Digital Ethnography:Winter’s Gallery
Do you remember the 50s?
Gwendolyn Davies Avatar: Gwynllian
Jacob Fendley Avatar: JacobFendleyAshley Neuman Avatar:
WasteOfPaint
Professor StokrockiSpring 2014
SL URL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Summer%20Heat/16/178/21
DefinitionsEthnography – The descriptive study of a particular human
society. Contemporary ethnography is based almost entirely on fieldwork. The ethnographer lives among the people who are the subject of study for a year or more, learning the local language and participating in everyday life, while striving to maintain a degree of objective detachment. He or she usually cultivates close relationships with “informants” who can provide specific information on aspects of cultural life. While detailed written notes are the mainstay of fieldwork, ethnographers may also use tape recorders, cameras, or video recorders. Contemporary ethnographies have both influenced and been influenced by literary theory.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/
Digital Ethnography - Digital ethnography is the study of online communities and human-technology interactions through the use of qualitative research methods. There is no universal approach to digital ethnography, and there are diverse methods to learn from.
https://www.edelmandigital.com/
Data Collection - Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes.
www.wikipedia.org
Content analysis - Content analysis is a technical research tool used to examine the presence of specific terms, words, concepts, or themes in media. It is usually broken down into two categories of analysis: conceptual and relational. Conceptual analysis looks for reoccurring themes and concepts. Relational analysis is analyzing relationships of concepts within the text. Relational analysis usually follows conceptual analysis and examines relationships within one or all of the conceptual categories. Content analysis is used in many fields including marketing, psychology, sociology, and political science, cognitive science, gender and age issues, and ethnography and cultural studies. It helps reveal differences in communication content across cultures.
https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~palmquis/courses/content.html
Comparative analysis - Comparative analysis is the method of comparing and contrasting two or more concepts found within the data collection and content analysis.
Second Life NewbiesWe were all new to Second Life when we started this course. As a group, we decided to explore the many different locations on Second Life, which brought us to an installation based on Alice in Wonderland. This installation was created by Winter Wardhani, an artist and curator from Portugal. We wanted to learn more about Winter and the work that she has done on Second Life, which lead us to her gallery and attached installation which she uses for gallery openings and special events. After exploring this island on our own, we reached out to Winter to learn more about her work and experiences on Second Life.
Context and Atmothsphere
When arriving at Winter’s Island, you land on the beach. It appears to be a private beach with a hammock for napping. As you look around, you
notice that there are various inviting areas to sit in. There is a large building with many glass windows around the exterior. This is Winter’s gallery, where she shows mostly unknown photographers within Second Life. She currently
has a show up highlighting themes from the 1950’s. After walking in the doors, there are monumental size prints of photographs displayed throughout the
gallery, all looking like they were taken in the ‘50’s. To the right are a couple of ’50’s diner booths where groups can sit to chat. The space is bright and
casual creating an inviting gallery space. The piecesseem to flow well and speak to one another.
As you leave the gallery and go to the right, there is an elaborate installation, which currently has a ‘50’s theme to coordinate with the gallery
showing and has a dance floor for social gatherings. As you walk into the installation, it appears as though you are walking down the main street of a
small town during the 1950’s. Even for someone young, who has never experienced the ‘50’s, it has a distinct feeling of nostalgia. At the end you may choose to enjoy the dance floor, complete with a juke box or, if you
prefer, you may go sit and talk in the diner.
WinterSL Avatar: Winter Wardhani
RL Name: Ana Duarte
RL Location: Portugal
SL Location: Winter's Gallery
SL Art: Digital Photography and Gallery Curation
Winter’s avatar is a very attractive, stylish brunette with large blue eyes. Though her pictures on Flicker indicate she changes her fashion and hair style frequently, she is always a brunette. She is very casual and approachable. She is very open and easy to talk to. Her excitement for SL and the opportunities in this world are evident. She is eager to share her knowledge of the culture. We found her to be a great source of ethnographical information as well as practical advice for newbies to SL.
Winter took us on a tour of her
gallery....
She explained the cooperative effort of the current 50's
themed digital photography show. She was also happy to tell us about her
personal SL journey, how the art community
works, and answer ethnographic
questions about second life in
general.
Interview SummaryWinter is not an artist in RL, however SL gives her the
opportunity to take part in the art community through her own work and the promotion of the work of others. This platform allows her to participate in a culture she may not otherwise be able to be influential in or actively participate in. Winter uses her gallery to promote new and unknown artists on Second Life since, like in Real Life, finding the place and opportunity to get artwork out to the public can be challenging in SL. Winter is also very active in promoting and participating in the art community on SL as a whole. She told us about numerous artists and galleries worth seeing and has a blog about art and locations on SL.
