Research Critique – Second Front

 

 

When I first saw Second Front‘s art pieces, I was immediately reminded of the similarities to two popular games, SIMS and Grand Theft Auto. They all had this openness and free world with physics that defy reality.

Second Front is a group of individual who made a series of art performances on an online platform called Second Life. (I know, it’s confusing right?) In any case, what made their works unique was the collaboration between different individuals from different places coming together in a Third Space – super participation.

How is this anything special?

Firstly, being able to venture the free and open “world” allows one to try out many things that cannot be done in real life, because of the law of gravity and laws that govern us as good citizens. In Second Life, one can fly or kill without and ethical attribute. This, can both be good and bad.

You will then come to realised that this could be more good than bad. Good because you could satisfy a curiosity on what would happen is you did what could not be done in the real world, suffice to say, this satisfaction would lower the chances of someone committing offences.

However, at the extremes, this would mean the over-indulgence of the third space and marrying of the virtual world with reality. It could go both ways. One may so live in the online space so much so it feels so real or you could exercise the possibilities from the online space in the real world.

How does this apply to what we are doing in Internet Art and Culture?

I think this has everything to do with what are learning. We are in living in a society where everything is advancing so rapidly and see online platforms being a part of one’s life. Second Front confronts the nature of the open real world in Second Life. Of course their performances such as robbing a bank wasn’t just a random recording but somewhat pre-planned. From the artistic presentation to the events that occur throughout the heist definitely had to be planned out. This allows for viewers to be presented a real-world-fantasy.

If it is better improvised we will
probably do that. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. With
prerecorded performances, we can fine tune and edit out things we don’t
want the audience to see. But with improvised performances, the work
takes on a life of its own fueled by the creative energy of our players
which really shows through. Also, many times, it’s the surprises and
unintended actions that make the work really come alive!

-ALISE IBORG,  A LEAP INTO THE VOID: INTERVIEW WITH SECOND FRONT, by Domenico Quaranta

In all, I think that more of such platform should be implemented to allow for more understanding of the values and occurrences in the real-world.

P.S. No matter how many times i read or look at their works, I still can’t get their names and the platform they are on right. Second Front, Second Life, so confusing haha!

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Isaac Chu

Chuwy to the Potter. I don't chew well and neither do I pottery.

One thought on “Research Critique – Second Front”

  1. Some very interesting ideas! You are right that Second Life allows people to act our their fantasies, running the risk of losing contact with reality. On the other hand, as you point out, it is an opportunities to test real world issues in a virtual world without consequences. Or we have to ask, are there consequences to our actions in a third space virtual environment. Glad to see you are connecting the artworks we are looking at to our critical study of the Internet. Well done.

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