Since the first haphazard creation and subsequent immolation of the Man on San Francisco’s Baker Beach 31 summers ago, The Burning Man Project has successfully attracted throngs from the world over. The popularity and richness of the experiment is the subject of broad speculation but is perhaps attributable to the fact that Burning Man rituals (such as the Man burn on Saturday and the Temple burn on Sunday) are fundamentally separate from theology or dogma. Instead they serve as context for more powerful individual experience.
“We are among the first peoples in human history who do not broadly inherit religious identity as a given, a matter of kin and tribe, like hair color and hometown. But the very fluidity of this—the possibility of choice that arises, the ability to craft and discern one’s own spiritual bearings—is not leading to the decline of spiritual life but its revival.”
—Krista Tippet
The theme of each Burning Man gathering is the responsibility of founder Larry Harvey, whom we interviewed last year. His chosen theme for 2017 is Radical Ritual—an invitation to examine and reinvent ritual in a post-postmodern world.
Burning Man artists are a rare breed. They concoct far-flung and unprecedented ideas and then invest months and untold resources to safely manifest and share these creations for the ephemeral duration of a hot week. The heroism of their sacrifices is matched only by the magic of their results. A tip of the hat to this remarkable breed who converge to investigate Radical Ritual as “the ambiguous ground that lies between reverence and ridicule, faith and belief, the absurd and the stunningly sublime.”
Common Ground is proud to publish its annual Burning Man preview and hopefully inspire some to make the pilgrimage. We look forward to seeing you and perhaps swing jubilantly together on one of the interactive structures. Unfortunately, while extraordinary artists come from all over the country—and the world—we must limit our selection. Being a local publication, we showcase from the Northern California crop but urge you to visit BurningMan.com for a more thorough preview.
The Temple 2017
by Steven Brummond, Marisha Farnsworth, Mark Sinclair, and Temple Crew Oakland • Temple2017.org
Along with the Man, the Temple anchors the playa, and its Sunday incineration serves as the gathering’s conclusive ritual. This year’s temple is a statement of life’s imbalance (as evidenced by an epidemic of dying and compromised trees) giving way to harmony. The intricate work of hundreds of hands building in unison: a healthy collaboration that knits together community just as roots intertwine to foster forest stability.
Charon 2
by Peter Hudson San Francisco • Hudzo.com
Following its remarkable debut in 2011, the 30-foot spinning wheel returns with posed human skeletons mounted on its inner edge powered by rope pullers acting in unison. The animated strobe tells the story of Charon, the mythological ferryman of Hades carrying the souls of the recently departed across the river Styx, the last rite of passage en route to the afterlife.
The 11 Benches of Sitting Man
by Art to be Continued . . .
Santa Clara • ArtToBeContinued.com
Ten benches will be spread throughout Black Rock City to provide a reflective resting space—each representing one of the 10 Principles. The 11th, a nondenominational sacred space, represents Radical Ritual.
Fire Ancestor
by Trey Watkins, Mara Greenberg, Alan Becker, Martin Roth, Yuli Levtov, Wendy Jackson, Sarah Boehmke, Jason Bowers, Barbara Demman, Martin Reinfried, Dennise Lite San Francisco • OneManDown.com
“Fire Ancestor” is a 13-foot tall spiral sculpture of metal and fire sitting atop a rotating base, twisting up like a dust devil. A radical interactive ritual brings flames echoing the sounds of our ancestors.
The Flower Tower
by Kevin Clark, Reared In Steel Petaluma
“The Flower Tower” is a 70-foot-tall metal structure ornately decorated by thousands of painted metal flowers, some of which will blow fire.
The Gates
by Kat Caric Santa Clara • KatCaric.com
We need conscious initiations to heal, and those aren’t easily found in our culture. Kat Caric brings an ancient mystery school ritual of sitting at 12 successive gates—each offering a renewing sacred gift guarded by a great spirit.
