The Why And The What OF The Gallery

I have opened The Gallery in Second Life (SL) for two reasons. For one, I am an artist and a lover of beauty in all its forms, whether in nature, the human body, or the well turned phrase. And I want to display my sense for this beauty in art, and hope that others can see it as I do. But, second, and perhaps more important, as also a student of history, I am appalled by the ugliness of our world, by the mass murder and genocide that is so much of our history.

Few know about this, except for the 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War. But in addition, during the last century, governments have murdered over 200,000,000 people in democide (genocide, atrocities, massacres, assassinations, concentration and labor camps, ethnic cleansing, and so on. Some governments, such as Stalin's Soviet Union, Mao's communist China, and Hitler's Germany (in addition to the Jews), have murdered in the tens of millions.

On the one side of our lives we have a beautiful world. And on the other side, in hideous contrast, we have pain and suffering the numbers murdered can barely touch.

The Gallery is meant to provide this incredible contrast by showing photographs and my paintings of this ugliness along with a statue of the tears it deserves, all in the center of the gallery's portrayal of beauty.
Beauty and the beast. Yes. And thus open people's minds to the faces of the world in which we live.

Below is a photo of the gallery, showing at the center the statue of tears and my democide paintage of a Chinese woman and child being murdered by a Japanese soldier in World War II. For ugly contrast, I also show my painting of a beautiful white rose.

If you are in SL, come and visit at Reil 44, 68, 27, or in the real world by slur at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/reil/44/68/27. And IM me--MarkMonet Thor in SL - or email markmonet at gmail.com with your questions or comments. If I do not answer an IM, it maybe my IM are capped. Then send me a notecard.

I will use this blog to respond to questions or comments of general interest, and also as a website to posting links and pictures, as well as links and references.

Have a beautiful day.