New opening in RMB City

Please join us tomorrow, Tuesday 25th August 2009, 11 a.m. (Beijing time) for new RMB City opening: Chinese artist Yan Jun will present his new sound project ‘Never Real Sound’…come and experience this mysterious, ‘disturbing’ project in the new vibrant atmosphere of our virtual city!

French artist Christian Boltanski

Talking about art and new standards of life (virtual identities as well as the contemporary trend of ‘performed’ existences, Big Brother style) some days ago I read a very interesting article about French artist Christian Boltanski’s new extravagant project (unfortunately I’ve only found the original interview made by Le Monde to the artist: http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/article/2009/07/29/christian-boltanski-je-joue-une-partie-contre-le-diable_1223806_3246.html and another Italian article on the subject: http://www.repubblica.it/2009/08/sezioni/persone/pittore-francese/pittore-francese/pittore-francese.html?ref=search).

A bizarre Australian millionaire, hardened gambler and art passionate, decided to literally ‘buy’ Boltanski’s life for 8 years: from January 2010 he will live in a cave in the man’s property in Tasmania and will be observed by cameras and visitors for eight years (note that Boltanski is already 65); he will be free to live his live ‘normally’ and express his needs and desires but for eight years he will constantly be subject to the irreverent eye of the cameras and to his superb ‘master’s wishes.

This already extravagant project becomes a real bet with death, due to the internal clauses of the contract: if Boltanski dies, his millionaire master will become the beneficiary of his life annuity, if he survives he will instead be due to pay Boltanski back of a huge amount of money.

The unforgettable scene from Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal": the knight plays a chess game with Death

In my opinion, the project is challenging, original, unacceptable and grotesque at the same time, but it’s nonetheless a very significant and multifaceted work, and it especially arouses many interesting issues:

First of all, the idea of a massive invasion of the public sphere into the private one in modern society (“I’m being watched, therefore I am”?);

Secondly, it is a peculiar overlapping of life and art: most of Boltanski’s work is actually imbued with this sense of loss, inexorability of time and memory:

could this project become his own personal way of immortalizing his life into a piece of art?

Is this simply a mere contemporary interpretation of the classical ‘memento mori’ motif and a way of securing his presence even in case of ‘extreme eventuality’?

I don’t really know the answer, but of one thing I’m sure: in this crazy game with Death, the incredible and even unexplainable human compassion and attachment to life will drive people to root for this man!

At this stage of my ‘limbo’ journey, after numerous adventures and new encounters I decide to take a rest and fly towards the seventh location of ‘People’s Limbo’ inside ‘People’s Tower’.

Up to this point, I’ve learned many lessons: I’ve learned how to fight laziness and committed myself to maintaining the good harmony of my city, I’ve found a job and brought new hope through the arms of freedom and creativity, and I’ve finally learned how to re-equilibrate my internal Qi, because the only way to solve problems in the outside is by re-harmonizing our internal rhythm.

I fly inside ‘People’s Tower’ (RMB City 3 179, 186, 88 (Mature)- RMB City 3) and let myself fall down the long tunnel conducting to the main hall (fellow avatars will notice the weird similarities with Alice’s journey to ‘another world’).
The place is actually an information centre whith newspapers and journals suddenly popping up in the air and surrounding your avatar with unexpected and, I must say, quite aggressive piece of information, from the recent economical crisis to the historical event of Beijing Olympic games and even some political propaganda.
I’m sure this place conceals some hidden meanings and I start to think about journalism, news and the role of information.

When does journalism go beyond news?
Where’s the limit between information and sensationalism, or between information and propaganda?
Does a neutral and objective journalism even exist or is it always conditioned by personal opinions and perspectives? How has information and communication changed with the advent of technology and on-line platforms?
In a digital era when anybody can write on a blog and comment current events and news, how can we distinguish between reliable and non-reliable sources of information?
Does this multiplication of sources grow at the expense of clearer and more in-depth journalism?
Carmelo Bene, a contemporary and controversial Italian director, used to say that information doesn’t ‘inform OF facts’ but ‘inform FACTS’ (playing on the original Latin significance of the verb ‘inform’, which literally means ‘to form, to shape’).

SL and virtual platforms are to be used with special caution, as an immense pool of knowledge, creativity and inspiration but always aware of their potential for misinformation and myths.

RMB City is ready to launch a new SL opening tomorrow Friday August 14, 2009.
Chinese artist Huang He (SL name: queenShoe Voom) will inaugurate the new ‘Master Q’s Feng Shui Clinic’ in RMB City’s Sanyuanli village.