Winter feels the only limitations one has in SL are those imposed upon yourself. She feels SL has helped discover new skills and develop many areas in her life including her photography hobby and overcoming stage fright in ways she couldn't in RL. It is also a great forum for meeting and collaborating with people from all over the world. This also makes it much easier to collaborate and set up shows for the gallery than it might be in RL. Winter utilizes many other social networks to reach out to other on SL.
Data Collection
What new interests have you found since beginning SL?
“Well, I overcame my stage freight here when I started giving classes and although I give private classes for ages, on a one to one basis I discovered I can really speak to a public and that helped my RL a lot. I also learned how to be more tolerant with people and not to judge the book by the cover”
Data Collection
What are some challenges you find with using SL to display art?
“Here is not easy either, mainly to spread the word about your works… most people become known due to their blogs or to their photo galleries on Flickr and Koinup… in what concerns photography, of course the network you build here is also important but it is much easier than in RL, you just have to have a piece of land and you can show your work…”
Data Collection
...So, this is not your first gallery? do you still have your previous galleries?
“No I don't... This is my third Gallery.. I started with gallery LX, which is now curated by Ibrahim Bates and Tary Allen... I left the island where LX was and rented a homestead and build Owl's Eye there... They just exhibit works of known artists ...The exhibition they have there now is gorgeous...”
Data Collection
Are there any subcultures or groups that exist only on SL and are only possible because of SL? that you know of, that is...
“... lots of subcultures like the Furries, Gore, Vampires, Mermaids, you have cos-play, trekkies, medieval communities, steam punk... a nasty place with role play of rape and torture... whatever you can think of it exists here. You also have people role playing children... they use child shapes, skins and clothes and they act as a ___ year old. I once asked a girl in IM, so that she wouldn't get out of character (OOC) ,why she was
doing that, and she said she had always been in foster families and that she felt here, for the first time what it was like being part of a family....”
Our exploration took us through the whole gallery showing titled “Do you remember the 50s?”
This nighttime picture of a luminescent diner, with a “50's” sign pointing within, is the cover photo for the for the show and does a great job of summarizing what you will see inside the gallery. It, like the rest of the photos of the show was taken in Second Life by Ana Maria (ana.vhargon). The original location is not disclosed.
Content AnalysisWho and Where Avatar: Winter Wardhani
SL Location: Winter's Gallery
Winter's Art Curates Gallery and Photography
Gallery Collaborative themed exhibitions of New/Unknown SL Artists
Correlation to Real Life
Only a love of art
Team - Flor – Photographer- Chagal – Master Builder/Photographer SL & RLThe team forms ideas for shows and sends challenges to Artist for submissions
Art in SL Only limitation is yourself
Other Media Used - Facebook- Google+- Koinup- Flickr
Installations Next to gallery can be used as a standalone exhibit – Alice in WonderlandOr complimentary to gallery for opening receptions
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS & CONCLUSIONSIn addition to her gallery and photography in SL, Winter maintains a blog
called Warm Winter Nights. Winter has also been a second life mentor since February 2007 and sees the opportunities she has had there as things that have helped her develop confidence in RL. She makes friends in SL but those friendships often cross over into RL. She spends a lot of time on SL and the blog connects her RL with SL. The main intent of the blog is to share interesting, unknown locations both through word and photography just as her gallery is to promote unknown artists on SL. Some of her offerings are places but many highlight artist and art installations such as the Red Shoes Exhibit that was recently on SL. She sees her photography in SL as a way of saving and remembering her life there much the same as we use photography in RL. She also uses Flickr to share her SL photography. Her photography is vibrant and enchanting. She uses beautiful color and skillful compositions as well as special effects and creative angles to create a beautiful portfolio.
Warm Winter Nights Blog: http://wintersights.wordpress.com/about/Flickr: Winter Wardhani: https://www.flickr.com/photos/winterwardhani/
Sanchez talked about difficulties with how time consuming Second Life can be. Anyone that works in the art community knows that this is also true in RL, but it is especially true of artists on SL. SL artists have to spend many hours planning, managing, creating, and networking. In our limited experience on SL we also found that it easy to lose track of time in this virtual world . Winter Wardhani told us that she spends about 4 hours a day on SL, a huge commitment for someone who doesn't make a living on SL. The shear amount of hours she puts into her work reflects the dedication she has to both Art and Second Life.
The End
