Exploring SL with Dido: Body Language/The Invisible Woman by Wicked Eiren

June-July 2022 exhibition @ the Annex of Nitroglobus: Body Language/The Invisible Woman by Wicked Eiren.

This was the first time Wick showed her work at an SL art gallery. and of course I am super proud she choose Nitroglobus. Proud to present this intriguing and very emotional exhibition by Wicked who with these images asked for acknowledgement of/attention for her situation, and that of many others in the world who are suffering from Central Sensitivity Syndromes (CSSs), an umbrella term which houses a series of complex chronic diseases like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, and many more.

A diseases that you can not see, but which needs to be heard, the silent scream!

My special thanks goes to Adwehe for her awesome light art, specially created for this exhibition.

I am an invisible woman.
Not because people refuse to see me.
They know I am here.
But it's as if my (pain) detracts from my existence.
My presence too often mistaken for absence.
I am an invisible woman.

poem by Toni Blackman

Description of the exhibition by Wick:

SL is a creative relief for me and emotionally it is a way to express what I can not have in RL. My artistic challenge is trying to make SL photography look like RL photography with the help of digital elements. I am inspired by Tim Booth. His versatile work encompasses portraiture, storytelling, and dreamy landscapes. And they’re executed with immaculate technique. I love how Booth explores shutter speed to evoke particular emotions. All without taking attention away from the story.

Booth’s approach to light on the human body is also stunning. I try to capture my moments or imaginations with the help of my digital avatars. It gives me time to concentrate and focus in a world that goes so much faster. My brain is so slow, that it feels like running through thick honey.. but it is not sweet coz everyone is long past in the conversation when my words and ideas have finally caught up! A side effect of my illness.

Heavy by Wicked Eiren

Body Language/The Invisible Woman exhibition:

What was once a vibrant beautiful engaging woman who's passion was dancing, now hides from a world which has no understanding of this disease.

People only see “you look normal on the outside” no one knows who I was before this disease took me. You cover your body and start to shield it from light, touch, sound, and movement...eventually love!

You try to join the living and put on a face for others, but the cycle repeats after you return home, the inner scream your body rebels and no one can see the pain inside, never knowing if or when you overdo. Receiving remarks as ”you look fine” or 'it must be in her head'...the stress you battle within and the pain in your limbs.

More about Wick:
https://www.instagram.com/wickedpixelartist/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wicked_photogaphy/
https://georgina-hannay.pixels.com/

More info about CSSs http://www.bcwomens.ca/health-info/living-with-illness/living-with-complex-chronic-disease

Sound by Wicked Eiren

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The opening party was on Monday, 27 June, 12 PM SLT and started with a short contemporary ballet by Milena and Lalitha Carbone, followed by tunes of DJ Niels and particles by Kurk Mumfuzz, who replaced Venus Adored, using her particles.

images by Ed Rhode of a rehearsal session @ Milena's studio

video of rehearsal session by me

At the time of the party there was a big big problem with rezzing in SL. Everybody who entered the gallery was an orange cloud. Because I was an orange cloud too, Haiku was so kind to take my place and dance with Milena and Lalitha.

This problem with rezzing was also responsible for the little amount of images of the opening party.

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IN THE PRESS

The following cool reviews were written about Wick's exhibition:

image by Inara Pey

Inara Pey wrote a moving and indepth article in her blog 'Living in a Modemworld' about the exhibition:

'Similarly, the use of black-and-white images is evocative of the manner in which life might appear to feel: washed of colour and vitality; a plain mix of light and dark that personifies the wish to retreat, to hide. It also most effectively underscores the central tenet to the exhibition, as does the intentional monochrome lighting and overall presentation of the hall itself a monochromatic finish of its own: that those who experience CCD / CSS so often encounter a two-dimensional response from others: they are seen, but not who they are, because their pain causes them to be denied true expression and/or to be cosseted, be it out of lack of understanding (the aforementioned “it’s all in her head”) or over-protective response (“you shouldn’t be doing that! Let ME take care of it!”) that can be as equally denying and born of a lack of understanding.'

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image by Frank Atisso

Frank Atisso also wrote a cool article in his blog 'ART KORNER' about this exhibition. Moreover, he larded it with stunning images.
Frank wrote:

'Wick has paid great attention to her composition and lighting as she always does. The texture of the skin and the facial expressions in her photographs seem extremely real. The anguish and the silent scream of the woman tormented by CSS is plain to see through these images.'

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image by Diomita Maurer

Diomita Maurer wrote an interesting review in het blog 'Diomita and Jenny Maurer's Blog'
Diomita wrote:

'Wicked Eiren is from Wales and lives in Canada nowadays. She’s in Second Life since 2009. She wrote in the accompanying notecard, that her challenge is to make SL photography look like RL photography with the help of digital elements. And looking at the showcasted monochrome pictures of this exhibition I can confirm that she succeeded. Chapeau!'

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