the “no holds barred” virtual reality world Second Life erupted across the internet. Being the diva geek that I am, I was immediately curious and in awe of the places users were creating in this digital world. Everything is possible from art exhibits to stunning fantasies or terrifying dreams, educational think tanks and innovation to disturbing deviance in an instant inspirational buffet that is free for the taking! Where indulgence is the least of your worries, the individual is on an ethnic transmigration into immediate places with no rules except for those we may give ourselves. One of my most memorable experiences in this SL world was going to a Van Gogh exhibit and you could literally walk into the paintings with your avatar. It was simply profound, and I was floored to be able to plunge into these new perspectives of works I’ve studied intensely at University years ago. While bringing an old romance back to life, this new, powerful impression felt like it was only beginning to breathe and there was much yet to be seen… and felt. The frontiers in art are constantly being explored and new mediums exposed. The mad scientist inherently takes unforeseen risks provoked by the tireless mistress of the universe while battling to validate their invention. The interwoven timelessness prevails, and legacies thrive in numerous fashions, survival of the most pixilated is at the threshold of our highest digital definitions. Where are the artifacts of our lives to be stored now? Will the fine art heritage be a loud enough clap of thunder to bring storms of people or even one person to make a pilgrimage to see a proposed famous piece of fine art? Enter TEHK, Televirtual Encounters of the Hidden Kind. I am about to embark upon a husky project in collaboration with Hollywood’s leading creature and concept designer, Neville Page, known for his work on Avatar, TRON: Legacy and Prometheus to name a few, who has also latterly finished assignments on the to be released Goosebumps and Terminator movies. Neville’s superhuman ingenuity, creative estates, proclivity to cultivate skill in others and access into a world the minority of us have an aperture into, is the core appendage in this peregrine game plan. A team of cutting-edge mortals including: Rob Baldwin, Hal Hefner, Josh Mintz and Marco Orozco will be bringing their own unique recipe for creation along on this expedition. This enterprise is a pivotal odyssey for everyone involved which makes it that much more biotic. Our objective is to engage the world amidst a visceral presentation that will evolve unto itself exploring the interactive contribution of artist and patron alike. This ripened infrastructure, organically composed exhibit, along with Neville’s greatly anticipated book to be released, The Beauty in the Beast, is a tremendous expose of imaginative synergy and informative creativity. There will be nothing static about this encounter, its components will change during and after it advances. A means for technology to bring art and entertainment closer to a viewer include, for example, smart devices or Oculus Rift and other brands of immersive unity that will transform how you view the virtual world and the real world. Trying to comprehend the days when microwaves and cell phones belonged to the elite will also one day be the same dissolve for progressive instruments including 3D printers as they will eventually fertilize every household. While these are some of the tools prevailing in art mediums, there is an extraneous amount of narrative for you to discover through TEHK beyond its gadgetry. A cosmic chronicle is to be introduced within the show. Visitors will be able to experience the exotic creatures from the inhabitants of Exo-1, currently known to exist just outside our solar system. When a probe that was sent to research a celestial body in 1968 is now transmitting its findings, we’ve discovered that not only is there life, but sentient. We also discover that our presence has unexpected ramifications beyond our control. You will become part of the narrative, you are already part of the art and it’s because we are all in this together. As we grow this alien exhibit, clues to its heritage will be advertised through a mosaic of communication. Look out for more “artehkfacts” in the future as TEHK is coming to a galaxy near you. 56 TAE MAGAZINE