Sunday, February 21, 2010

February Artist Talks - Igor Ballyhoo

For the second of our monthly talks we have Igor Ballyhoo - artist and multiple UWA 3D Art & Design Imagine Challenge winner. Twenty two avatars gathered at 3pm SLT Saturday 20th February on the UWA Artist Talks Platform on UWA sim to hear Igor talk about works he has entered in the competition and some others, in so doing he demonstrating the wide ranging skills and interests of this dedicated artist.



What follows is the usual edited transcript of the talk and questions with images taken by quadrapop to illustrate the discussion.
If you do not see your contribution to the discussion it means we do not have blanket permission from you to publish your chat at the Artist Talks.




Igor Ballyhoo: this thing (Igor rezzed his Imagine Challenge winning piece "Kunst der Fuge")
quadrapop Lane: if the piece is a bit big for the area you can rez to one side
Igor Ballyhoo: I think it is fine
quadrapop Lane: :)
Igor Ballyhoo: ppl seen it anyhow already :)
but I realised many ppl have no idea what I made
this is my visualisation of one of J.S.Bach's masterpices
"Kunst der fuge"
it is strange musical work for more reasons
first of all it was never instrumentalised
so it was played on many instruments from organs to saxophone
second, many music historians donet even consider it for a serous work from Bach
they suspect it is only his intelectual practice
like we do while we think about serious things, drawing on piece of paper without plan
most important view for me
many ppl think it is written as mathemathical formula
it has elements of binary code
IF we look at it from that point of view
it would be first digital music ever...
quadrapop Lane: :)
[here is You Tube of Glen Gould playing Kunst der fuge ]
Igor Ballyhoo: long before term digital existed at all
Kunst der fuge for me has fine grid cage
inside it I felt demons wjo were not hostile
I tryed to put it all in one sterile unlimited space dimension
of this white cube with no defined walls
this "chaos in order" cage is exactly frame which I hear in Kunst
that is all I can tell about it...
it is beautiful work from Bach, I feel just like instrument which adapted it for eyes
quadrapop Lane: this piece won both the Imagine Challenge and the People's Choice award for December
Igor Ballyhoo: since kunst was never instrumentalised, I guess visualising it is not wrong at all
in case some of u never listened to "Kunst der fuge" I sugest u search for Glen Gould's performance of it
he does it on organ and piano
quadrapop Lane: Do you see all your works as visualisations of specific things (a piece of music for instance)?
Igor Ballyhoo: should I talk about some other work?
Igor Ballyhoo: no
sometimes I make statements
difference between what I do and most artists is
that I have no boundaries of recognizable style



one day I make this, other day I make political statement, next day I make butterfly
I use art to empty my mental stomach
we eat every day and we empty our intestins every day
we consume info every day
we should empty it as well
Gumby Roffo: it never ceses to amaze me the types of displays that are here each month, so much thoght, and the application of techniques to capture and display that thought, TY Igor I find this one most mezmerising.
quadrapop Lane: you build something every day?
Igor Ballyhoo: I made so far about 5000 builds
in less then 1000 days of my sl



Gumby Roffo: ahh I have seen that before
Igor Ballyhoo: I like to play with idea of perpetual motion
quadrapop Lane: :)
Igor Ballyhoo: perpetuum mobili for example
it is pure surreal build
I made it with idea of recycling in mind
pure eco stuff
quadrapop Lane: I have noticed that in the works of yours i have seen - a certain surreal element
Igor Ballyhoo: no big idea behind it
quadrapop Lane: do you have a favourite surrealist?
Igor Ballyhoo: I even sometimes make some builds many will see as religious themes, even if I am not religious
Igor Ballyhoo: all group formed around Dada, BUT!
Man Ray is the king
quadrapop Lane: :)
quadrapop Lane: I thought De Chrico when i saw your lounge
Igor Ballyhoo: some ppl see this as pure religious work
quadrapop Lane: but yes Man Ray :)



Igor Ballyhoo: this work for example is pure observation of deviation of society
we are all aware of this
and we all take it for granted
noone I met dissagree with this
yet noone talk about it
quadrapop Lane: I loved this piece
it says it all
Igor Ballyhoo: it is just machine that turn green in to the red and red back in to the green
quadrapop Lane: Igor I'd love to know the symbolism and story behind your current work in the imagine challenge - it is a powerful image
Igor Ballyhoo: it is "Lost childhood"?
quadrapop Lane: yes




