Virginia Alone

A thought-provoking installation by SL artist Bryn Oh, Virgina Alone tells stories of an isolated elderly woman and her ways of living with schizophrenia. Using a beautiful landscape and lovingly crafted settings, the artist has opened Virginia's story to SL viewers and invited them to share her reality.

Following the path through the remote landscape leads you to Virginia's home. Turn your sound up; I got goosebumps as I approached from the sound of the wind in the trees, the crickets and the creaking of the house itself.

Inside, you'll find Virginia and her stories, contained in boxes, bags, piles of objects, all hung with cobwebs.

Click on the tape recorders to hear Virginia's recordings; they are a glimpse into her life, a reality that's neither quite "real" nor quite "virtual." It's something different all together.

The installation has been in place since June, and I encourage everyone to spend some time there. It's a sensitive and profoundly moving exhibit that quietly questions what we think of as "mental illness" through the life that one woman has crafted in living with hers.

Virginia Alone is on display at the Immersiva sim. Read more about the installation and about Virginia on Bryn Oh's blog.