After a two year hiatus due to Covid, Burning Man returned to the Black Rock desert in Nevada for the full nine-day festival of art, music, theme camps, yoga, dance, art cars, iced coffee, and scantily clad participants. With temperatures topping 100 degrees for at least three of the days, as well as several multi-hour dust storms, this year was a challenging one.
“Waking Dreams” was the theme this year
However, just as in 2018 and 2019, it was the incredible art projects, the quest for a camp serving grilled cheese at midnight, and the energy of 70,000 participants that kept this girl going. Here’s a look at some of my very favorite experiences over the week. Of course there was so much more to see and do- but I left my camera in my tent for most of the week.
“Council of Animals” by Quill Hyde features a rhino, an elephant, a coyote, and a polar bear discussing what to do about the monkeys
The best way to get across the Playa is a bicycle, or increasingly, an electric one-wheel
The 1000 drone light show was amazing. I only caught it once, so I’m not sure how many times it occurred, but it was a sight to see
Sometimes the simplest of art projects are the most thought-provoking. Not that it’s simple to get this sign illuminated out in the middle of a desert
A pre-dawn ride is often the best time to capture some of the art out on the Playa. Special thanks to Skippy for capturing this photo of “Gaia”, a 40 foot tall mesh sculpture by Marco Cochran
“Ratchetfish” by Barry Crawford is a deep sea hatchetfish which swims around in the air. Visitors can turn the cranks on the fence around it to control its movements.
The Empyrean Temple was constructed over three years’ time, at a cost of $100,000. Those seeking reflection, resolution, release, and renewal are invited to enter the temple, and many leave behind a memento of their grief. At dusk on Sunday night, the temple burns. https://www.empyreantemple.com/empyrean-santa-rosa
When out stalking set sculptures, you never know if another photographer is stalking you
“Emergence” by Jesse Lightcap“Wild Horses of the American West” by Adrian Landon“Spacecats Final Landing” by Ayda Kashkar
“Fork in the Road” by Hunter Leggitt
Artist Michael Benisty, featured the last several years at Burning Man, has continued his relationships theme with “Broken 2.0” this year
Several minutes of fireworks, and then massive flames engulfed the 79-foot tall The Man, which burns each year on the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend.
Satellite image �2019 Maxar Technologies via AP)As seen from a plane. Original photographer unknown Original photographer unknown. Photo from 2019 event I believe Burning Man from above. (These pics aren’t mine)
Exodus from Burning Man. Photo credit: CJ Yu from Los Angeles
Were you at Burning Man this year? Which piece was your favorite? Leave a comment below.
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