art in those categories is hard to capture in one or even a series of photos.

18 Responses to “My picks for the 30 best”

Here’s my list. I had less than 20, because I stopped going to the sim regularly back last fall and I didn’t feel comfortable voting on stuff I hadn’t seen “in person” (ok whatever):

Nebulosus Severine, I’m sorry dad
Nebulosus Severine, Look what you made me do
010000100111001001100001 OMLET, Tiny Stonehenge
Selavy Oh, Forbidden Space
Bryn Oh, Drawing out the shiver
Dekka Raymaker, Alpha killed my one prim door
Juria Yoshikawa, Alien invasion of biw tower
Ichibot Nishi, episodic.atomized
Censoredmy Lunt, Luntsberg candy castle
Qarl Fizz, Number 4
Arahan Claveau, Injustice
DanCoyote Antonelli, Tower of light
Ichibot Nishi & Arahan Claveau, Beyond Human

I originally had Arahan’s “fuck me/shoot me” on the list, but I took it off since I had nominated him for two other pieces (one of them is with Ichi) and it just sort of seemed like to be fair, I should nix one of them… since I know it from its installation at Arthole and not at BiW, it got cut from my list.

It was most important to me that the artists from my list be represented, not so much the particular pieces – like I don’t care so much *which* piece by Selavy was chosen, so long as one of them was.

I also got a little strategic in my voting, which I now regret. I’ve been on panels like this a million times before and the good advice is usually – just vote for the work you like. But I ignored this, and instead tried (in a few cases) to vote for work I thought would be a little off the beaten path and maybe not that well represented by the other judges – in the end, I’m not sure that this was really the most intellectually honest thing to do, but I felt so damn sure of it when I was voting.

I also voted in a few cases – like the emotionally charged “Look what you made me do,” and the funny/aggressive “Forbidden space” (there are also others) – for work that I thought would be really provocative to have the audience at JTPP reconsider in the light of it being one of the 30 best of alllll these art works. Both of those works in particular function in a way in which it’s not possible for art to really function in a place like JTPP – in Neb’s case because of the stigma against work like that, and in Selavy’s because of… well, law suits, gravity, etc. So I’m kinda bummed that they didn’t make it into the top 30, but so it goes.

1. DANCOYOTE ANTONELLI – Tower of Light
2. RACHEL BREAKER – MAGICENCHANTED DREAM FACTORYNOBASE
3. TANITH CATTENEO – Untitled Protest
4. BUTTERFLYSMASHER DANA – Various works
5. KLINK EPSILON – Vermilion: Betrayal, Anger and Sorrow
6. ICHIBOT NISHI – blue.plane
7. ICHIBOT NISHI – episodic.atomized
8. ICHIBOT NISHI – Hello World
9. ICHIBOT NISHI – lambda.mnemonic
10. ICHIBOT NISHI – Quake Mod
11. ICHIBOT NISHI – Somafree
12. ICHIBOT NISHI & SELAVY OH – playground.space
13. SELAVY OH – Attractive Art
14. SELAVY OH – Hyperspacial Object
15. OBERON ONMURA – Beacon
16. DEKKA RAYMAKER – Alpha Killed My One Prim Door
17. DEKKA RAYMAKER – The Church of Whoami
18. NEBULOSUS SEVERINE – I’m Sorry Dad
19. NEBULOSUS SEVERINE – Look What You Made Me Do
20. JURIA YOSHIKAWA – A Window Into Your Mind

Most of my votes went to pieces that had been specially created for Brooklyn is Watching and not just re-rezzed versions of an existing piece. Also like Amy, I did not vote for anything I hadn’t seen in person, as I didn’t really see how it could be possible or fair to do that. So as much as I respect many of the artists not in my list these are the most likely reasons they didn’t get my vote.

Ichibot for example, used almost every corner of the land in the most incredibly effective ways, as did others including Selavy, Oberon, Juria and DC, but Ichi became an absolute master at using the space in ways nobody else could imagine. He, more than anyone, embraced the spirit of the project and ran with it.

I also wanted to vote for Penumbra Carter’s ‘Bird Pump’ and I asked Pen to add it to the wiki because I didn’t have the details but it sadly never appeared.

*In retrospect Ishouldn’t have voted for Dekka’s Church of Whoami and Ichibot’s lambda.mnemonic that were both on display at Arthole but linked to from BiW. The rules of the nominations meant that you could vote for work outside the sim as long as there was a teleport to it, but I really think that it should only have been work left on the land that was eligible. If I could use those two votes again it would probably be for Pavig Lok’s Intellectual Property Garden and CensoredMy Lunt’s Luntsberg Candy Castle.