Presenting a new series of virtual project RMB City opens itself to a new era of experimentation, novelty and liveliness.
A city needs lifeblood and creativity to regenerate itself: how will these young eclectic artists infuse new life in RMB City? Which new elements will they bring to the ordinary routine of the city?

Like ‘modern Prometheuses’ or godly figures, they are given the unique chance to infuse new life and cross the boundaries of new worlds in the unique artistic context or RMB City…new adventures are about to come, don’t miss the date!

Huang He (SL: queenShoe Voom) is a young Chinese artist and a long-standing friend of RMB City. Last January, coinciding with the opening of the City, Huang He applied the traditional oriental Feng Shui spatial theories to a SL context and investigated the connections between reality and virtuality. (Master Q’s Guide to Virtual Feng Shui)
http://vimeo.com/3574782

http://rmbcity.com/2009/01/master-qs-guide-to-virtual-feng-shui-a-special-project-by-huang-he/

Chinese architecture and apparently Hong Kong architecture most of all is completely infused with Feng Shui theories, also known as ‘Geomancy’…some bloggers wrote that the recent fire in the CCTV area was caused by a miscalculated arrangement of the spaces…it would be interesting to know some experts’ opinions…

Actors start rehearsing for the upcoming RMB City event at Italian exhibition ‘Artissima 16’: here’s what Cao Fei wrote on her blog:

As part of Italian project ‘Artissima16’ for the ‘Blinding the Ears’ theatre section, Arthub invited me under the “People’s City” project to create a drama.

CBD, we rented a small community 20-storey apartment as a rehearsal space, the window is very close to the CCTV ‘accident area’, which then becomes our background “stage”, which feels very psychedelic.

due to the relationship bewteen the actors and the small space, it looked as if we were having a mini drama, as if we were in a movie.

Get rid of the conventional stage, in rehearsal rooms the play becomes a day-to-day integration of furniture and a real life drama.

Actor introduced:

He Yu Fan, male, Graduated from the School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, one of the founders of Rice Theater, as a director and actor. Since 2006 he has been working for “Pour”, “Pour2-memory,” “He” and “School violence” (also known as “I speak”). He’s participated to Dutch festival Oerol (repertoire “Oosterburen”), the French blind spots Theater (plays “Out Heaven’s Gate”), as well as Hong Kong forward into the theater (plays, “Fly,the Pro Flow birds, Fly”) performance.

Jiang Jun, female, graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy, one of the founders of Rice Theater, is a director and free-lance actress. Since 2004 she has been participating in dance studio live work “8 reports 37 degrees” and “Reproductive Report”, she’s participated to Julidans Arts Festival, International Theater Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, Gothenburg, Sweden Arts Festival, Hamburg, Germany Kampnagel Arts Festival, Berlin Festival, Austria Salzburg summer festival.

For the original Chinese version see Cao Fei’s blog http://www.alternativearchive.com/caofei/article.asp?id=363

Crazy that just a simple annoucement in newspaper got thousands of people rushing to Bird’s Nest. Granted, the news started with a vague article from the authoritative Xinhua News Agency saying parts of the Olympic Park is open to public for free; which is then widely (mis)quoted as “Bird’s Nest and Water Cube is open to public for free for a week, to celebrate the one year anniversary of the BJ Olympics”.

While many are frustrated by this particular incidence, overall, the Bird Nest seems to hold up extremely well as a tourist spot after the Olympics. Didnt become “ghost towns” like stadiums in Athens and other Olympic cities. RMB50 entrance fee is not cheap; but its also not prohibitive, at least not for those who came to BJ especially for it.

PS – the People’s Stadium in RMB City is free, all year round! Come!

Intensely touched by my voyage to the netherworld (see ‘People’s Limbo’, scene 5, The graveyard), I now feel that my duty as knight-errant of RMB City has become even more precious and needed by my fellow citizens: I’ve experienced Christian mysticism in front of the Golden Virgin Mary, I’ve underwent a session of purifying and enlightening Chinese acupuncture and I’ve finally met my destiny in the reign of the dead.

