A Feast for the Eyes: A Week in Black Rock City

For years I have been hearing about Burning Man, regaled with stories about the costumes, the freedom of expression and the unique one-of-a-kind experiences.  (If you just read that first sentence and thought to yourself, "What is burning man?"  click here).  Up until now, however, I have been unable to attend. The event is always held the week after Labor Day, when I am usually up to my ears in classroom set up: cleaning, making copies, labeling cubbies, assembling student folders, contacting families, designing curriculum...  This year, my sabbatical afforded me the opportunity to attend, fulfilling the first bucket list item of the trip.

Despite talking to experienced burners, reading everything I could find online, watching documentaries and scanning photos, nothing prepared me for life in Black Rock City.  There are so many things from my 8 days on playa that I could write about: the challenges, the planning, the learnings... enough to fill endless posts.  For now, I just want to focus on the sights.  Burning Man is a feast for your eyes.  You could walk all day, every day, and be continuously inundated with new, intriguing and inspiring sights.  I was awestruck by the creativity of others.  From costumes, to camp design, to mutant vehicles and sculptures, there were seemingly endless outlets for creativity.  The artist in me was ablaze.  I was simultaneously inspired and humbled by the creativity all around me.

I woke up early every morning, usually out and about with my camera gear before the sun came up.  In fact, this was easily my favorite time of day.  It was quiet (relatively speaking), as most people had turned in for the night.  Others were still up from the night before, dancing the new day into existence.  It was also the time of day with the best weather; the air was clear, dust storms were rare, and the light was warm and bright.  Most of my favorite shots were taken before 9am.

What follows is a photo depiction of Burning Man, though no photo could ever hope to capture the special something that can only be found in Black Rock City (BRC).

Camps:

When you go to live in BRC, you can elect to stay with a group of other people in a camp.  The camps have infrastructure for the members, and usually have some sort of entertainment or service for the citizens on playa.  The services provided are too numerous to list here.  The most common services are food, adult beverages or coffee, and playing music.  But some of the more unusual and creative themes were:  a camp dedicated to making your own set of horns out of sculpey, a foot soak, cuddle tents filled with huge stuffed animals, writing postcards to veterans, recycling camp, mini golf course, and a roller rink!  In fact, upon arrival, you are given a guide (1 in. thick!) listing the themed camps, the services they provide and the activities and classes they offer throughout the week.  There is so much to choose from that even if you did nothing but new activities from the moment you woke up until you went to sleep every day, you would still have only scratched the surface.  Many camps put a lot of time and creativity into the design of their camp, everything from 30' climbable towers and hammock tents, to trampolines and art installations.  Here are some of my favorites:

This is Comfort and Joy village, easily my favorite camp design.  These gorgeous flowing flags were
easily seen from across playa, their colors vibrant no matter the time of day.

Another neighbor of ours, this is Sharky's, a bar with a thorough nautical decor going so
far as to have fake plywood waves coming out of the sand (seen under the arch)

Who doesn't love Light Bright?  One creative camp made a full sized version using
black plywood, water bottles filled with colored water, and a backlight!

The most impressive camp undertaking was this actual 747 cabin, converted into a club.
All night it is lit up with flashing lights and hundreds of dancing patrons.  Rumor has it, they
intend to bring more and more parts of the plane each year until it is complete!

 Costumes:

There are clearly some people who work all year on costumes to wear on playa.  Some outfits sparkle, some glow, some are just for comfort, but the one common theme is that they allow people to express themselves outside of societal conventions.  Bright colors, men in skirts, funky designs, and states of undress are pretty commonplace in Black Rock City.  No judgements, just be yourself.  In fact, the more extreme, the more support you'll get! 

Tutu Tuesday!  Don't forget to pack some sort of tutu, since pretty much everyone across
BRC will don a tutu on Tuesday.  I even saw sculptures and art cars wearing appropriate dress that day!

This lovely lady is a dear friend of mine.  She has been "burning" for years, and has mastered the art
of homemade outfits.  This is her mermaid inspired outfit, each costume more intricate than the last.

