Bonsai Exhibit

The new Bonsai exhibit is on display in the Japan Room in the Haiku Library at Shin Two. There are examples of bonsai trees, history, art and poetry. Check out the entries in the 2008 Bonsai Haiku Contest. 1st place winners are NGAGPA WRITER and LEZLIE LATTE. Honorable mention goes to to SKYLARK THIBEDEAU, LEZLIE LATTE, and NGAGPA WRITER. Praise to all the poets for their wonderful work, we have it here! Special thanks to POMONA WRITER and SUNNIE BEAUMONT for all their help! - Dante

Poetry Workshops!

The friday haiku workshop is on again! Bring your haiku to share and settle in for poetry, friendly conversation, and more. On Friday, September 26, 7:30 pm, slt.

On Tuesday Sunnie Beaumont discussed the Septet Short Poetry style which is a seven lined short poem.
Next week Tuesday, September 30 ToryLynn Writer will hold an Erotic Poetry Workshop at Inksters Rose Garden Classroom (212,129,21)

Premodern Japanese Art Circles and Second Life

A recent article in the New World Notes analyzes an academic paper by Eiko Ikegami and Piet Hut, which was published in The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research.
The authors of "Avatars Are For Real:Virtual Communities and Public Spheres" compare the Tokugawa era of Japan (1603-1867) with the virtual world of Second Life and find many parallels.

There were many artistic circles and haiku/poetry networks that provided alternative realities where people could develop a second life, not within their prescribed roles, but as individuals liberated from status and gender restrictions. Each person could express his or her love of particular cultural pursuits, unhindered by their formal background.
"Through tea ceremony and flower arrangement to haiku and the game of Go, Tokugawa citizens could escape political pressure and meet each other freely in the safe realms of the virtual worlds of art."

That sounds much like what the friends of Shin Tao do now. But I'm not sure if there really is a connection. Maybe it would work with other periods in history too. And artsy people always try to create their own society and culture in opposition to mainstream politics and restricitions.
Perhaps DanteOsaka knows more about the Tokugawa era and can give us his opinion.

Second Life HAIGA contest winner

Congratulations to the winner of the 2008 Summer HAIGA contest at Shin Tao: LEHUA LAMINGTON!

--hibiscus blossoms
flash their red petals at me
stoplights on sidewalks--

And thank you to everyone who participated in the contest and in our celebration.

Among the contest entries were traditional haiga with drawings but also haiga with high quality SL-photography.

The participating haiga in the 2008 Summer Shin Tao Haiga Contest are on display near the Zen garden in the courtyard of the Haiku Library in Shin Tao Haiku Retreat Two in Ophelia.

RIVERS display celebration on Friday, August 8!

Shin Tao is proud to announce the opening of our RIVERS display, celebrating the wonder of flowing water in haiku, haiga, and art. We will have an Open House all day on Friday, August 8, and a haiku workshop announcing the winners of our haiga contest at 7pm slt, followed by a dance at 8pm. Come join us! -- Dante

Rivers haiku display

Shin Tao Haiku Retreat would like to invite everyone to attend a celebration
for the opening of our new Rivers display in the Library of Haiku, Friday,
August 8, with Open House all day, a haiku workshop and announcing winners of
our haiga contest at 7pm slt, and a dance at 8.  Come celebrate with us!  --
Dante

Haiga Contest in Second Life

The Shin Tao is holding a haiga contest open to all sl residents.
Deadline - Midnight SLT Wednesday August 6, 2008.

Haiga is a haiku painting, originally combining the elements of
poetry, painting and calligraphy in one form. The contest will combine original haiku plus an original image.

Please contact DanteOsaka Deschanel, Sunnie Beaumont, or Pomona Writer for further info and contest rules.

Happy Haiga!