I love so much about Burning Man. But as a designer involved in construction, I am deeply awed by the process: huge art projects and a working city for 70,000 people are built from nothing, in a few weeks. Then as quickly, they are gone without a trace.
For artists, the challenge of Burning Man is mind-boggling. They must design, transport, and construct art that can make an impact on the vast scale of the Playa. The art must withstand extreme weather conditions, wind, dust, temperature. (This year the multiple dust storms were "epic" even by seasoned Burners' standards). Teams must erect the piece on site in less than two weeks leading up to the festival start. On top of those physical constraints, these large artworks are only possible through significant fundraising effort by the artists and their team, in a very short time. All over the world volunteer crews work offsite for months, then move to the desert -- for several weeks in some cases-- for final assembly, which happens 80 miles from nearly anywhere, down a two-lane, poorly paved road.
It is a kind of miracle. Every year.
When I arrived a few days before opening this year, cranes were high in the air over the Playa. Large art crews worked under massive floodlights through the nights. Two days before gates opened, WHAM: a white-out dust storm blew mightily all day. The Playa is a harsh environment for anyone setting up a tent, much less operating a crane a hundred feet in the air, welding joints at night during a dust storm, or keeping propane tanks filled to a critical level.
Even the toughest dust and logistics are no match for the Burner Spirit though. This profoundly creative power was on glorious display everywhere. For over a week, the Playa was alive with fire, lights, music, interactive art, art cars, and wonder.
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The Temple of Promise, by Jazz Tigan & Dreamer's Guild, got my vote for "Most Photogenic."
It could NOT take a bad picture, day, night, dust storm, clear skies, even unfinished... |
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| 3 Cranes and 2 scissor lifts work on final push to complete the Temple. |
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| The copper cladding on Temple's front glowed day and night. |
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| I loved the shadows inside, day and night. |
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| Backside of the Temple looked like a calmly resting animal. |
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Burners leave poems, photos, artifacts of all kinds in the Temple, to release memories,
good and bad, when the Temple burns on Sunday.
I watched a man completely undress, hang his uniform, make notes on the collar,
& walk away naked. |
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| The Temple is a good place to get rid of emotional baggage, literally. |
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| Both the sun and the moon were great accessories in any shot of the Temple. |
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| Mike Garlington's Totem of Confessions was the most intricate piece on the Playa, the most astounding for its rich detail. Hundreds of evocative photo images in all sizes covered the exterior. The entire structure alluded to numerous religious traditions and sacred architectures. I could have spent a week pouring through it and still missed so many exquisite details. I simply adored it. A total rush for any student of art history. |
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| Totem's crown glowed at night. |
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| One of Totem doors on right; Think of Ghiberti's doors on the Baptistry in Florence. |
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| Door details on Totem |
Inside the Totem were numerous peepholes, a confessional, a mountain of relics, all topped by a colored glass skylight.
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| A scene through one of many peep-holes. |
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| Totem's small mountain of relics. |
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| Think church crypts, catacombs, reliquaries. |
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| Many of the Totem's sepia images reside in our collective, deep-seated fears. |
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The last days before opening were a big push for most art crews. Despite the dust storms, and with some changes, the works came together.
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| Own Way, by a Russian team, Sasha Mironov & Sema Payan. |
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| A Burner relaxes in top of completed Brainchild, by Michael Christian. |
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| It took several days but Medusa Madness came together, by Kevin Clark |
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Storied Haven was one of the most romantic pieces, by Bree Hylkema & Five Ton Crane.
Inside cozy rooms someone read stories aloud to Burners lucky enough to get in. |
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Blunderwood Portable by Cat & Cockroach Collective. Participants jumped on keys to type on the screen.
You were as likely to see gibberish as to see poetry. |
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Marco Cochrane's R-Evolution was ready early for her closeup.
She is the 3rd and final piece in his series of colossal women
at Burning Man. This year she BREATHED, in & out. |
Look for Part 2 of my Favorite Moments (I've reached my allowance of images for this post!)
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