I loved watching these men.  They were so full of life in their bright, colorful and festive outfits.
I would guess they wait all year to wear these.

I loved this man's simpler costume, reflecting some sort of indigenous styling. 

This gracious model was highly photographed for her extensive outfit.  Every detail was intentional,
from the mirrored adhesives on her face, to the color in her hair, the platform boots and the body suit.
If you want to see more of her, check her out on Instagram:  @deliciaglam

Even the firefighter in attendance for the burns later in the week created his own look,
painting the Burning Man logo on the back of his jacket

Mutant Vehicles:

To me, one of the most impressive sights at Burning Man was all of the mutant vehicles found in Black Rock City, everything from souped up segways, bikes and tricycles, to inflatable structures, mobile clubs and fire breathing creatures.  All manners of vehicle can be seen cruising the streets, picking up passengers along the way, and putting a smile on the face of lookers-on.  With intricate designs, moving parts, fire blowing, blaring music, light shows...  there were surprises around every corner!  There were cars in the shape of sheep, warthogs, pirate ships, turtles, faces, seadragons, and designs all their own...  There were hundreds of unique vehicles this year, each of which had to register at the DMV (yes, BRC has it's very own DMV out on playa).   I tried to photograph as many cars as I could, but often the cars were in motion at times of low light, so not all shots came out.  Here are some of my favorites that made the cut:

This beautiful bus is called Azteca and it could be found each morning out in deep playa
(the empty part of the city away from all the camps) hosting an intense dance party as the sun came up.

This cool pseudo airplane looked great lit up at night!

Who could forget scrubbing bubbles?!

This small mutant vehicle might only fit 2 people, but when it spits fire
from the spike at the top, it earns it's name:  Banana Flambe 

I saw this whimsical face car often and it always gave me a little chuckle.
Guessing by size, I'd imagine this was a modified golf cart.

One camp has been making mutant vehicles for years, each year getting more and more
dramatic in their designs.  Pictured here are 4 of their 5 cars.  They might look s
omewhat ordinary during the day, but check them out at night! (below)

This is Heathen, a firetruck with horns that spits fire.

 Sculptures:

My most favorite and most inspiring sight at Burning Man was all of the sculptures.  There were hundreds of installations spread throughout playa, ranging from simple roped-in mazes, to large scale wooden structures that took months to design and weeks to build.  Every day I went out into playa, and I always seemed to keep coming upon new pieces.  Even still, I have seen pictures posted of pieces I never even saw!  I was very impressed by the quality and diversity of the work; pieces were made of wood, tile, cement, metal, and reclaimed materials.  Some pieces were musical, creating a multi-sensory experience, all had some sort of lighting (whether it is spot lights or neon lights embedded within the design), and nearly all were interactive, meaning you could either go into it, write on it, climb on it, lay under it, or cause it to move or react.  (In fact, according the medical personnel I spoke with, this is a very bittersweet quality of playa sculptures.  As amazing as it is to be able to interact and participate in a piece of art, they see far too many injuries due to unsafe use, ie: falling off of tall pieces, collapse due to overcrowding, or general not paying attention to what you're doing!).   I even had the chance to meet several of the artists as they were setting up or checking on their work.  Here are some of the most prominent pieces (sorry that I don't have the information about each piece):

This 15 or so foot dome had beautiful sleeves that illuminated at sunrise.

This is a 30' long robot collapsed on the sand.  At night his heart glowed
and his 2 eyes were spotlights that stretched to the clouds

This one piece was part of a small collection of hanging pieces.  I loved the silhouette.

What desert is complete without a giant head sticking out of the ground?! 

These beautiful horses are made entirely out of washers!

As cool as these 10' tall mushrooms look now, the coolest part (which was to my surprise)
if you get close enough, the caps of the mushrooms change shape!

Pink Heart camp would be incomplete without a huge, fuzzy, pink heart archway that glows at night.

This is a cool, oversized interpretation of the myth of medusa.  Don't look her in the eyes!
At night, each snake head illuminates with a different colored light coming from it's mouth.

