I’ve been something of a fan of the work of Lorin Tone and Madcow Cosmos for a good while now; ever since their 2011 Through the Lens of Dreams exhibit (see here) in fact. As I understand that Madcow is not quite so involved in SL nowadays as was once was the case, I was intrigued when I saw that Lorin had been awarded a region as a part of the 8th round of the LEA’s Artists In Residence programme, and wondered what might be popping-up.

MadTone is the title of the exhibit, and it opened on Sunday, February 15th. Developed by Lorin with help from partner Judi Newall, together with Kelly Shergood and Xon Halostar, it presents marvellous visual creations with carefully designed sound scapes, so be sure to have local sounds enabled when visiting!

Those who have visited previous installations by Lorin and Madcow are liable to recognise some of the pieces displayed here. There are, for example, items here from the likes of In the Belly of the Whale, the collaborative installation led by Eupalinos Ugajin and Ole Etzel in January 2014, and from Of Sound Mind from September 2012. As such, and while it is not perhaps intended in such a manner, the installation represents something of a retrospective of Lorin’s partnership with Madcow. It’s certainly a reminder of their whimsical creative genius.

Exploration is not as a straightforward as it may seem; there is no set path, and there is a lot to see on land, in the air and under the water. To make sure you get a good feel of all there is to discover, you can hop on to a dragon a short distance from the landing point, and it will take you on a flight around the region and introduce you to points of note within it, allowing you to get a good feel for the installation, ready for a more leisurely explore and play once the dragon has dropped you off (there’s a teleporter system to get you back to the ground if you hop off the dragon at one of the airborne pieces).

If you enjoy light-hearted, interactive installations with a touch of whimsy about them, I’ve little doubt you’ll find MadTone pleasing to the eye and ear. Similarly, if you’re someone who has enjoyed Lorin’s and Madcow’s work in the past, it offers a happy trip down memory lane. If you’re somewhere between the two – go visit anyway!

And when you do, keep an eye out for the talkative turtle / frog and its Shakespearian insults! 😉 .

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