dirk fleischmann
REAL ESTATE
24 February - 20 March 2007
Opening: Friday 23 February 2007, 6pm
alternative space pool
Seoul
서울시 종로구 구기동 56-13 (110-803)
tel. +82 2 396 4805 fax. +82 2 396 9636
altpool@altpool.org
www.altpool.org
tue - sun, 11 am - 7 pm
For his latest project „REAL ESTATE“ Fleischmann used the building tools of „Second Life“, an internet-based virtual world, to create an exact virtual replica of the „Alternative Space Pool“ exhibition space as a representation in „Second Life“. „Second Life“ (www.secondlife.com) is a virtual world with over 20,000 users online at any given time all over the world. While Second Life is sometimes referred to as a game, in general it does not have points, scores, winners or losers, levels, an end-strategy, or most of the other characteristics of games. It is a user-defined world in which people can interact, explore, socialize, do business, and buy items and services from one another. It is one of the few online games where the virtual currency is directly exchangeable into real US $.
"The „real life“ „ Pool“ can then offer visitors and artists its virtual „Pool“ representation as a 3-D map and other projects in the future. The „real life“ „ Pool“ is locked during the exhibition period and there is no art object on display. Instead the exhibition visitors are directed to the nearby PC Bang (Korean Internet Cafe), where they can log in to Second Life and explore the virtual replica of „Alternative Space Pool“. For the exhibition opening the complete PC Bang was rented so that 45 exhibtion visitors can log in at the same time. At the same time any other „Second Life“ resident can visit the virtual „Pool“ space. As his earlier projects, Fleischmann organizes this ‘Real Estate’ enterprise as a money making business. One core element of the concept for this exhibition is that he offers this virtual replica of „Pool“ for sale. „Pool“ accepted the deal and is in that sense a customer of the artist. The artist sold this ‘real estate’ to „Pool“, he will reinvest this profit completely as a seed capital in his following art projects. This loss-less reinvestment strategy is a basic element of all his enterprises. The „real life“ „ Pool“ can then offer visitors and artists its virtual „Pool“ representation as a 3-D map and other projects in the future.
The „real life“ „ Pool“ is locked during the exhibition period and there is no art object on display. Instead the exhibition visitors are directed to the nearby PC Bang (Korean Internet Cafe), where they can log in to Second Life and explore the virtual replica of „Alternative Space Pool“. For the exhibition opening the complete PC Bang was rented so that 45 exhibtion visitors can log in at the same time. At the same time any other „Second Life“ resident can visit the virtual „Pool“ space.
