Public Affairs in Second Life: Alzheimer Society of Ontario

The Alzheimer Society of Ontario, in partnership with the Second Life Library 2.0, is hosting a moving exhibit in Second Life called Remember Us.  The photo exhibit features eloquent black and white images captured by Canadian photojournalist Cathie Coward.

Some of the most powerfully delivered experiences in Second Life are delivered simply.

Although the brand builds of recent months are impressive, very few communicate.

The temptation is to overwhelm our senses with the surroundings, demanding our pre-frontal lobes create the “being there” experience. Because we can do anything here, the temptation is to do it.

Second Life presents opportunities to experience an issue – not just a space.

Our brains are wired for simulation - that is what our pre-frontal lobes are for. Virtual social worlds like Second Life lend to captivating the brain completely and engaging the emotions through that “being there” reaction. 

It seems counter-intuitive in such an immersive place to let the silence and inherent simplicity of the Second Life environment speak our messages.  In it lies the opportunity to transcend the noise of the real world.

As you enter the front door of the Remember Us exhibit a quiet question lies before you:  “What if everything behind you was forgotten?” 

There is something about walking in silence among the larger-than-avatar images that makes me wonder over and over. 

Message delivered.

The award-winning Talk for Memories podcast series will be available at virtual podcast listening stations, along with a 20-minute streamed documentary, Coffee and Prayers, which tells of the impact of the disease through a caregivers story. 

Shadow Fugazi, curator, and Medium Helevtic (Wayne MacPhail), emerging media consultant, are also including some brain games and a walk-through brain in the exhibits they are building.

The Remember Us exhibit leads off the Society’s 2007 Alzheimer Awareness campaign and is the first of several virtual initiatives it will stage in Second Life.

Remember Us runs from December 14 at 5:00 p.m. through the end of January. Donations are being accepted in Linden dollars with the proceeds being used to create additional Alzheimer-related educational spaces in Second Life.

The press release has been posted at the Info Island blog.

The exhibit slurl at Info Island II is here.

And, if you’ve never visited the Second Life Library 2.0, check out the expansive work on information delivery being done in Cybrary City. Slurl for Cybrary City is here.

December 10, 2006