This forest can be found in deep playa, far from any water source.  Each 8' tall tree has comfy
cushions at its base, making them the perfect place to take a break from dancing,
catch a few zzzs, or watch the sun rise.

I really enjoyed this series of small installations: normal everyday furniture,
set in the vast expanse of desert, out of place.

This dome was probably 7' or 8' tall.  The outside was brushed aluminum, while the inside was a
collection of triangular lights that changed in coordination with a sound track. 

This boar was a fan favorite.  It was probably 10' tall, constructed of scrap metal,
and it spins!    Climb up, and ask someone to spin it for you

These words are created by 2 returning artists, each year bringing a new word to playa.
It was a rare thing indeed to find these pieces unattended.

Unlike parents who are reticent to play favorites (or at least to admit they have them), I am not afraid to say that despite the huge amount of talent seen across playa, the impressive pieces, and the immense creativity, I had 3 very clear favorite sculptures.  These pieces were my favorites because of the degree of creativity and intricacy in the design.   

#3:  Space Whale

Meet Space Whale,  a large sculpture nestled at the center of Black Rock City.  It is a meeting point, a host for lectures, and a generally impressive undertaking, made from hundreds of pieces of "stained glass."  I haven't decided whether it was more impressive with sunlight illuminating its tiles, or when it is illuminated from within at night.

#2:  Sisya  (su-shy-uh)

This is Sisya, my close second-favorite sculpture at Burning Man this year.  Although it is cool but somewhat unassuming from the outside, I was overcome when I walked inside.  The light came through the intricate panels in such a way as to create the most beautiful geometric shady patterns that surround you.  No photo can capture what that was like.

#1 Favorite:  The Lighthouses

In my opinion, the coolest installation on playa was these lighthouses.  They were designed with such
cool detail, both inside and out, and were tall enough (with ladders inside) that you could actually
climb them and enjoy a nice vantage point on the rest of playa. 

Burns:

When friends had told me about Burning Man before, I know I listened... but somehow it didn't really sink in.  Burning Man is thusly named because they burn a man (don't worry, it's a 40' tall effigy, and not an actual human).  Over the years, though, it has evolved from not just burning the iconic "man," but other structures as well: buildings and sculptures alike meet the blaze.  I knew that fact intellectually, but I was unprepared for the impact of that happening, the transformative act of watching a lovingly created piece of art be consumed by flames.  In fact, my 2 most beloved pieces met a fiery end: Sisya and The Lighthouses.   I didn't attend these burnings due to the late hour and my long days, but I did attend 2 of the large burns.

The second to last burn is of the "man" himself, saving the temple burn for last (we didn't stay for it).  The Man burn is a celebratory event, a cheerful crowd beginning to gather hours before the scheduled start time.  It begins with hundreds of fire dancers performing, followed by fireworks, and culminating in the burning of the man.  Although this is a significant event, since it was a night burn, I've found the pictures somewhat less impressive than the pyramid burn.  For this reason, I'm saving the pyramid for last.

The first burn I attended was of the Pyramids, the largest sculpture built on playa to date.  Sadly, the piece was behind in construction, so I was waiting for it to be completed before photographing.  By the time I learned that it was going to be burned, it was too late, and the piece went down in flames never having been finished.  A crowd gathered as the first light of the day was creeping over the mountains.  It was a dramatic burn, the enormity of the piece generating huge flames and intense heat, kicking up lots of "dust devils," keeping the crowd constantly on the alert.

As you can see, my short week in Black Rock City was packed full, my eyes feasting on some of the most interesting art I have seen in a while.  As I think back upon the week, I am struck by an interesting dichotomy.  While I saw so much, and am very satisfied by how I experienced my first burn, intellectually I know that I only scratched the surface.  BRC is a huge city, boasting over 70,000 people this year.  That's a lot of people to meet, creativity to be inspired by, and cool projects to see.  I wonder, does anyone ever leave playa feeling like they saw it all?   I sure don't, but I'm content in the knowledge that I burned my way, and got out of it just what I'd hoped: an insurgence of creativity and inspiration to jumpstart my year of traveling art.  It was just the send off that I needed.  Thanks for coming along on the journey.