The Returning

I absolutely loved the last two works by Marcus Inkpen I encountered, at The Path and Invisible Cities (I could have happily lived in either place!), and so was excited to see The Returning, which according to the artist “explores the spiritual connection we once experienced, as an integral part of life, now lost—but lying in wait for our return.” The setting for this sim-wide build is a wilderness punctuated by small waterways, and on arrival one can't make out the defining elements, which consist of one large building that might look vaguely like a cross between the Taj Mahal and Angkor Wat, and several smaller structures.

Unlike the slightly Kafkaesque (but highly enjoyable) experience I had at Invisible Cities, the spaces here suggest magic and ritual, with ancient books on display, their pages opened to show the ancient Kabbalah manuscript, Sefer Yezirah, some displaying the Sephirotic system of ten divine names. (I'm not really up on this stuff at all, but did dig around to find the images, and central floor image in the pendulum looks Hindu to me.) The textures, particularly in the smaller building with paintings and mirrored globes, are stunning. Go. :)