Burning Man Favorites (Part 3)

Here's my final post for Burning Man 2015, highlighting some of the unique transportation.

Most burners get around on bicycles -- the Playa is a big place.
But there is also an army of cars on the Playa known as "Mutant Vehicles" that are fantastic creations of art themselves.

Rhino Car, captured on Tutu-Tuesday.

El Pulpo Mecanico, one of my long time favorites. He shoots flames from his arms
and rides on top of other sea creatures.

Vehicles are well-lit at night, no "Darktards" allowed.

The Cheshire Cat roams the Playa....

... maybe looking for Rats.

Dinosaur waits patiently for driver to return.

Like the "fixed" art on the Playa, many of these mobile works are more amazing at night, spitting fire, or covered in programed LEDs. Some are raging parties on wheels with dance floors and DJs blaring music.

By day, this cruise ship sails around the desert, bikes strapped to the rear...

...by night, the ship is a throbbing dance party on wheels.

Landmarks from many cities cluster together on this art car.

The surface of this art car, covered in programmable LEDs,
evolves constantly as you watch.

Night pictures with my camera are not very clear...

but sometimes the effects are cool.

One evening  I lingered around the Black Rock DMV (yep, a DMV at Burning Man) to check out the long, winding line of outrageous motorized vehicles waiting for inspection to cruise the Playa. It was like that bar room scene in Star Wars: every size & type of creation, all wildly lit.
Most were rumbling, flashing, and playing music as they waited for their turn.

Stealth vehicle, the sides were constantly evolving colors.

DiscoFish, another dance party on wheels, under a full moon.

 Mobile dentures, followed by a drivable Grand Piano.

Passengers can lounge on the cream filling oozing out the sides of the Sammiches mobile.

The Man in the Moon has some company.

The details on many vehicles are extraordinary:

This horse's skin and mane are made from old tire treads.

Some art cars are HUGE, Playa-scale.

Others are more intimate conveyances.

Some are pedal-powered.

Some are for a single user.

This pedal cycled cart dispenses delicious Bloody Marys 
wherever the driver stops.

Everybody should ride a Magic Carpet at some point.

I can't wait to be back next year.

Fabulous Fun at the Fog

Don't you just want to swim into this acrylic dining table? by Zaha Hadid

What a blast. Now in its third year, the Fog Fair in San Francisco continues to gather modern art AND furniture under one roof, for one weekend, to the great delight of visitors. By turns lush, mind-blowing, elegant, provocative, surreal -- there really is something for everyone to relish.

I admit I am so drawn to works by artists I recognize from this show over the three years, but I'm super excited by new players each year, too.

These are wigs, made of PAPER

Unbelievable detail & craftsmanship. 
By Nikki Nye & Amy Flurry, The Paper Cut Project

There was a lot of amazing sculptural art for your walls.

I especially love the plates by Molly Hatch 
reflected in the vintage metal table by Karl Springer

Looks like a traditional toile wallpaper? Look again... 
Beth Katleman creates the complete installation in porcelain figures, covering the entire wall

detail of Cattleman's wall installation
baby is probably laughing at goat doing his business

Wall tapestry by Susie Ganch made only of plastic coffee cup lids. Marvelous texture. 
Look closely, you can see lipstick on a few lids

Some of the fun at the Fog is people-watching of course.
This lady has my vote for best Footwear with Ensemble at the show:

The pale pink hair is killer, too

Shoes by Rem D. Koolhaas,
nephew of the famed architect

Over the last few years we've seen more artists pushing 3D printer technology in more interesting directions. 

Rather than just intricate, several works were amazingly fluid, organic.

This Emily Cobb necklace looked like it was carved from bone or porcelain, though it was 3D printed in plastic. 
How about those little birdy feet?

But there was plenty of  evidence of the hand at the show, too.

Ceramics by Ruberto Lugo. 
I love the contrast of lady-like tea pot covered in graffiti and political symbols

Many works combined intricate handwork with innovative technology.

I really enjoy Dustin Yellen's meticulous 3D collages in multiple layers of acrylic

Also love Ted Noten's acrylic works. You'll never lose anything in his handbags

Works by Bae Se Hwa are just so sensual. 
Truly swoon-worthy.
And actually, really comfortable.

At the end of the day, you must have a place to keep your treasures.
Even if the title indicates otherwise...

"You Can't Lay Down Your Memories," chest by Tejo Remy

You can see the fabulous Fog Fair yourself in San Francisco now through Sunday January 17.
click here for link to the Fog Fair info

These are Portraits!

Sometimes even the concept behind the art is irresistible.

"Portrait of a Glamazon", painting of a woman very sure of herself
 and not afraid to wear it.

I recently went to a show of works by Elizabeth Barlow, a wonderful artist working in the Bay Area. First, I love her photo realism style (as we called it in school) -- her paintings look like actual sculptures, popping right off the wall. The detail is meticulous. The light within each canvas sets a clear mood that is playful, seductive, dramatic, or thoughtful, sometimes all of these. 

The effect is kind of thrilling.

detail of "Glamazon"

But what is also exciting about these works: they are PORTRAITS of people, who own the items painted.  The artist has taken personal, meaningful, or favorite items and created these fantastic portraits that tell as powerful a story as any head shot of an individual. 

How cool is that?

"Embrace" depicts two men via their bluejeans.

I grew up in the South where there is a long established culture of painted portraits. My mother had 3, count 'em 3! painted of me & my sibs by age 18.  So admittedly I am partial to portraits.  Paintings that tell a story of a particular person are just intriguing.  They draw the viewer in, even if you have no idea who the person is.  You wonder about their history, what brought them to that moment captured in paint, what kind of life was lived behind those eyes.
Or, in this case, what kind of life was lived to make those wrinkles, frayed cuffs, loose buttons, or worn spots on a favorite pair of jeans.  How wild to evoke the intimacy of a couple through their entwined clothing!

"Yin/Yang" depicts a long-married man & woman.

"Unbuttoned" series of shirts.
Looking at any of these, you feel like you could take the shirt off the wall & put it on.

detail of "Unbuttoned, Scene 3"

"Portrait of a Man," shoes of a single father and his daughter.

 If you live in the Bay Area, hurry over to see this show of inventive, compelling portraits up through November 6, at a gem of a new gallery:
click here for link to Gallerie Citi
Gallerie Citi at 1115 Howard Ave, in Burlingame, CA.

Click here for more on Elizabeth Barlow.

Ooohhh, and I bet he won't miss those jeans, or she won't miss those shoes, while you sneak them out to Ms. Barlow for a commissioned holiday gift!