Igor Ballyhoo: u ask about that?
stollen childhood exactly
it is abstraction in surrealist maner
abstraction not in meaning u got used to
abstraction in meaning that all that storry is put in few symbols
there is scissors that cut umbical cord of childhood b4 it is time to grow up
childhood is represented with tricycle,
which is old and rusty
since childhood never really stoped in that storry
child never become man, man never stoped beeing child
child realised it's time is passing before it should
and become opsessed with observing time it has left
there are also two figures
of mother and father
who act like they admitt their fault
and accept guilt
but red silk shawls
they have on their necks
show us their hypocracy
and how in fact they are selfish
if u dont mind, I will paste u few lines from one poem
by Peter handke
When the child was a child
It walked with its arms swinging,
wanted the brook to be a river,
the river to be a torrent,
and this puddle to be the sea.
When the child was a child,
it didn’t know that it was a child,
everything was soulful,
and all souls were one.
When the child was a child,
it had no opinion about anything,
had no habits,
it often sat cross-legged,
took off running,
had a cowlick in its hair,
and made no faces when photographed.

Audience member: Der Himmel über Berlin....
Igor Ballyhoo: yes, Peter was cowriter on that film
Audience member: so beautiful piece
Igor Ballyhoo: yes, I adore that film
any questions ppl?
quadrapop Lane: the poem adds beautifully to teh artwork Igor Ty for sharing that with us:)
Igor Ballyhoo: that is only part of poem
rest u digg urself, u will find it is beautiful I am sure
in case some of u didnt see that movie, I warmly recomend it
der himmel über berlin
ty for coming
quadrapop Lane: TY for all coming to hear Igor speak
Scottius was to talk today as well but has had to postpone as he is not well;(
we will have Scottius Polke and Miso Susanowa next month
Thank you Igor for an illuminating talk
Igor Ballyhoo: I must remember that word

All typos in the chat are the responsibility of the speakers.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

MachinmUWA Winners Announcement

At 1pm slt, Monday 8th Feb 2009, an absolutely out of this world (in more ways than one) Machinima, called 'SEEK' by Cisko Vandeverre of Berlin, Germany took out the $L65,000 first prize of MachinimUWA: The UWA Machinima Challenge in the presence of more than 65 avatars and the doyen of Second Life, Torley Linden at a sparkling awards ceremony on the University of Western Australia Sim.

A 12 member international judging panel led by Professor Alan Robson (RL), Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia awarded the top prize to Cisko, ahead of a couple of other spectacular entries by Bradley Dorchester (2nd Prize, L$44,000) and ColeMarie Soleil (3rd Prize, L$42,000).



This challenge co-hosted by White Lebed and Jayjay Zifanwe attracted entries from around the world, and 13 finalists were shortlisted from Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Paris, Maastricht, Berlin, Toronto and Perth.

Stunned by the win, Cisko was over the moon, 'I'm overwhelmed...need to calm down. Thank you. I love all of you. I need another drink.'


The judges thought that this was an absolute firecracker of a Machinima with a brilliant and very different approach. This had wonderful humour, amazing visual effects, great quality of editing and remarkable camera control.

With Bradley's work, the judges felt this had wonderful velocity with fantastic cutting to music transients, an epic soundtrack and showed off the "4 main elements" to great effect.

ColeMarie's brilliant modern and edgy piece was another favourite. Responding to the announcement, she said, 'I would like to thank all the artists involved in the creation of the UWA sims,and to UWA in particular, for this terrific opportunity to creatively express myself. To all my friends who gave me my space and understood how much working on this project meant to me, to JayJay for asking me to make this video, and Surrealia Anatine for getting me into machinima to start with. To energy drinks for keep me working late into the night, and Bryn Oh for 'subtle' yet threatening encouragements to finish this video.'

The judging panel had an extremely hard time seperating the entries, and a number of stand-out works had to finish in the finalist position. The overall quality of the entries is emhasised by the more than doubling of the overall prize pool from $L90,000 to $L215,000 within 5 minutes of the completion of the viewing of the finalists by the RL (real life) members of the panel.

Chantal Harvey, Masterdark Footman and Laslopantomik Yao won the Honourable Mention prizes ($L12,000) with Pyewacket Bellman, Iono Allen, Glasz DeCuir & Sophia Yates taking the Finalist prizes ($L7,000).

'I am so thankful to all the wonderful machinimatographers of Second Life who have so artfully put together works of brilliance that I am sure will be able to smash through the SL/RL barrier, and make SL and virtual worlds more relevant and prominent especially in the education sector. Words cannot express how thankful I am to my co-host, White Lebed, without whom the Challenge would not have started, and also to the wonderful people who provided the prizes, including the Casey Family of Western Australia, Dr Chris Thorne (RL), Philip Vought (SL), MidnightRain Glas (SL), Professor Alan Robson and John Stubbs of UWA and a secret benefactor,' said Jayjay.

