Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum: Imagineering Wednesdays – Burning Man
By Melissa Carrillo and Marissa Morales, Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum
It is difficult to discuss exactly what Burning Man is as to truly get a sense of the experience you must participate. That is one of the bigger things of being at Burning Man. To be a spectator is not the goal of Burning Man. As such many artists bring a piece of their art as well as themselves. One of the joys of being at Burning Man is that you aren’t obligated to bring a huge metal sculpture or build a wood temple, you can bring little things and that is enough.
However, the art at Burning Man is a wonder to behold. One of the biggest artistic wonders at the Burn is the Temple. The Temple is made of of wood and is intricate, beautiful and as spiritual as you make it. By the end of BM, the temple is filled with items, letters, writing on the walls, altars that remind me of Dia de los Muertos and much more. This is all in an effort to let go and move on as at the end of the event the Temple is burned to the ground. It is one of the most powerful things to happen at Burning Man. The silence is heavy and there is a stillness that makes you think.
Aside from the spiritual aspects of an architectural wonder, there are plenty of art installations to behold around the city. From large metal ladies to sound installations and even fire performance, there is something for everyone. Literally. If you like Depeche Mode, you can find something for that. If you are into yoga as the sun rises, there is something for that. This is a place to experiment and be yourself.
From it’s roots on Ocean Beach in San Francisco, Burning Man has grown from a small gathering to 68,000 people and the number increases every year.
This article was first published in smithsonianlvm.tumblr.com.
[Photos courtesy Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum]