Second Life Art is growing and beginning to become mainstream, according to a post today in UgoTrade called SL and the Art World: Soho + Second Life = Sexy!.  Unfortunately, the term “Second Life Art” is often confused with other things that have nothing to do with Second Life like this gallery scene from the second ranking for Second Life Art in Google Search Results today.

However, ArtNet has it right with “FIRST-RATE ART IN “SECOND LIFE“:

“…Richard Minsky, an artist and founder of the Center for Book Arts in New York City, is launching the first magazine dedicated exclusively to the art scene in the burgeoning online universe of Second Life. Dubbed Slart — as in Second Life Art — the publication is designed to bring “real world art issues” into the virtual sphere, and to make sense of an imaginary art scene that already involves some 100 online galleries. Among the articles on tap for the premiere issue are “Will virtual artworks appreciate in value?” and “Is all virtual art illustration?”

Second Life claims more than 2.8 million users (though independent estimates put active membership at 100,000), and has attracted major attention from both the media and corporations. Reuters has opened a bureau inside the virtual world, for instance, and stores like American Apparel are using the venue as a platform to sell their wares, both virtual and real. The development of a Second Life art market has followed close behind, with the online universe’s unusual setup — users are granted copyright to their in-world creations — encouraging artistic investment, according to Minsky.”

UgoTrade has updated us with the likely release of the first issue of SLART.  I’ve met Tish Shute a couple times at Metaverse Meetups in lower Manhattan and she writes much more in depth articles on Second Life Art than I can here – knows much more about it and especially what is going on in New York Second Life Art World and I totally missed the Location One opening last Thursday (would have gone had I known about it..darn!

I have to go by and see the lunar model and drawing stations at Crater New York!  I’ll register to go and draw the moon!  I must do it.

“…Whose crater is it anyway?
CRATER NEW YORK: a Lunar Drawing Contest

September 6–26, 2007
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 6th, 6-8
Drawing Contest: September 6–22, Rounds begin at 12:30
click here to see the schedule and available time slots >>
Awards Ceremony: Wednesday, September 26th, 6-9pm (our panel of illustrious judges will be announced soon)

HOW TO REGISTER
Sign up by email. Be sure to give your first and second choice time slots and whether you would like to use a DIGITAL or ANALOG drawing station. If you choose to use the computer to make your drawing, you should be proficient in Adobe PhotoShop or Illustrator.

Alternatively, you can download the entry form and fax/mail it back to us with your preferred time slots. (download PDF) Make sure you include your contact information so that we may contact you to confirm your slot. “

I just emailed to try my hand at this next Saturday, Sept 15th, in the afternoon.  Here’s some more info from UgoTrade:

“….

The Metaverse and the Moon

Ligorano/Rees have invited other artists to help them imagine and create the first colonies on the moon – the first lunar group show!

Look closely and you’ll find fantastic architecture: hydroponic gardens, lunar residences, an amusement park, a cathedral, an intergalactic reading library, an oil derrick, coffee shops, and a monument for the Apollo program (visible from earth in 1:16 scale).

Second Life is, of course, the first and greatest group show in the metaverse with countless metascapes to explore. And now there is a world class meta art theorist/avatar, ArtWorld Market (Richard Minsky), to bring the emerging art movements of Second Life into a mainstream critical context.

See here for the SLART^TM visit to the amazing world of Sabine Stonebender, or Visit her Zero Point environment now..