Sang (Sang Ahn, a Google SketchUp employee) is the default Google SketchUp in-application figure used for measuring the scale of 3D constructions (Schwab, 2009). SketchUp’s primary use is to allow 3D builders to populate Google Earth with models of ‘real’ life buildings in their correct place. Sang is the sole inhabitant of SketchUp’s ‘virtual’ world and occupies a space next to the point of origin (a north pole of sorts). His is a lonely existence.

Visiting Google Earth, Sang arrives at the default geographic position for English users of SketchUp, Boulder, Colorado (Latitude: 40.0170N, Longitude: 105.2830W), where SketchUp is created (Google SketchUp, 2010). Sang is a representation of the ‘real’ life Sang, no attempt has been made to create this avatars persona, instead he is an extension of himself beyond a singular existence.

Venturing outside of Second Life, Garrett Lynch, my representation of myself in Second Life, goes to meet Sang and then invites him to visit the representation of my home in his ‘virtual’ world.

To meet Sang and my representation, install Google Earth and download the kmz file for Colorado and for Cardiff.

Above: Images of the performance accross the three ‘places’ of Google SketchUp, Google Earth Colorado and Cardiff. Click to view.

To view more images of this work and other from the Yoshikaze “Up-In-The-Air” Second Life Residency please see the Yoshikaze Residency set on Flickr.