Category: Art, Music, Performance
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Anthropology in an AI image creation channel
I could write a thesis on the evolving behaviors of people writing AI generation prompts, but since I have a full-time job, a few posts here and there will have to satisfy my anthropological curiosity. On the Midjourney Discord server, I am essentially a participant observer. Midjourney is open-by-default; working in stealth mode would require…
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AI art and ethics: starting a conversation
I am astounded daily by AI-generated art. I also understand the position of artists who rage against the theft of their visual style, loss of earnings, and disrespect for human creativity. There are some tricky ethics to consider. I won’t reach a conclusion in this little post, but you can be sure I’ll revisit the…
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It’s VWBPE conference time again
The annual Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference is back for a 16th year, with events already underway and the bulk of the program next week, March 23rd through 25th. The official program has a variety of discussions, lectures, and activities, and there are always interesting exhibits to visit. As an anthropologist by training,…
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My avatar, myself
My rez day as Kay Jiersen is this week, and combined with visiting a thought-provoking exhibition at GBTH, I have embodiment on my mind. I’ve written about this in the past, but years have gone by and it’s worth considering again. To age or not to age Since Kay was born, my physical self has…
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Sunday at the ballet
The Royal Opera & Ballet Garnier doesn’t always give much notice before their performances, but I was lucky the invitation to “Somewhere – a drawn story” arrived with plenty of time to attend. I’ve been to many events at this venue and they’re usually excellent. This show, from Ina Carpaccio and the talented artists of…
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An hour in Sansar
When I read about a historic roleplaying sim moving from Second Life to Sansar, my reaction was surprise that it was still a thing. I know, I know; while I was away from SL, I didn’t frequent the virtual world blogs either. I had an hour and a decent desktop computer, so I took a…
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The world, three years later
Other than volunteering at the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conferences for a couple years, I haven’t been in Second Life since very early 2016. Instead, I played some video games (ArcheAge, Subnautica, No Man’s Sky) and learned to make vector art in the time I had to play at my computer. My curiosity…
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Remembering the potential of virtual creativity
There are times in Second Life when the graphics seem as crude as Minecraft, the big art installations look like my doodle-covered teenage notebook come to life, and the extent of imagination appears to be choosing a pose from a menu. But then when you’re least expecting it, you can be swept away. Yesterday while I…
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Second Life road trip: Heterocera Atoll part 1
The SL mainland doesn’t have the best reputation. With no zoning laws and limited control over the terrain and atmosphere, the mainland continents can be chaotic. That chaos can hide gems, though, which is one of the reasons I enjoy living there. Today I dismantled my skybox, leaving a platform and a large box to contain…
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Friday night in virtual worlds
It’s been a rough week: I haven’t felt well, the news has been lousy, and I’ve been frustrated and lonely in my online worlds. I’m bored in ArcheAge, though I’m finding some amusement in traveling the oceans, killing sea monsters for drops to upgrade my clipper. Other than that? Blah. Second Life hasn’t been much better.…