Starax: The legend - a full sim art exhibition in Angelgate (note from the curator, White Lebed)

First of all, thank you, everybody for supporting this show.  I keep receiving IMs from people who are grateful for the opportunity to see the works of the great master in one place.

For those who are interested I would like to give some details about the art collector behind the exhibition and why I believe it was a good idea to bring this art in Anglegate (surprisingly there are people who challenge this).

General about the show

It was purely “opportunistic” show.  Angelgate had received a wonderful gift - a full prepaid sim.  It takes time to move in a new sim the existing gallery from the old location and expand it, invite the new residents, etc.  Meant we had a whole full sim to use.  I always wanted to see works of Starax presented in a personal show format since looking at over hundred sculptures body of work is very different from experiencing a single sculpture.  It allows us to see how the artist grew and developed his style and technique from 2004 to 2007.  In this sense this show provides a unique opportunity for understanding not just Starax, but general Secold Life progress.  Given that Starax’s sculptures are very primy this was the only chance for us to use the whole sim resource to show the work.

About the collector

Jeri Rahjia is one of the most interesting and unusual people I ever met in SL.  She is known for her passion for art in both worlds.  As an atorney she has means to follow her passion and collect what she wants.  Being seriously sick and bedridden last year she has time to find what she needs.  This fortunate/unfortunate combination resulted in one of the most spectacular eight-sims wide art collection.  LIke most art collectors she is paranoid about safety of her treasures and keeps the sims locked.  I was lucky to be invited there and had a glimps of what she has a year ago, when she bought some of my sculptures.  When I saw that my metal flowers were placed among the works of the most legendary art works I was in shock - what was around me was mind blowing.  Unfortunately she kept it locked because  of “troubles” and I couldn’t even boast about this honor and bring all my friends to show off.

When Jeri found out about our new sim she surprised me by offering to show Starax to support the gallery.  Given how secretive she is about her collection I was very touched by this offer and trilled.

About the placement

I am a perfectionist and I like to build my exhibitions according to some rules.  Jeri is a perfectionist and she doesn’t follow anybody rules.  The fight was in the air.  Eventually I gave up and let her do it her way.  Her way usually involves time and money investment - she bought that building in the middle, some software for auction, etc  Jeri never does anything half way, I always knew it - now I had experienced it.  After some adjustments we finally placed some art for auctions inside the building and large sculptures around on the stone platforms (Bryn Oh’s suggestion).  Miso kindly helped with all the textures for the show.  We were ready for the viewers~

The Openng

It was almost a regular art opening.  ColeMarie Soleil shared with us her unique one of the kind sculpture that Lightwave (former Starax) made for her personally.  A few guests wanted to add a few missing sculptures to the collection.  I asked people who had rl contacts with Starax send him emails with information about the show and secretly hoped he would show up.  He didnt’, not openly at least.   I really wish he would.  Because he could greatly help to solve some controversy that all of the sudden started forming around the show.

Controversy N1: copybots danger

I was very surprised to hear from people whom I greatly respect that I shouldn’t show Starax sculptures.  Are you surprised too?  Apparently it is not a good idea to show historical art in SL anymore because some bad guys can copy the artworks.   And those copies can be sold (cheap) and therefor reduce the value of same sculptures owned by other art collectors.

My immediate reaction was “so what does it mean? we can’t generally show art anymore? sound very wrong”.  Given that this is not a temporary problem - the copybots dont’ go away, it means no more art shows - who knows what they will copy in upcoming Burning LIfe? lets hide our art! from everybody!! is it me or it sounds really silly?  I wish we could ask Starax himself if he minds the copybots.

Controversy N2: Jeri’s sculptures could be copies

Now this argument was more serious.  I put mine and the gallery reputation online by presenting artists in Agnelgate.  I see it as my job to make sure what we show is legit.  I know that Jeri is a very careful person - she spends great deal of time examining what she buys - she spent fortune on SL art, but she wouldn’t part with 1L without careful evaluating of what she pays for.

However, as I mentioned before, I am a perfectionist when it comes to my work.  I personally examined each sculpture in search for known signs of copied prims.  Couldn’t find any.  I asked people who knew Starax and saw his art as he was rezzing it to come and examine the sculptures.  They approved all of them. I asked people who actually write copybots and know how they work, etc etc.   As much as I could see all the sculptures had the correct times, names, prim counts.   I asked those who actually claimed that the sculptures are fake to come and point out at one single suspicious prim  - they refused.  Lindens who helped Jeri find a few sculptures that escaped from the new sim also confirmed the originality.  At least nobody could see anything wrong with any single prim.

This is another reason I wish Starax/lightwate/kings or whoever would show up and put the end to this debate.

For now, here is what I had learned after hours of discussions iwth the above people.  Copied art is EASY to spot.   The copybots either change names and dates of the prims (that is so easy to see by inspect nobody should be fooled) or the more sophisticated ones manage to become part of a sculpture and save the names and the dates.  There is a trick - there has to be one prim that is not by the artist.  I know, it is very tiring to check each of 200+ prims, but if you are ready to pay 70K lindens for a sculpture you would bother, right?  Just keep your eyes open when you pay for rare old art, examine, check the seller reputation, ask for a second opinion.

Copied art exists, it is a problem.  As an artist I wish something was done about it.  As a gallery curator, an art lover I don’t think this is a reason to stop showing art.

The show will be closed on 18th with in-world demonstration of Starax’s magic wand.