Respect of Art?

Halcyond · Post by **Halcyond** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:35 am

Hello Everyone,

We will be going to Burning Man for the first time. We have wanted to for 8 years, but between 2 pregnancies, babies being too young, mom dying, ya know life we have not made it.
Now, we are going and would love to do an art installation. We have an idea but wonder if it would survive the week. Basically our idea is a large floor piece (around 20’ x 20’), made out of thousands of small pieces (1 inch ceramic marbles). The question is will folks leave the marbles or walk off with them. We would love for everyone to take a marble (or 2, or 3 …) on Sunday. That way we would not have to take the piece home. However we would like for them to leave the piece in tact for everyone to enjoy the week before. So I guess my question is do folks walk off with pieces of the surrounding art or do they respectfully wait until it is o.k. Would a "don't touch until" sign work, or is that just rude.

As a side note we have been working with the idea that folks could move the pieces around, and/or accepting that folks will take the art and coming up with a way of documenting the alterations and changes of the art over the week.

Smiles
Halcyon

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:13 am

Hello down there! Nice to hear the voice of another artist from the Midwest!
There are so many people at Burning Man that you will experience vast numbers of people responding in every possible way to your installation- From souvenir hounds scooping up your marbles without even pausing to examine their context to reverent, hands-off contemplation. Unless your design incorporates the potential loss of any number of components through movement or removal, you may want to consider some form of enclosure. Although it wouldn't dissuade a determined vandal, a rope or fabric border would remind the reasonably respectful observer of your intent....(but remember to insure that a barrier is visible at night.) The VAST majority of attendees are likely to either PLAY WITH IT without ruining it or just LEAVE IT ALONE.

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:19 am

Some people are very respectful, and some are not, just like in the real
world. Blatant vandalism is probably less prevalent, but it does happen.

There was a discussion here about the Johnny On The Spot installation
in September. Remember that interactive art tends to change according
to the whims of the audience.

If having all the pieces in place all week is integral to your art, then I'd
say it's best to make it so people can't get to them. Putting up a sign
should help, as most people who read it will probably try to comply. But
unless your art is surrounded by signs, chances are lots of people won't
read them, and you'll just have to deal with bits walking off. Maybe make
it a work in progress as the week goes on. Also, on Sunday most people
are concerned with packing up, not wandering around to get one last look
at art installations, so expecting folks to show up and take pieces at the
very end of the week may not be the best idea.

It also occurs to me that marbles could easily become MOOP (see middle of
linked page) so you should take that into account when designing your art.

III · Post by **III** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:50 am

all good advice.

i'll just add that it's almost impossible to predict what will actually happen. the more things you're prepared for, the better you'll be able to deal with whatever curveball comes your way.

can you deal with some drunk idiot in a boat driving over it? can you deal with people taking a couple of marbles to play, uh, marbles with and then throwing em back in randomly? will you be ready to take it all home if no one takes a marble as a souvenier on the last day?

and, (as much as i cherish and try to promote participation) maybe for your first year you should consider a project that allows you to get out and explore a bit more than a large installation at your home camp.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:32 pm

III wrote: maybe for your first year you should consider a project that allows you to get out and explore a bit more than a large installation at your home camp.

That might be the most astute observation of all....Before going for the first time, I wondered if for some reason I was REQUIRED to participate with a big art installation of some kind, since I'm an artist out here in the Default World....after having gone, I realized that not only were my perceptions of the physical environment and logistics incorrect but that the underlying philosophy of my potential project had already changed.....I won't exhibit my work in an arts fair or festival without having attended, just to get the lay of the land- even though my display is self-contained, it becomes altered by the context.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:19 pm

folks at the event generally turn most installations, whether it was the original intent of the artist or not, into interactive ones. People will play with your shit.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:44 pm

People will play with your shit.

Thanks for the visual Stuart.

Booker · Post by **Booker** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:56 pm

Hafta say, it sounds like a nifty piece. Maybe the "please take some marbles" sign could go up on Saturday? You sound like your expectations are flexible enough to deal with the drunken boat pilot incidents & such. Bring it if you want to.

But do take whatever's left home with you, of course.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:19 pm

hmm, I wonder if that goes on? After all, many fetishes are well represented on the playa.

juanicoheal · Post by **juanicoheal** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:25 pm

I tell you what - If I come across ScatCamp - I'll be listening closely to make sure they're jamming some heavy vocal jazz and blues before I go participating there..... especially if they're located close to robbidobbs' domain.

Mayfield · Post by **Mayfield** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 9:30 pm

Supposing you let people walk off with marbles, you could shrink the rectangle each day by however many are missing. Attrition art. I mean, the week goes by pretty fast what with all the stimulus and you'll accomplish your goal of ditching the marbles - I mean GIFTING the marbles.

Sounds like it'd be cool to stand on barefoot.

Halcyond · Post by **Halcyond** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 7:02 am

Thank You for all the advice. I think that the one we are going to follow is the that of being first timers. we have decided that this year any art we do will be smaller and simpler. For as much as folks can tell us about being at Black Rock city, we won't really know until we go.

Please anyone with said sh** fetish please keep it at your place. I clean enough poopy diapers as it is and this is one week i am hoping to escape said task.

Smiles,
Halcyon

Lydia Love · Post by **Lydia Love** » Sun Mar 07, 2004 9:53 am

we have decided that this year any art we do will be smaller and simpler

Excellent idea Halcyon. I hope it's a good experience for you.