Nemo

Every once in a while, someone creates something so amazing, so breathtaking, that you just have to be there to marvel at its beauty. This time it's the new installation by my friend Sextan Shepherd (pictured just below), a fantastical underwater steampunk world called Nemo. Although it's now open, it's still a work in progress. Nemo has become an instant hit with Second Life residents ... the place is always swarming with new and old people alike. When I first discovered Sextan's work—he has a shop that sells stunning steampunk clocks and celestial gadgets—I was so floored that I sent him this: "hi sextan ... excuse the IM out of the blue ... but ... your work is GORGEOUS!" He revealed to me then his plans for Nemo, so I got at least sneak preview sense of what was to come.

What these photos don't capture is that things in Nemo move, and they move a lot ... lights zap across the ceiling, sparks fly, gears turn, robotic parts rotate ... it gives you the sense that you've descended into the laboratory of a mad genius, strewn with plans and diagrams, mysterious mechanisms and half-built experiments. The textures are astonishing—this is certain to become one of the most photographed places in Second Life. When you go, make sure you don't miss the chance to visit Sextan's store, SXS Design, where you can actually buy a lot of his amazing work!

My outfit in these photos is (appropriately!) the Steampunk Apocalypse ensemble from League.