Burning Man is one of the most sought after arts and cultural festivals which takes place in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada every year. The festival creates a temporary metropolis in which acts of self-expression are the law and even though Burning Man does not have a singular focus or goal, the city lives with a set of principles that allow it’s citizens or participants to coexist in harmony.
The theme this year is ‘Da Vinci’s Workshop’ which has brought together hundreds of artists, artworks, installations and exhibitions in the space. Here are some of the most intriguing art installations at Burning Man this year.
1. The 747 Experience
Ken Feldman and Jonathan Teo came up with an idea larger than life itself – it was The 747 Project. They then got together with Rob Volkel and formed a non-profit called The Big Imagination Foundation that works towards realizing creative and inspiring projects.
Image courtesy : Indigogo
The 747 experience is the biggest art car in the history of Burning Man after seven years in the making. The team purchased a redundant 747 and gutted the plane to refurnish it with thematic interiors as an environment for adventure and interaction.
Image courtesy : Indigogo
The project is a metaphor for the journey of life itself and allows the user to explore their dreams and aspirations in a social setting. They even have an insecurity check where people drop off their insecurities before boarding the plane!
A participant peaking out of the 747 at the festival Image courtesy : theatlantic
A video on the project can be found here.
2. Identity Portal
Hailing from Santa Cruz, United States, Michael Emery along with his team created the Identity Recognization Portal, to allow every citizen of the Black Rock City to engage with their selves on multiple levels when passing through the portal. The portal itself is made up of thousands of mirrors that reflect and refract the image of the participant allowing them to explore themselves. This visual is accompanied by a constant audio loop to enhance the experience.
Image courtesy : Burning Man
A video with more information on the portal can be found here.
3. Grove
The project Grove refreshes our memory of what it is like to be one with nature, surrounded by our roots and origins. The amazingly interactive piece created by Kristen Berg and NuVu studios (which our very own Shilo Shiv Suleman is a part of) takes our symbiotic relationship with mother nature and brings it to life by representing the dependency of our surroundings on our existence.
The installations use breath sensors which respond to the stimulus in the form of light. With variations of each persons breathing, the output caries accordingly to allow people to free their perceptions of themselves as bodies alone… truly breathtaking.
Image cortesy : Nuvu Studio
More details on the workings of the installation here.
4. RotoFuego
Leo O’Brien from LumenEssence is giving us a chance to sculpt and create a true representation of the self in the most rebellious and untamed element – fire.
The interactive design requires participants to pedal a motor which sends organic fuel to keep the enclosed flame alive and create unique fire sculptures of their own by controlling it’s. The transfer of energies makes each interaction more personal and unique. Fellow citizens can join in and interact with each other and admire the sculptures created by their peers.
Image courtesy : Burning Man Website
The RotoFeugo can be seen in action here.
5. Enunciation
Taylor Dean Harrison’s Enunciation is a sculpture that primarily works on play with lighting. The cocoon works on user interaction and with every interaction remains altered forever; such is the algorithm of the space. During the day, people can find refuge from the heat of the desert while at night the space transforms into a visual overdose of controllable LEDs that add a new soul to the desert setting.
Image courtesy : Kickstarter
More on the project can be found here.
6. Da Vinci Virus
Brennan Steele‘s piece represents a colossal installation of the body of a virus; which is itself a half living and half inanimate form. The installation is made up of intricate machine parts which can be symbolic of how we, the living breathing components and technology, lifeless and inanimate coexist in society.
Image courtesy : Behance
More of Brennan’s work can be found here.
7. The Koi Pond
Artist JoeJoe Martin‘s Koi Pond is an integration of technology and art to speak the language of interaction: one which we all understand. The marriage of numerous LEDs to create the vibe of a Japanese garden with the intricacies inspired by other Asian styles creating a sense of tranqility.
Image courtesy : burningkoi.com
8. Le Attrata
A dystopian depiction of what our world may come to in the next century and a half, the metallic showpiece uses the element of fire and refers to the story of Fuocco Falena, a fictitious team of biomech engineers who are there to combat the environmental and emotional crisis fallen upon the world.
Image Courtesy : Therm
More work by the interactive experts at Therm can be found here.
A participants walks past an intallation at the event Image courtesy : theatlantic
The Burning Man yet again gives us a peek into the sort of creativity that engulfs the world, and how it is manifested in the most unique, unconventional ways but none less beautiful than the next. These are just a few of the gorgeous art installations that the Burning Man has to offer. The whole list of the Honorarium Installations of 2016 can be found here for exploration.