In the words of Torley Linden as he was being TP'ed out at the end of the ceremony to attend to Viewer 2.0 matters, 'This has been awesometastic!'.

Yes Torley. It has indeed.


JUDGING PANEL

Professor Alan Robson (RL) - Vice-Chancellor, The University of Western Australia
Professor Ted Snell (RL) - Director, Cultural Precinct, The University of Western Australia
A/Professor Wade Halvorson (RL) - Lecturing in Marketing, Business and Electronic Commerce, The University of Western Australia
Colin Campbell Fraser (RL) - Principal Adviser (External Relations and Advocacy),
Vice-Chancellery, The University of Western Australia
Kelly Smith (RL) - Director, International Centre, The University of Western Australia
Jon Stubbs (RL) - Director, Student Services, The University of Western Australia
Susana Willis-Johnson (RL) - Marketing Manager, The University of Western Australia
Dr Carmen Fies (RL) - Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Torley Linden (SL) - Linden Labs
White Lebed (SL) - Lead of Burning Life Art Department, Director of Special Events at UWA-SL
Raphaella Nightfire (SL) - CEO SW&MB Fashion Productions, CEO Evane Model Agency, Snr Writer Best of SL Magazine
and me, JayJay who made coffee and tea for the panel!

1ST PRIZE (L$65,000 + UWA Goody Bag)





CISKO VANDEVERRE
Berlin, Germany(SEEK)



2ND PRIZE (L$44,000 + UWA Goody Bag)




BRADLEY CURNOW

Perth, Australia
MachinimUWA: Art Architecture, Research, Teaching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN1k80dA3I8



3RD PRIZE (L$42,000 + UWA Goody Bag)



COLEMARIE SOLEIL
Florida USA (UWA Machinima Challenge Submission)




HONOURABLE MENTIONS (L$12,000 + UWA Goody Bag)

CHANTAL HARVEY
Maastricht, Netherlands
University of Western Australia in Second Life

LASLOPANTOMIK YAO
Barcelona, Spain
MachinimUWA

MASTERDARK FOOTMAN
Dallas, Texas, USA
(Link Unavailable)

FINALISTS (L$7,000 + UWA Goody Bag)


PYEWACKET BELLMAN
New York City, USA
University of Western Australia in Second Life


SOPHIA YATES
Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA
The Challenge - Architecture, Teaching, Research Arts on the UWA sims


IONO ALLEN
Paris, France
Seek Wisdom


GLASZ DECUIR
San Sebastian, Spain
MachinimUWA: UWA in Second Life, Achieving International Excellence


NOVA DYSZEL
Toronto, Canada
UWA in SL Challange


MASTERDARK FOOTMAN
Dallas, Texas, USA
(Link Unavailable)


SOPHIA YATES
Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA
Second Life Virtual University of Western Australia

After the party Jayjay rushed off to take part in an interview on Metaworld News - he's getting to be quite the media star!
You can view the video here...


Watch live streaming video from metaworld3 at livestream.com


FULL JUDGING PANEL
1. Professor Alan Robson (RL) - Vice-Chancellor, The University of Western Australia
2. Professor Ted Snell (RL) - Director, Cultural Precinct, The University of Western Australia
3. A/Professor Wade Halvorson (RL) - Lecturing in Marketing, Business and Electronic Commerce, The University of Western Australia
4. Colin Campbell Fraser (RL) - Principal Adviser (External Relations and Advocacy),
Vice-Chancellery, The University of Western Australia
5. Kelly Smith (RL) - Director, International Centre, The University of Western Australia
6. Jon Stubbs (RL) - Director, Student Services, The University of Western Australia
7. Susana Willis-Johnson (RL) - Marketing Manager, The University of Western Australia
8. Dr Carmen Fies (RL) - Assistant Professor, The University of Texas at San Antonio
9. Torley Linden (SL) - Linden Labs
10. White Lebed (SL) - Lead of Burning Life Art Department, Curator
11. Raphaella Nightfire (SL) - CEO SW&MB Fashion Productions, CEO Evane Model Agency, Snr Writer Best of SL Magazine
12. Jayjay Zifanwe (SL) - Owner of The University of Western Australia (SL), Creator & co-host of the UWA 3D Art& Design Challenge

Monday, February 8, 2010

Igor Ballyhoo & Nyx Breen: Historic winners in JANUARY ROUND of UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge

Igor Ballyhoo and Nyx Breen both made history by becoming the only repeat winners of the IMAGINE and FLAGSHIP sections of the UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge with their truimph in the January round of this year long challenge! In Igor's case it was a back-to-back win as well in the IMAGINE Challenge. So it's out there. Who can put the breaks on Igor and Nyx?

