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New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:33 pm
by prismwindchime
Hi! So excited to be going to the burn this year!
It's my dream to facilitate a recreation of Marina Abramovic's
"Generator" performance. It is fairly simple: People wear blindfolds and noise silencing headphones and are guided into a space with others wearing the same. Under sensory deprivation, people explore the space and encounter one another, without the bias of their visual and auditory senses. Facilitators gently guide participants into and out of the space, and ensure that people are safe and respectful towards others while inside.
I am hoping to meet a camp or guild who intend to construct a space where we might be able to host this experience for a morning, afternoon, or an evening (or more!). The requirements are few:
- people cannot see from the outside what is happening inside, so that they enter with no expectations
- the contained space is somewhere between 20-50 sq ft
- a few volunteers to help facilitate people in and out of the space, make sure participants are safe
Please let me know if you might be interested in:
- hosting the performance and/or
- hosting me as part of your camp!
Happy to chat further!
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 2:55 pm
by Chowski
That sounds like a really great playa event. I support your dream of making this come true. It seems all you need is to fund, plan, transport, construct, deconstruct, and transport home a 20-50 square foot space, and to gather a group of friends to facilitate the experience. A carport or two, some rebar, and some black fabric walls, and you've got your sensory deprivation space. The plus side is, you don't even need to apply for placement as the size of this is enough that you can definitely find some free camping space when you and your friends show up!
I really hope you make your dream come true, and I'd love to experience it. I would just say, perhaps, there is no reason to ask others to make YOUR dream come true. Just do it. No one is stopping you. Burning Man provides the physical space, and your aspiration is fairly modest. Make it happen. Good luck!
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:39 pm
by prismwindchime
Thank you for the encouragement!
Was planning to just use blindfolds and earmuffs to turn down the audio visual stimulus and so am looking for people who are already planning to build a structure that fits those dimensions as a space to host the experience for a few hours. I'd like to use the opportunity to connect with others who are also interested in the concept.
As a first time burner, Id like to prototype the experience and not bite off more than I can chew by trying to build a structure that's exclusively dedicated to this project. Maybe that would be the goal for 2018!!
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:59 pm
by Ratty
Prism, Welcome to eplaya. The participants would welcome such a wonderful experience. Buy a couple of costco carports and do it. There is plenty of space out there as long as you arrive Sunday or Monday. The city doesn't 'fill up'. Make some signs. Even put it in the when-what-where book if you want. Pick a random site near the outer ring and post that as your location. Get in contact with the local burner community. Where do you live? I'm pretty sure there are burners in your neighborhood unless you live in the boonies. Talk it up. Make friends. Form a tribe of sensory deprived campers. It sounds a hell of a lot easier than painting t-shirts with your butt. (That was a very popular camp across from us last year). Do it. The application for a placed camp is still open if you want to go legit. Don't wait around for someone else to 'host' you. We work hard at keeping it together. It's your dream. Make it a reality.
All you need is to fund, plan, transport, construct, deconstruct, and transport home a 20-50 square foot space, and to gather a group of friends to facilitate the experience. A carport or two, some rebar, and some black fabric walls, and you've got your sensory deprivation space.
This is someone else's hard work and money. You can't expect them to just hand it over to you for your dream.
Ideas are easy. Performance is hard.
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 4:34 pm
by Captain Goddammit
Ratty wrote: This is someone else's hard work and money. You can't expect them to just hand it over to you for your dream.
Ideas are easy. Performance is hard.
This right here is the concept you need to grasp. BRC is a YOU make it happen kind of place. It's not the kind of place where you figure you have a cool idea and want other people to facilitate it.
Really that doesn't sound difficult. The two Costco 10x20s idea would work fine, just cover with something entirely opaque - or operate at night.
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:01 pm
by some seeing eye
Agree with the above. A useful thing virgins can contribute is MOOPing and teardown of the camp, which it can be hard to find people to do. By doing the things no one else wants to do, you can establish trust for future projects.
That being said, you might check Contact camp.
You can, and I have done this in pairs, one with a blindfold and the other to keep them from running into anything, on the open Playa. It was a more meaningful experience to me than it would have been with a complex infrastructure and the idea it was copying Abramović.
It is also near impossible to muffle your ears from sound at the event.
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:59 pm
by prismwindchime
Thank you for the guidance. I think I'm starting to wrap my head around the idea that, unlike most spaces, it is totally ok to come for the first time and build. ~Feeling enpowered~
Much love
Re: New and looking for camp for experiential art project
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:02 am
by Ratty
Yes you can. Now you need to do a little research. The wind is vicious. Tieing down any structure is an art out there. A carport can easily be grounded safely with rebar and straps. Look it up. Or if you prefer power tools, lag bolts and straps/ropes. It's easy. I have a carport and secure it with 6 rebars. (One for each leg). Do some reading here and come prepared to work hard and play hard.