A PREMIERE: THE FIRST SECOND LIFE MIXED-REALITY EVENT IN BELGIUM !
“MY BRUSSELS… IN MY FIRST LIFE AND IN MY SECOND LIFE”
A PHOTO EXHIBITION IN THE HALLES SAINT-GERY WHICH CAN BE VISITED INTERACTIVELY ON THE 3D INTERNET WORLD OF “SECOND LIFE” AS WELL
Brussels, 23th of May 2007 - Photographer Jean Marc Henry and the bluepill GROUP, the specialist in virtual reality consulting, combine their individual strengths and talents in a mixed-reality exhibition that presents itself as a Belgian premiere. The art show with Brussels city photographs will both take place in the real world of the Halles Saint-Géry and in the virtual world of Second Life, where the 3-D avatars of art-aficionados from around the world can navigate inside a faithful reproduction of the Halles, contemplate the photographs or discuss them with their fellow “residents”. As a bonus, the Internet users will be able to view 50 additional pictures that will not be exhibited in the authentic Halles.
Even the opening cocktail of this exposition will simultaneously occur in both worlds. So, when Jean Marc Henry toasts with his guests, friends and partners, the clinking of glasses will not just resonate in the old vaults of the Halles but through the audio boxes of all worldwide visitors of the Second Life’s version as well.
The Internet-based 3D exhibition hall, as well as the location of photographs inside it, will be exactly similar to the “live” one. It goes without saying that this rich reality mix will be exploited to the fullest: inside the real exhibit room, an Internet point will provide visibility to the Second Life experience so the physical guests will be able to enjoy the extra 50 photographs conjointly with their virtual counterparts.
To go one step further, both ‘first life’ visitors as well as ‘second-life’ avatars will be able to buy Jean Marc Henry’s photographs.
Opening cocktail (real & virtual): June 6th 2007, 19.00, Halles Saint-Gery, 25, Place Saint Gery, 1000 Brussels
Exhibition: June 7th - July 1st 2007: Halles Saint-Gery, 25, Place Saint Gery, 1000 Brussels
About the artist
Born in the French South-West, Jean Marc Henry’s career as a photographer took off when he collaborated with American fashion photographers, for fashion houses such as Dior and Balmain. During the sixties, he portrayed countless Parisian and international artists and performed photo assignments in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan as well as Morocco, Senegal and Mali. After which he settled for a ten year period as a fashion photographer in New York, most notably for the Elite agency. In the big apple, he also captured famous showbiz celebrities as well as unknown but talented musicians .
In the eighties, he stayed in Barcelona and Ibiza from where he brought back photo testimonials of the daily life of the notoriously hard to approach local gipsy community.
Since then, the artist has settled in Brussels, where the city’s diverse and somewhat chaotic architecture, the changing and difficult light, the cultural and social mix give him ample occasions to frame an expressive shot or a puzzling perspective. The “My Brussels” exhibition mirrors this personal perspective of his chosen home town.
About Second Life
Second Life is an Internet-based 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its users or “residents”. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by well over 6 million people from around the globe.
The downloadable client program enables its users to interact with each other through motional avatars, providing an advanced level of a social network service combined with general aspects of a metaverse (a virtual online representation of reality). Residents can explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, create and trade items virtual property and services from one another.
Click here to download the full PRESS RELEASE as a pdf document.
Click on the pictures below to download a printable sample photography of Jean Marc Henry.
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