Igor's winning piece, CYBERSHARK was an absolutely mesmerising piece. Chair of the judging panel, Professor Ted Snell said, 'January's judging for the 3D Challenge was difficult but we are thrilled with the final choice. Igor Ballyhoo's strangely menacing shark constructed from a mish-mash of discarded machine parts and slowly circuiting the gallery was a strange and surprisingly beguiling presence'. Igor also took home an Honourable Mention for 'Message' with his other work for January, FROM GREEN INTO RED AND INTO GREEN AGAIN. A wonderfully interactiove piece which hearkened memories of yesteryear, MUTOSCOPES was 2nd for the IMAGINE prize.

CYBERSHARK by Igor Ballyhoo

At a loss for words, Igor said, 'I was genuinely surprised, I thought I got that one award, and was happy'. FreeWee helped him out, saying, 'The UWA 3D Art & Design Challenge has rapidly emerged as one of the top showcases for virtual arts. I am grateful to the selection committee for selecting my Mutoscope project and to JayJay, quadrapop and the UWA Imagine Challenge for providing such a stimulating venue for creative work. I never have any expectation of winning competitions. I'm more interested in just participating. To be selected for a prize among such a remarkable field of entries is both startling and truly humbling.'

Nyx Breen's AxS LAB, which won the Flagship prize, also won the inaugural Casey West Australian Cultural Award. The Casey Award judges were struck by the use of West Australian resources - limestone, jarrah, nickel and steel and the respectful inclusion of Indigenous art and important cultural symbols alongside European and Asian design influences to create a sense of contemporary harmony and complementarity.

AxS LAB by Nyx Breen

'I would like to say thank you to all involved in the UWA project. It has been a wonderful opportunity and experience to participate with such a high level of artists and builders. But for me on a very personal level its been one of the highlights of my SL experience to meet and learn about the peoples and places of Western Australia. As we look closer at an individual or group we discover that they hold close to their hearts the same dreams, ambitions and hopes that we all do. The UWA dream and that of the peoples of WA are one I truly do share, I'm very glad my dream took on a bit of OZ and it's no longer over the rainbow but just a click and smile away now.', said Nyx

Nyx Breen in side the AxS Lab

The build can be seen here through the end of February.

Igor was also in the mix for the People's Choice Award, along with Sabine Stonebender, but in a very close outcome that went down to the final 30 minutes of voting, the People's Choice Award after more than 350 votes were cast, went to Gleman Jun's FLAME OF CREATIVITY. A stunning work that cannot escape attention. Gleman was also a double winner as he also took home an honourable mention prize for 'Wonder of SL'.

Flame of Creativity by Gleman Jun
more images here

People gather to hear the announcements

A total of 69 entries were submitted for the January round with 65 for the IMAGINE challengeand 4 entries to the FLAGSHIP. As months pass, more and more parts of the world are being reached.

The winning Imagine entry announced

Jayjay Zifanwe, co-host of the challenge said, 'The international connections made through SL are very important to me, and through January, the Challenges have seen Artists & Builders hailing from Canada, the USA, the UK, Uruguay, Scotland, England, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, France, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Cuba, Serbia, Tunisia, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. Every country that has ever won the Soccer World Cup is represented!'

JayJay Zifanwe announces the Flagship Winner

A number of other awards were also presented including the the 'Best Non-Scripted Art' prize taken by Solkide Auer with 'BLACK PEARL'. Other winners included Miso Susanowa, Mcarp Mavendorf, Oberon Onmura and Shellina Winkler.

Non-Scripted winner BLACK PEARL by Solkide Auer

The competition is now receiving entries for the month of February at the landing area for the UWA 3D Art & Design Platform. All winning artworks can also be seen on the platform to the south of the landing area. Click the hyper links more images of the winning works and the Announcement afterparty.



