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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Museum Island; Shadows and Reflections of our Cultural Legacy - Glossom Resident Reporting




Have you ever been chased by your own shadow while walking the streets of Second life? Have you ever seen your own reflection mirrored in a window?
In a world where all the content is created by its residents, seeing the reflection of our minds and souls mirrored in many little things is easier than it seems at first glance. Join us and embark on a timeless journey where creativity reigns. 

Although it is virtually impossible to find shadows and reflections in this 3D reality where mirrors are purely decorative and shadows are no more than modeled prims, Second life is a giant mirror that reflects a borderless world of imagination, creativity, emotion and above all, that reflects an abundance of different expressions of cultural heritage.




I arrive at the Museum Island and I am immediately conquered by the colorful scenery as my eyes roam the site for the first time. Here I have the privilege of meeting Carlolello Zapatero, the only builder in this land, a graphic designer with an archeological background and with an infectious passion for his art.



After a warm and friendly welcome, and before I could verbalize my questions, Carlolello begins to explain how the museum was born and the history behind each piece while touring me around the twenty one replicas of the world's richest architectural and historical landmarks represented here just a couple of steps away from each other. His initial idea was to have an archeological land so he took a piece of paper and started drawing the design of this land,  a city that would represent all the cultures of the Mediterranean, from Italy to Spain, France, and Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, the Babylonian cultures.



I could testify that the essence of the intangible Mediterranean culture was present in the walking paths I scoured, in the bridges and stairs, in every corner and, above all, in all these monuments that are replicas of the original monuments before being subject to destruction (fruit of archeological research) and in the artistry with which they were executed. Untouched from time and wars, these give us a unique opportunity to see and know more about our fantastic legacy from the past generations that have gifted us the shadows and reflections of their cultures and their lives and, therefore, see some of those shadows and reflections as our own.


Carlolello carries all these twenty one monuments in his arms, they are his children as he exclaimed in a tone of pride. He deserves the highest praises for his notable achievement and creativity. As he strides from a monument to the other, I follow him with my eyes glued to the detail and technique. The light used as if in its natural environment, the shadows to highlight the contours and shapes, the textures of his own creation that reach perfection, the creation of watercolor paintings to replace the very much damaged original paintings and the interactivity found in the Tomb of Nefertiti where we find an audio translation of the various hieroglyphs displayed on the walls.

As we reach the end of this journey I am offered a bonus round by boat around the island, giving me the opportunity to have a last look at it.  You will not find shops or parties here; instead you will find yourself through the shadows and reflections of the past and of a passionate man who put his soul, his sweat and tears into every single prim. "This land is yours", says Carlolello as I wave goodbye, for now.



IM  Carlolello Zapatero for more information



















1 comment:

  1. That sounds really interesting, great article :) I will definitely visit that island!!!

    ReplyDelete

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