Art Imitates Second Life

Posted at 6:00 AM on August 15, 2007 by John Birge

When you get tired of your actual life, there’s always Second Life, the online virtual world populated by 8 million avatars. And a lot of them are artsy:

-Last week the New York Times reported that Second Life has it’s own home design magazine, which showcases some of the highest-end residences in the virtual world.

-If you can't make it to Dresden this summer, the city’s great Old Masters Picture Gallery has recently opened a virtual version in Second Life. All 37,700 square feet it, plus the surrounding grounds, have been recreated, right down to the trash cans.On the virtual walls, 750 paintings.
Second Life also has a "Second Louvre" and a virtual Cologned Cathedral.

-Finally, when your virtual feet get tired, plop your avatar down for the first symphony orchestra concert on Second Life. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic created a virtual, 3-D version of its concert hall; the first concert is September 14.