At this point, after my long wanderings, my fate brings me to the next stage of my journey and I magically fly towards People’s Temple (“People’s Limbo 6”, the golden bodhisattva, RMB City 3 186, 50, 60 (Mature) – RMB City 3).
Here, opposite to a gigantic Buddha statue in a supermarket cart (the strange Chinese union of mysticism and consumerism) I sit on a comfortable floating cushion and plunge into a deep state of unconsciousness and meditation,…and I breathe and relax, unwind and repose…

“Get rid of all your useless novels!” a profound and fresh voice suddenly whispers;

“Who’s speaking? And how dare you interrupt my musing?” I immediately answer…

“That’s how my dear friend Govinda reacted, too, but you have to trust me: the long path towards understanding and Nirvana doesn’t follow the worldly logic of carnal pleasures and intellectual sophistry but is instead patiently reached through experience and spirituality, I’m “he who has attained his goals”, nice to meet you knight errant of RMB City”

“Dear friend, my path towards salvation is closer to your ideals than you may think: I’ve already forsaken all my dear books and decided instead to become part of a bigger novel and experience life. And here I am, wandering through a new, unknown world, trying to redeem myself from my sins and undergo a new level of life and experience. What do you think of this second world?”

“There is no thing in this world I know less about than about me, about Siddhartha! I’ve spent my whole life in this statue, musing on my self and waiting for answers…”

“This world may be a mirror of your old world and can help you to see things from a different perspective but you should experience it more…live this city with me: you will be my shadow-guide and I will follow your whispered words of wisdom. Are you ready to cross our destinies?”

He just takes my hand and we fly towards our next destination, together.

excited avatars (queenShoe Voom on the left)

While SuperConcierge Cristole was reaching the climax of his very serious and inspired speech, eccentric avatars enlivened the scene offstage: an extremely excited minute girl named queenShoe Voom (a long standing acquaintance for RMB City citizens and friends…) expressed her extreme joy for the new ordination of SuperConcierge by staging a one-man-show of somersaults, enthusiastic remarks: ‘I am happy with the citizen-community!’ and unordinary drinking performances (some liquors in SL make you instantly dizzy).

former mayor AlanLau Nirvana and his new fancy outfit + China Tracy and newly born China Sun

Out in front our happy and relaxed former mayor Alan Lau, probably relieved from his recent demanding duties, showed up in his new weird outfit: his ordinary elegant suit equipped with a fancy white puppy attached to his right leg…!
Old and new friends attended the ceremony: our dear friends and former colleagues Miniature Tigerpaw and Man Michinaga, and the newly born China Sun, who stressed Jerome’s speech with his funny baby mumbling and even attempted his first speech, too: ‘a mn,mn piojiimm,,, m’

Hufang Scribe

All throughout the ceremony a mysterious character named Hufang Scribe dressed in an ethereal gray tunic thus presented himself to the crowd:
‘Hello, everyone, actually my name should be Wong Guo Wei, a ‘suicided Chinese intellectual’ at the beginning of Chinese modernity and I would like to explore his RL in SL’…What does this strange avatar has in mind? What does this new ‘flaneur’ of RMB City is plotting to do? Don’t miss the chance to meet him and find it out!

me and my new wings

p.s. By the way, I hope you liked my brand new dragonfly wings especially dressed for the occasion 😉
Bye bye citizens of the two worlds and a special welcome to our new mayor!

New mayor SuperConcierge Cristole

China Tracy (+China Sun), RMB City project manager Zilla Warrhol, new mayor SuperConcierge Cristole

Last Sunday (Beijing time) our newly appointed mayor Jerome Sans (SL: SuperConcierge Cristole) gave his inauguration speech. Surrounded by a festive crowd of extravagant avatars here’s what he proposed for the future management of RMB City:

“Hello RMB City citizen!
I am honored to be appointed Mayor of Timeless RMB city and be part of this challenging art project part of the Second Life world. What a wonderful city where art can make temporary mayors with personal proposals? This is quite something since I am starting this 3 months mission the day of my birthday, August 2nd.

I am a man of adventure and being the mayor of RMB city is such a special one. So special that I want to honor my duty as mayor in the most caring and useful way possible. As if RMB city citizens where all residents of a 5 stars hotel, I am delighted to be at their service. As RMB City mayor, I offer to act as Super Concierge.

That means, I don’t want to look at your questions from afar, I don’t want to be secluded in my own official office, my own universe and take decisions that would be disconnected from your concerns. I want to serve all your needs. I want to make sure that all citizens of RMB City, can create, be inspired and enjoy their time in this city, in the best possible conditions, receiving creative insights, new ideas and full support from my end.

During my three months mandate, I would like to create and interact with you, I would like to gather knowledge from you and help you to grow and develop your projects. I wish that together we can create a dynamic community where new ideas can emerge and shake our lives.

In a word, I want to make your every day virtuality a total success, a complete experience”.

Our new mayor will have a station in RMB City where anyone can go and leave him his requests and questions: as a super concierge he will satisfy your curiosities and help old and new friends of RMB City to integrate into the community.

We all warmly welcome our new mayore Jerome/SuperConcierge!