Looks exciting! Ohh ty Arahan, my Bird Pump was after the one year mark:P

Pod cast 55:)

This exercise continues all of the aspects which makes BiW so interesting – it is chaotic and explores so many issues around art and the way we approach, respond to and evaluate it!

It’s fascinating to watch and will be well worth following. Congratulations to those nominated and selected.

Shirley, I think your point of difference between podcast versus public vote, podcast as more “politically (or conceptually) aware” and the public more “pretty aware” is something to really pay attention to. Is “pretty” work that much more digestible, attractive, or the definition of what “good” art is supposed to be? Easy on the eyes and mind? And how will these forces play-out for the people’s choice award, and for the top 5 decision??? I do think that factors such as the use of SL as distinct medium, and the use of SL to comment on political issues inherent and specific to SL (identity, technology, interactivity) should (and will most likely) be weighted in the top 5. As someone who obviously did not witness much of the work first-hand, which is problematic, I tried to do my best to judge fairly and to not be swayed by “good” documentation. To assess by concept/intent of expression/form/SL nature–I did my best to imagine what it would be like to experience the nominated work—hard, but I tried!! But… there were a few works that I just fell in love with, arrggghhh. I admit it, for a vote or two, love hath blinded me again!!

gee, shirley & moncherie, how do you think that the public voting worked? believe me, i’ve learned something here, and it was not about art, but about social networking in the days of the internet. congrats to the winners.

Ah yes, the “American Idol” factor. Touche! Art + democracy does not necessarily equal meritocracy, especially nowadays.

Maybe the “refused” artists could have their own show, “Salon des refuse”, we could take over a sand box for 12 hours:)) Power to the People, the little people!! LOL But seriously, I think the show chosen looks good:)

The splintered prim award too, I see tee shirts LOL, being silly:))

Jay actually suggested that on another post Pen.

SLon des refuses
http://penumbrasgreymatter.blogspot.com/

Any one want to set up a happening of art works that did not get in, like at a sandbox? Could be fun. Any piece from anyone. Go to my blog spot above and am looking for sandboxes, I do mention one there. Send me a message at the blog spot or an in world IM and I will keep in touch. Just want to say not trying to undermine the “other show” of which I totally support; just thought it would be cool to have an extremely temporary show of pieces from people who are either already in the show and some piece did not make it in,or people who did not get in all. Jay as a hot air balloon? LOL

Nice idea Pen, and there will be less lag at the alternative show, I just went to the KU sim and I think it’s reaching breaking point!

I forgot to say, I think the public votes were a bit of a joke, because if the results had purely been based on those results then important work by Selavy, Dekka, Ichibot, Juria, Nebulosus, DC and several others would not have made the final thirty, and that would have been unacceptable. It proved that the public cannot be trusted to do the right thing. If you’re reading this and you asked people to vote for you blindly, or you voted for something without even bothering to familiarise yourself with the nominations then shame on you.

I did send out a group notice and emails asking people to vote, but made it clear it was NOT about me, I just wanted people to choose wisely and for the right reasons. As I explained in a post above, my personal votes were absolutely for what I thought was the best work that I had seen in person. I voted several times for Ichibot because I loved each individual work passionately, not because he’s a friend or he asked me to vote for him.

I am of course very grateful to anyone who voted for me but I would be really disappointed if it wasn’t about the actual work. We expect that kind of lameness from the SL photography crowd.

Pen, please keep me in the loop on the developing SLon des refuses. I’m into fanning a healthy flame ;) I would love to cover and promote it on the blog! If you like I can post a “call” this week or next???

Hello MonCherrie,I guess part of what struck me as I got to vote as well as a Podcaster voter, was the amount of some really awesome pieces that were once placed at BiW. To me this Salon des Refuses is not a thumbing of the nose at the BiW Academy:) But just wanting to see some things I never got a chance to see. Although that will be the case with the Best of Brooklyn Exhibit and I am psyched. Maybe in the future, every once in awhile, BiW can ask some one to put out a past piece to be revisited? I think that putting a Refuses show could be kind of fun , but, I dont want an unintended outcome from it and am feverishly working on something now:P I am known for sudden outbursts of maybe not really well thought out ideas:) I love how BiW is always moving wildly into the future every week LOL, if that makes sense. So lets keep that momentum for sure:), and maybe wheel out a blast from the past every once in awhile.

ohh, and ty for your support MonCherrie:)

MonCherrie, I’m going to IM you inworld about SLon des Refuses unless I can find an email address for you-

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