Khamudy Mannonen's photostream

Icons within the context of Christianity, particularly Orthodox Christianity, are highly venerated paintings or mosaics of biblical figures, saints, canonised religious worthies and in some cases, secular leaders. In many ways similar to the ideology of cult statues in other religions, they are product in a highly stylised manner that gives them completely unambiguous identity and renders them fit for use in ritual.

Icons serve as intercessory items designed to be a mental focus for prayer and religious thought, than for worship in and of themselves. However, particularly venerated images are said to be able to work miracles through their presence.

Artistically icon painting represented much of the Christianised Byzantine empire's 'reaction' to pagan classical imagery; subjects were 'de-naturalised' into more rigid and ordered forms and every element of the painting had a distinct symbolic purpose, from pose, to background, to colours and the handling of objects.

Christian authorities have been, and continue to be, divided by the use of Icons and whether they constitute idolatry. Eastern Churches historically went through several periods when icons were made illegal and destroyed (the origins of the word iconoclasm), but they are now an accepted part of Church ritual provided they are created and used in the proper manner.

The Catholic church, after breaking from the main body of the Church in the 11th century, continued to use icons and images in the saints, although their abuse and manipulation by the Catholic hierarchy led to the destruction of religious images in the reformed Protestant churches.

"We have been obsessed with the fall [of Rome]: it has been valued as an archetype for every perceived decline, and, hence, as a symbol for our own fears." - Glen W. Bowersock

A month has passed since the Musa Artis event closed after an amazing final party, perhaps the best send off a temporary exhibition has received in Second Life this far. It was a lot of work, effort and stress, but for me it was a valuable process. Lessons were learned about the nature of group work in a digital environment like Second Life and where the similarities and differences with group work in the physical world lie.

I'm really glad I was able to participate though and that we very quickly received support from other content creators in world, who were eager to forward help and advice on what we were doing. This was also frequently and very warmly returned by the many visitors to the exhibition, who sent kind messages of support, constructive criticism and hopes that this might be the first of a series of exhibitions.

For now, the land lies fallow and broken, scattered with forgotten rubble, whilst we shut ourselves away in a conclave and discuss future plans.

This area originally part of a display at the at the Musa Artis: Temptation & Revenge exhibition in Second Life during Summer of 2008.

Please also visit the Musa Artis group for more images from this unique exhibition

"...Athena removed her shield, pushed back her helm and came before Paris. Her beauty was more subtle than the other goddesses, but her unwavering gaze caught the eye of Paris. In exchange for the apple she said she would teach Paris all the skills of warfare, making him invincible on the battlefield, teach him all the tricks of stratagem, making him impossible to outwit and fill his mind with vast knowledge, so that men would seek him out for advice..."

Athena was ancient Greek virgin goddess of wisdom, cunning, military strategy, heroic endeavour, weaving, the crafts and metalwork. Whilst the classical texts loudly sing praises of her mental agility and prowess, they make little mention of her beauty or physical charms. She was regarded as being able to overcome her "womanly weaknesses" by her brilliant mind and therefore dominate the fields of battle and warfare, which were traditional male domains.

Paris' rejection of her advances angered Athena, leading her and Hera to side with the Greeks during the Trojan war, showing favour to the Greek heroes and their armies which would ultimately lead to the defeat and destruction of Troy.

The 'Judgement' was often regarded as a tragedy in which Paris' capacity for sound judgement was overcome by an appeal to his lusts from Aphrodite, causing him to reject the values that the ancient Greeks prized most: power, knowledge and physical prowess. His choice led to the abduction of Helen, daughter of Menelaus and was one of the factors that led to the Trojan war.

'Athena'' was originally part of a triptych installation, based on the mythological tale of the Judgement of Paris. This was on display at the at the Musa Artis: Temptation & Revenge exhibition in Second Life during Summer of 2008.

Please also visit the Musa Artis group for more images from this unique exhibition

"...Hera came before Paris, having bathed in the springs of Ida. Paris caught the gaze of her large, soft brown eyes, noticing that the beauty of the Queen of Heaven surpassed those of the other Goddesses. Hera's eyes narrowed as she saw the Golden Apple; if she received the Apple, she would make Paris the King of Europe and Asia and cause the Princes of the world to come to kiss his feet..."

Herawas the Ancient Greek goddess of women, wives, martial order, the household, regarded as the Queen of Olympus and the protector of the 'traditional values' of the Hellenes that her husband, Zeus, frequently strayed from. Described as being 'cow-eyed', she was thought to be most beautiful and graceful of the goddesses, although much classical literature focuses on her as a force of vengeance; writing often tainted by the the misogyny inherent in classical Greek culture.

The 'Judgement' was often regarded as a tragedy in which Paris' capacity for sound judgement was overcome by an appeal to his lusts from Aphrodite, causing him to reject the values that the ancient Greeks prized most: power, knowledge and physical prowess. His choice led to the abduction of Helen, daughter of Menelaus and was one of the factors that led to the Trojan war.

'Hera' was originally part of a triptych installation, based on the mythological tale of the Judgement of Paris. This was on display at the at the Musa Artis: Temptation & Revenge exhibition in Second Life during Summer of 2008.

Please also visit the Musa Artis group for more images from this unique exhibition

A landscape shot of this very surreal landscape; very much worth a visit. I love the very abstract nature of this sim, from the terrain to the builds to the windlight settings (there are instructions on arriving to obtain settings specifically designed for the sim, but because my laptop graphics card is beginning the road to antiquation, they were too glowy for me to use for these shots).

If you haven't visited Chasm yet, you really should and explore a very surreal piece of the Second Life landscape. I highly recommend it.

Visit Chasm at: slurl.com/secondlife/Cow/196/46/23
Or see: chromotive.blogspot.com/