LaTurbo Avedon and the eternity of Metaverse
Artist is art
LaTurbo Avedon claims to have been born between 2008/09 in virtual space — the Metaverse of the online computer game Second Life. As an artist, avatar, and curator, LaTurbo Avedon is a non-binary figure (pronouns are they/them ) who denies existence in physical reality and instead, emphasize the potential of non-physical and fluid identities. I wonder if they recognize their identity as art, but if it were up to me, I’d lean toward a positive answer. And while it’s not the first time the artists assert oneness between their creation and themselves (think Gilbert and George and their iconic living/singing sculptures), it is incredibly innovative to be born and exist exclusively in the virtual as early as 2009.
'I want to embrace the closeness that I find through the Internet — many people throw shade on virtual interactions as impersonal and distant, but I see so many ways for people to share with one another this way.' (LaTurbo Avedon, from the interview given to thecreativeindependent.com)
PARDON OUR DUST
22.6.2022 — 25.9.2022 @ MAK — Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna, Austria
What excites me is that significant art institutions in Europe have adapted relatively quickly to the ever-changing art scene. Today we have the opportunity to visit the LaTurbo Avedon exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. It’s a temporary exhibition that can be seen on one of the three floors of the museum. The darkened exhibition space presents itself with multiple screens and a projection on the wall, as well as several beanbags where visitors can sit, relax and surrender to the experience:
The simulation begins and ends at a flooded petrol station with the sign "Lethe". The name is linked to the mythological river Lethe: Its name means oblivion also in the sense of concealment. According to Greek mythology, drinkers of the. Lethe's water would lose their memories before entering the realm of the dead in order to forget everything that was and be reborn. (Marlies Wirth, curator of the exhibition)
We can see the avatar of LaTurbo Avedon themselves on the main wall projection as their monologue takes place. At the same time, the supporting screens expand the visual field, moving us from a 2D to an almost 3D experience. For this installation, the artist used a machine learning algorithm that renders image sequences, creating abstract images reminiscent of utopian naturalistic digital paintings that eventually merge into an undefined virtual space.
In “Pardon Our Dust,” we witness super-beautified, idealized elements of nature, as LaTurbo Avedon asks visitors for “a flower left, forever more” to create a space of contemplation between the virtual and physical worlds. Immortality isn’t a new theme in art, but La Turbo Avedon reject it as a metaphor for it could be literal and real in their world — the Metaverse. The artist deconstructs the concept of time, as in the presence of the possibility of eternity, time has little meaning.
Lethe
Visitors are handed an A4 sheet with what appears to be a poem written by LaTurbo Avedon and dedicated to the exhibition. I found it very interesting, so join me in admiring a few of the excerpts:
'is this right now
is this yesterday
today — — tomorrow — — forever — — never
— — — — — — — — — — had i been
i had always been
— i will always be
i can see this room
every room at once
recollected
may i stand where you stand?
may i sit where you sit?'
The first screen in sight projects the lines one by one in an elevated matter allowing us to visually experience the mood of LaTurbo Avedon’s words:
The artist portrays the virtual world as serious, ethereal and sacred, while criticizing the superficial perception of it. They offer us a glimpse into the depth and philosophy of the Metaverse that goes beyond video games, generated NFT collections, and even art itself. The artist takes an entire stanza to comment on current trends in the NFT market:
'don't miss it we are currently trending
number one, all marketplaces
don't.
miss.
it.'
The poem ends with a single word 'lethe' — which according to the curator of the exhibition refers to 'online existence which can, in a sense, be both fleeting and short-lived as well as endless'. What a wonderful way to capture a rather extensive thought.
Have you experienced a similar installation created by a Metaverse avatar? Share your experience in the comments!
©ArtAdvance, Kotryna Tribusinaite
2022
