Faces of Longing and Grief

Opening today, Wednesday, September 2 at 1 pm slt, is Faces of Longing and Grief, an exhibition of images by Maloe Vansant at the Dathúil gallery, curated by Lucy (Lucy Diam0nd). Nearly all of the photos are facial shots, capturing a mood or moment of longing or grief, as the title suggests. Saying, "That's what I try to express with my pictures," Maloe offers two quotes: "The Portuguese call it saudade: a longing for something so indefinite as to be indefinable. Love affairs, miseries of life, the way things were, people already dead, those who left and the ocean that tossed them on the shores of a different land — all things born of the soul that can only be felt." (Anthony De Sa, Barnacle Love); and "Now something so sad has hold of us that the breath leaves and we can't even cry." (Charles Bukowski, You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense).

What is particularly challenging for a Second Life photographer attempting to capture subtle emotions is that the default avatar's ability to express is very limited — the face is generally static, aside from a strongly affected-looking optional smile, frown, wink and so on. The photographer must therefore resort to light and color in an attempt to draw forward or suggest some emotion, and several of Maloe's images do this particularly well. The artist has generously set all of the images for sale for free, so those who admire her work will certainly be adding to their collections. The exhibition will remain on display through the end of September.