Phlosphr’s going to Burn a man? For purposes of Art?
No, no Silly. Check it out The Burning Man is a week long art fest in the middle of the desert. It is not your normal art festival by any stretch of the imagination.
Artists from around the world no matter your media come to this large annual event. People working with iron, wood, reeds, pain, woodchips, cow feces (just kidding), micro-chips, mother boards, sticks and stones… The burning man is about expression in it’s most primal sense. People are encouraged to express themselves in any medium they wish…for a final day of non-grading extravaganza’s…
Basically, Burning Man is Hunter S. Thompson meets Altered States meets the Metropolitan Museum of Art meets Andy Goldsworthy…
Basically, if you’d like an experience like no other, and are dying to get seen or recognized for your ‘toothpick’ stacking abilities, or art work, then come along on this really interesting and quacky adventure.
Covered by national media on the last day, basically you take with you everything you bring. The website details everything…I convinced Mrs.P to go this year… It will be our first year there. I am not sure we are going to participate, but we may film the whole week with our camera. Both of us are huge Black and White Photography fans and were asked by one of the chairs of the event if we’d photograph some of the proceeding. Said chair was a student of mine the first year I taught…He liked the photography up in my office and commented on it everytime he came in… And I got a call from him over the weekend to see if I’d like to bring the mrs out and shoot some of the participants… Apparently there is a large hoard coming back from Australia this year, and I guess they are bringing with them some sort of fiber optic concoction that is set to really make people go… WOW!!! Whats that??
Philosphr, if you haven’t seen it already, you’ve got to see the '73 cult film “The Wicker Man”. There’s a history behind wicker men going back 2000 years or so… and there wasn’t anything benevolent about the phenomenon in its original context, either!
Have fun and by all means take pics… would you post a link to your photos on a website later?
Yes absolutely they will be posted on the Burning Man site. I don’t have a website set up yet. Mrs.Phlospher and I am working on one in our spare time. A Fluid Environment: Concepts in Design is what it is called. it should be up by September. I have a side business for environmental design consulting. It’s fun stuff. But yes the pics will be readily available online.
Aw we’ll be OK. We’ve camped out the back of the Avalanche before and we’ll do it again. It folds out and fit’s a nice full bed in the back. And plus we’ll be shack’in up with our big Coleman mini-condo I call it. It’ll be our outhouse and kitchen… The sections are spearated by scent/water resistant folds so we’ll be fine. I’m just psyched to be able to shoot it. This is one of the best summer’s I’ve had in a while. Not teaching and all. I hope I can do this next year as well.
I went to the burn in 2000. Truly an amazing experience. Words cannot describe. Quite simply the most surreal event that I have ever had the pleasure to witness.
Phlosphr, if you can spare the $25, here is a link to an incredible video which captures the very essence of this event. I have purchased every burning man video I could get my hands and this one outshines them all. Truly an experience you will never forget. I can’t wait to hear your account when you return.
Yes I’m very excited. I may just purchase that video.
I had a longer post written but those damn hampsters have been taking my dexidrine and ate my post.
Needless to say my wife and I are looking forward to it. It’s been a while since we have both fully unplugged, and we are overdue by a long shot!
I will post the pics on the Burning Man website. And guess what the name will read in the photo credit: Photo’s by Phlosphr
Do most people do the camper thing or do they do tents? I’m not much for roughing it in my old age. Do women who blow dry get laughed out of the camp? I’d love to do it. Not this year, but soon. If I can blow dry.
Jalhoun - you’d be in the middle olf the desert. Why would you need to blow dry there.
Speaking as a man who listens to 8 minutes of blowdrying every morning for the past 8 years…I understand dear, I truly do…
But we’d be in the middle olf the desert. As for campers? I’m not sure. I think I may have seen a fifth wheel somewhere out there. But hey you can come and hang with us, my wife and I would love the doper company…
Phlosphr, please email me. I can hook you up with one of the bigger camps on the playa. Their sound system will use 150,000 watts! I’m just getting all the gift certificates I gathered signed off for their fund raiser auction this weekend.
Way to go dude. I was contemplating it this year, but I have used too many days off. I did go to burningman flipside in Austin last may. I even started a thread about my experiences. From what I hear, multiply flipside by about 40 and you have burningman.
Look for the Houston Art cars - Orange show displays. The Orange Show is a one of a kind funk art display built by a retired mailman in the 50’s. They also now own the beer can house, and are the sponsors of the original Art car parade. I hear they have a solid presence. Look for Kenney in his Iron Maiden (I think he will be there). Or Dolan Smith, he may have a trampoline truck. Or David Sutherland, who will likely have something on display. Good luck and report back.
I am sure you have read this in your survival kit, but some folk do not desire to be photographed. Ask first. Also, bring scarves or even a gas-mask, I hear the dust storms can get thick.
Actually, thee is a very strict policy about photographing at the Burningman. As I am doing it as a favor for one of the chairs I shouldn’t have a problem getting people’s OKAY. But I will of course ask, I’m not rude.
I’ve never been, and am not interested. However, I have been in the area before during Buringman. Watch out for the cops, they are everywhere. There are what, two roads in/out, so when you come to the towns watch the speed limit. I’d also get gas before you enter Gelach, there is all of one gas station with 4 pumps or so, think of the line to get gas on the way in or out. Have fun.
Bring lots of water. It has been a very hot summer. Bring lots of cash, too. Things are not like they were a few years ago. Kinda like a roving, dirty Disneyland with Micky sucking every last dollar out of you. Its always been very weird, but what was once a gathering of strange, artistic-types has degenerated into a real freak show. Be prepared to see lots of very ugly, fat naked people, too with dirt and clay stuck all over their sweaty asses. I also hear that security has honed a nasty, militant edge, undoubtably due to the increase in commercialism.
For me, BurningMan is like a Rose bowl in the rain. Fun to do once, but I’ll never do it again.
Be sure to stop at the World Famous Wabuska Bar (if you are coming up from the south on 95A) 12 miles north of Yerington and 100 years away from reality. If you’re lucky, you’ll get an amazing Nevada yarn from Miller the Driller!
Have fun. I went 4 or 5 years ago and had a blast. If you are so inclined, try not to miss the “alter your mind using substance of choice and ride around the desert on a bike with your eyes closed” experience.