Stay tuned for the prize ceremony for MachinimUWA: The UWA Machinima Challenge where the prize pool jumped from L$90,000 to L$215,000 following viewing of all finalists by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia, Professor Alan Robson. With Torley Linden speaking as guest of honour, the ceremony will take place:

WHEN: 1pm SLT, Monday 8th Feb
WHERE: Winthrop Hall, Uni of WA sim in SL


WINNERS OF THE JANUARY ROUND OF THE UWA 3D ART & DESIGN CHALLENGE

Images of teh winners and their works are available on the UWA in SL Koinup photo site
IMAGINE CHALLENGE - 3D ART

Imagine Challenge 1st Prize:
($L5,000 + Custom T-Shirt)
CYBERSHARK by Igor Ballyhoo
Imagine Challenge 2nd Prize:
($L1,250)
MUTASCOPES by FreeWee Ling

Best Non-Scripted Entry:
($L1,250 + Custom T-Shirt)
BLACK PEARL by Solkide Auer

Honourable Mention Prize for THE BEAUTY OF SL
(L$500)
FLAME OF CREATIVITY by Gleman Jun
Honourable Mention Prize for IMMERSION
(L$500)
CITY (LOS ANGELES) by Miso Susanowa

Honourable Mention Prize for INGENUITY
(L$500)
LAPTOP by Mcarp Mavendorf

Honourable Mention Prize for MESSAGE
(L$500)
FROM GREEN INTO RED AND INTO GREEN AGAIN by Igor Ballyhoo

The Honourable Mention Prize for INTERACTION
(L$500)
ANTIENTROPIC PARTICLES by Oberon Onmura
Honourable Mention Prize for WONDER
(L$500)
SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT by Shellina Winkler

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
(L$500):
FLAME OF CREATIVITY by Gleman Jun
FLAGSHIP CHALLENGE - BUILDING DESIGN
Flagship Challenge 1st Prize : ($L5,000)
AxS LAB by Nyx Breen

Casey WA Cultural Prize
(L$4,000)
AxS LAB by Nyx Breen

Monday, February 1, 2010

MachinimUWA - UWA Machinima Challenge: FINALISTS REVEALED!



What a thing is Second Life! How else can the world converge on a university in the most remote capital city on the planet (Perth, Western Australia) to produce artistic brilliance that uplifts and seems to transcend geography....language.... art... time... space.

Launched in mid December 2009, the wondorous avatars of THIS world have delivered, and MachinimUWA: The UWA Machinima challenge is proud to announce the 13 finalists hailing from Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Florida, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Paris, Maastricht, Berlin, Toronto and Perth.

Winners of this L$215,000 challenge will be announced on the 8th of February (details below) following the deliberations of an international panel helmed by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia (RL), Professor Alan Robson, and the doyen of all things SL, Torley Linden.

In no particular order, the finalists are:

COLEMARIE SOLEIL, Florida, USA
UWA Machinima Challenge

CISKO VANDEVERRE, Berlin, Germany
SEEK

BRADLEY DORCHESTER, Perth, Australia
MachinimUWA: Art Architecture, Research, Teaching

PYEWACKET BELLMAN, New York City, USA
University of Western Australia in Second Life

CHANTAL HARVEY, Maastricht, Netherlands
University of Western Australia in Second Life

SOPHIA YATES, Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA
The Challenge - Architecture, Teaching, Research Arts on the UWA sims

IONO ALLEN, Paris, France
Seek Wisdom

GLASZ DECUIR, San Sebastian, Spain
MachinimUWA: UWA in Second Life, Achieving International Excellence

LASLOPANTOMIK YAO, Barcelona, Spain
MachinimUWA

NOVA DYSZEL, Toronto, Canada
UWA in SL Challenge

SOPHIA YATES, Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA
Second Life Virtual University of Western Australia

MASTERDARK FOOTMAN, Dallas, Texas, USA
UWA Jan 2010

MASTERDARK FOOTMAN, Dallas, Texas, USA
The Heart of UWA


Please join us for the winners announcements and party on the 8th of February:

Date: 8th February 2010
Time: 1pm - 2pm slt
Location: Winthrop Hall, University of WA sim in SL

Guest of Honour at the winners announcement party will be Torley Linden!



UWA would also like to thank Sophia Yates, MasterDark Footman, Iono Allen & Matt Jilley for some wonderful machinima of the UWA SIMS which are unrelated to the Challenge, but focus on a number of areas as to the UWA presence:

SOPHIA YATES, Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA
UWA Cultutal Precinct Nexus

MASTERDARK FOOTMAN, Dallas, Texas
The Trouble With Travel

MATT JILLEY, Perth, Australia
UWA in Second Life

IONO ALLEN, France
Nov 2009 UWA 3D Art Challenge Entries

Larkworthy Antfarm, USA
Strangers Also Dance

For more information, please contact co-hosts, White Lebed or Jayjay Zifanwe.