Art as Expression I
May 2021
The Art as Mindfulness Project was first introduced in May 2021, during the MISS SL ♛ 2021 competition.
The finalists to MISS SL ♛ 2021 were tasked as their second photo challenge to do a picture titled “Art as Mindfulness“. We suggested they find a piece of music they related to, to serve as an inspiration for their pictures. In addition, we asked that all pictures be taken at Mindful Cove, with the peaceful nature of the sim as a background. We further asked that they write about the inspiration behind their work and include a link to accompany the piece of music.
The challenge was concluded with the “Art as Expression” Exhibit , which opened on May 22nd, and an art discussion forum on May 23rd. Both were open to the public and were hosted at Mindful Cove.
The purpose of the exhibition was to display the artworks with the stories and emotions behind them. Taking advantage of the interactive quality of the Second Life platform, the visitors could click the picture frames to reveal the finalists’ inspirations behind the artworks. The pictures were displayed all around the Mindful Cove region, right where the finalists had taken them .
The Exhibit opened with “The Art as Expression Discussion Forum” and was for the finalists to share their process behind the artworks. With Coughran Mayo, the director of Mindful Cove, and Marcus Lefevre-Enimo of the MISS SL Organization as moderators, the finalists willing to share were asked to tell the audience about how they came up with the pictures and how they felt after the images were completed. The audience also got the chance to ask them questions which resulted in a vibrant and enlightening conversation. As a farewell, a few valuable tips on “How to Deal with Difficult Emotions” were shared by MISS SL ♛ Ethiopia 2020, Tiy, the founder of Model Mind, followed by an after-party with DJ Wassabi spinning lovely tunes for the assembled guest.
Art as Mindfulness is meant to inspire not only the participants but also the viewers of the artwork; demonstrating the way that art can help guide us whenever we need to get in touch with our emotions.
Building on this first round of Art as Mindfulness, the second round is now in the planning. In partnership with Model Mind, we hope to inspire and provide an experience of mindfulness to a broader audience of Second Life, expanding from the fashion and modeling community to include everyone in Second Life.
Questions?
If you have any question about Art as Mindfulness, Mind Cove or Model Mind, please see our FAQ’s here and feel free to contact us.