Cajsa's Choices: The Deconstructed Portraits of SL Cyberpunk Tralala Loordes

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Tralala Loordes has this gift for making me laugh. There’s a dry wit in her photos, such as the “How dangerous could one bird be?” (above) where the birds wait in a line, but then so do the people. They are all perching, waiting...and who knows what happens next? There’s a bit of a hidden theme among her photos of people sitting and waiting for something, but they have a wry title to keep them company. She also does fabulous self-portraits that deconstruct identity in intriguing and thought-provoking ways.  

Then again, as she tells me in my interview, Tralala is herself an intriguing personality: In real life, a glamorous international attorney -- in Second Life, a deadly woman running a diner in the cyberpunk future who specializes "in questionable meat".  Uncover her secrets with me below:

How would you describe your aesthetic?

My SL aesthetic is chaotic and a bit political. I like the ruin, rust, dirt, and repurposing of the post-apocalypse existence. I find nothing questionable about Tokyo Piss Alley and Hong Kong rooftop slums being cheek and jowl with the remnants of the apocalypse. My statement would be that life will find a way even in chaos. Of course I had to add a little humor with the weaponized cats.

What is your process for coming up with an idea and executing it?

My process is somewhat driven by political concepts and some sort of unexplained attraction to all things apocalyptic and subsistence level. I think there are two aesthetic conceptual schools of thought on the post-apocalypse. The sere empty landscape group and the survivors group who become pack-rats who hoard every bit of the old world they can lay their hands on. I channel the pack-rat mentality and scour SL for the rusty, broken, but still recognizable bits like one of those survivors. Also that most human of all instincts, an unexpected moment of beauty, finds a place too.

After the break: More on Tralala's fascinating Second Life -- and a quick glimpse at her real one: 

Who in SL inspires you?

I admire the people who have an idea and make it happen. Neobokrug Elytis for the 10 year old Wastelands, Stark Osterham for Insilico, Djehan Kidd for Hangars Liquide, and all the people who build a sim to freeze a moment in time in time like Neva, Arranmore, Phabolaois stran, so many more. And the people who create a club or a group and welcome people as though they have found a home, such as In Inaka at Blue Orange or Spadoink and Darius Godric at 44 Eaton.  

Who are your favorite RL artists?

I admire Outsider Art as a genre. Especially Stephen Homewood, Jesse Reno, Frank Heiler. But stand in awe of John Singer Sargent.

What do you like to do in SL?

I love to roleplay (post-apocalypse of course). And building. I have builds in the Wastelands. But now I immerse myself in building my first wholly owned personal SL post-apocalyptic sim. I made it a public access photo op sim and now I can indulge my other thing I like to do in SL which is chat up all manner of people and exchange ideas, views, random thoughts. I love working with the Flicker artists who find the sim inspiring.

How has SL changed your real life, if at all?

As an American it has vastly changed my communication skills. Contact conversationally with so many people from foreign shores has made me much more aware of the precision of language and making myself understood without assumptions of shared cultural experience. The revelation came from a casual comment from a European in group chat once: ”...when Americans talk together no one can understand them.”  

Please tell us something about yourself.

RL/SL is almost a split personality thing. In RL I am a securities attorney specializing in international tax law. In SL I am the Diner lady specializing in questionable meat, which I call “locally sourced”. The Diner lady will serve you a cheeseburger but when's the last time you saw a real cow? I have played this character in Insilico and the Wastelands to name a few. The two personalities could not be further apart.

What was the first moment you knew you had found your personal identity/inspiration in SL?

For me it was a day I took a group tour of Insilico and saw the old Flopsie McArdle designed Diner. The tour guide explained the backstory which involved corporations, yakuzas, even criminal elements. And that it was for rent. I rented it the same day and it launched my entire next 7 years in SL. Sadly it was removed only 2 weeks ago by the Insilico builder.

What do you want people to know about you?

I would like people to know I am an open mind. I welcome new experiences and ideas. The vast collection of talented people in SL is like a fabulous feast in front of me and I want to taste everything. And I value politeness. It can define you as a person.  

Where can people see your work?

My photos can be seen in Flickr at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/57752611@N04/with/35676824084/

And my beautiful rusty, dirty, post-apocalypse sim can be seen at Tralala's Diners: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pine%20Lake/170/103/28

Cajsa Lilliehook joined Second Life in 2007 and has been enjoying the art of SL ever since. Disliking the common practice of critiquing poor photos, she decided to highlight good ones and explain why they work in hopes of inspiring with praise instead of criticism. Follow Cajsa on Flickr, on Twitter or on her blog.

Comments

[tralala]

Thank you so very much Casja.

[Cybele Moon]

she is quite the artist!! Great post!