La Victrola
by Tim Bremner, Marcel Cacdac, Nick Fynn, and La Victrola Society Oakland • LaVictrola.org
Celebrating a bygone musical era, this 30-foot wood and steel sculpture hosts live performances and educates the public by revisiting the ritual of relishing crackly recordings from the early 1900s. An earnest and healthy counterpoint to modern digital DJ culture.
Magnetic Waltz
by Frankie Myers Richmond • MagneticWaltz.com
An interactive kinetic display based on ferrofluid (a magnetic liquid) that explores the bewildering choreography of magnetics, fluid mechanics, and gravity. Why does it form intricate, gravity-defying labyrinthine patterns? Is it alive? Will it be my friend?
Methuselah V.2
by Misha Naiman, Gray Davidson with Majorelle Arts Oakland • GrayDavidson.com
This 20-foot metal effigy of the world’s oldest tree reveals propane flames within the trunk that are reflected in a mirror at the base. The tree’s roots form congregational benches for contemplation, ritual, and remembrance.
NOETICA
by Flaming Lotus Girls San Francisco • FlamingLotus.com
Suspended 20 feet above the playa, “NOETICA” evokes universal themes of interconnectedness and mutability. Participants’ coordinated movement is rewarded with fire and lighting effects.
PARAGATE
by Michael Emery
Santa Cruz
The cylindrical PARAGATE portal is 11 feet tall and covered with a mosaic of 16,000 irregularly cut mirrors that provide fractalized self-reflections. These are complemented by an oracle offering ritualistic suggestions, and three wind vanes turning in opposite directions creating a flurry of irrelevant motion signifying nothing.
Phoenicopterus Rex
by Josh Zubkoff and team
San Francisco • PhoenicopterusRex.com
Mission: “Let’s build a giant fucking flamingo!” Result: a 40-foot-tall climbable bubblegum pink steel and fiberglass absurd lawn ornament, a totemic ode to Don Featherstone—surrounded by a picket fence, of course.
Pulsefield
by Brent Townshend
Menlo Park • Pulsefield.com
An interactive and continuously changing open space where the movements of up to 50 participants are simultaneously tracked and used to generate rich video displays on the playa floor with correlated music.
Reaching Through
by Jessica Levine
South Lake Tahoe
Depicting the organized functionality of living organisms in contrast with the seemingly chaotic physical reality, “Reaching Through” is a large metal kinetic sculpture resembling coral or plants that sway and create an ethereal essence.
The Solacii
by Tigre Bailando and Anastazia Louise Aranaga
Oakland • TheSolacii.com
“The Solacii” is a solemn and elegant figure rising from the desert floor representing an ancient race that has observed the entirety of human history with deep empathy. Within the cathedral-like inner sanctuary that offers a space for personal ritual, the 20-foot Solacii makes itself visible to humans for comfort and inspiration.
Sysimetsä
by LaynaJoy Rivas and Eva Reiska with The Landing Ravens Art Collective Lake County
In memory of the 2015 fires that destroyed Lake County as well as the beloved Ravens Landing art space, participants walk through a burnt forest with trees that have come back to life and stand erected from the playa with huge ravens perched upon their sound, sensitive branches. The philosophy of “Sysimetsä” is to experience, let go, accept, be thankful, and re-create the world you want to live in.
Tara mechani
by Dana Albany
San Francisco
Fusing representational aspects of Buddhism’s female Tara with future characteristics of the female robot, “Tara mechani” urges viewers to contemplate the otherworldly union of these two forces usually at opposition, now entwined.
Temple of Gravity
by Zachary Coffin
Alameda • ZacharyCoffin.com
Resurrected from 2003, this massive ode to gravity (which happens to be the sculptor’s only true faith) is an interactive 60-foot-across steel-domed temple with five arms, each supporting a suspended granite slab weighing 15,000 pounds. Radical ritual: hauling this 180,000 pound creation on and off the Nevada deserts for the second time.