The 10 Symbols of Burning Man

[wick]

Yo, I've designed 10 Symbols inspired by the Ten Principles of Burning Man.



I've gifted these for you to use under a Creative Commons license (BY-NC-SA). You're welcome to use, share, remix and redistribute in all of your non-commercial projects. I'd love to see where these symbols end up with your own applications, so please reach out! Use them on your web site, paint them on your tipi, gift them to your regional burn.

Peace.

[trilobyte]

No offensse, but as an animated gif it feels more like an assault (or visual stab-in-the-eye) than a gift, but... thanks for sharing.

[Ratty]

Can you post of version of them without the Clockwork Orange effect? I'm sure you're very proud and we would like to actually see them. Thanks

[gaminwench]

If you click the link at the bottom of wick's post, you will find the symbols presented in a static form.

[sadie]

Those are really cool! Thank you!

[lucky420]

I like em! Thank you and thanks for sharing

[MacGlenver]

Yah - static form is good. Really nice

[Melonblue]

I think they're neat. I've turned them into a Photoshop Brush to play with.

Thanks Wick, I'll forward you my creations as I get making

[wick]

I should of highlighted it, but you can find the simple static symbols alongside each of The Ten Principles at http://jameswickham.com/10-symbols.

You can also download the SVG images or scalable PDF.



I'm getting great feedback from regional burns all over the globe!

[tamarakay]

I think they're neat. I've turned them into a Photoshop Brush to play with.

Thanks Wick, I'll forward you my creations as I get making

I'm excited to see what you do with them!

[Token]

I don't get it.

Looks like a lot of newage neo hippie sacred (eg I was high as a kite fragged outa my mind) malarkey.

Any symbology that don't got tits or a mushroom cloud that don't convey ultimate doom is fluffing patchouli.

Decidedly meh.

[Token]

[Captain Goddammit]

THOSE symbols actually convey a message without having to be told what they mean.
The BM symbols seem interchangeable, any of them could have been used in any of the descriptions.
Impossible to tell WTF they symbolize.

I think if you mixed Token's examples with your BM principles, you'd really be onto something!

[Elliot]

The time, creativity, talent, effort, skill, and so on that went into this is certainly admirable.

At the same time I agree with Token and Captain Goddammit.
Any emblem, logo, icon, illustration, or symbol must readily convey its meaning to most able-minded observers, or it is merely abstract art.

That said, the beehive pattern certainly makes sense for Communal Effort.

In one design I recognize a rainbow. In recent decades, the rainbow has been rather thoroughly co-opted by the LGBT community, leaving it useless or even misleading for other purposes.

I recognized the three-dimensional cube, reminiscent of a gift-wrapped present. But I did not associate it with Gifting in BRC, since Gifting in our context is more about giving of one’s own time and talent. (Which you are doing, which is appreciated!)

The world is already awash in graphic/geometric compositions of this nature.







So.... With your talent and skill.... Like Captain Goddammit, I also encourage you to make a second set of symbols, these with their meaning more readily grasped. I sure look forward to seeing your work along those lines!

[tamarakay]

This thread is every reason I'm scared to show my art in public. Geez.

[Melonblue]

Good thing Art is entirely interpretable by the viewer.

Critiques are a natural part of Art observance but there is also a point where the artist's own interpretation or intent gets swallowed whole by the masses who want the art to be something that it's not. A piece that speaks to them.

Hence "Everyone's a Critic" My critique is "I think they're neat"...sure they don't necessarily scream what they represent as per the artist's interpretation, but I like their shape anyways.

Anyways - for this year I'm making a fun Card game for our camp and for those who pop by to participate. It's going to be Part Fortune/Tarot Card, Part Challenge Card, Part Prize Card, Part Scavenger Hunt and Part Humor. There will be over 200 cards to entice players to take part in a 3 to 5 card draw, making the combinations nearly endless.

This is a demo of an "Object Card" which will influence the card draws in numerous ways depending on which of its sister cards are drawn. (Sorry I know that's vague...you'll just have to pop by Fish Out Of Water on Playa to see how it plays out)

Object Card - Mystery Liquid.
References Used: 10 Symbols of Burning Man by Wick - http://jameswickham.com/10-symbols. - Thanks Wick!
Photoshop CS2 (oldskool)

[Captain Goddammit]

I do feel like adding that no one owes anyone a set of BM symbols and there's certainly no harm done in posting them.

[Elliot]

Good thing Art is entirely interpretable by the viewer.

...

Of course.
And my critique was meant to be constructive critique.

I reckon there are two kinds of art:
What the artist makes for himself,
and what other people get to see.

Posting art on ePlaya would seem to suggest the art is intended for us.

This thread is every reason I'm scared to show my art in public. Geez.

This is a very good point, and I must try to remember it.

Mr. Wick, Sir... full steam ahead! Do your thing for us!

[trilobyte]

I think anytime something professes to be the symbols of something, it is invariably going to be under greater scrutiny than something that's just whatever it is, without trying to ascribe itself as symbolism. The more universal that the piece aspires to be, the more universal (and sometimes harsh) the criticism. I think the static images are easier to digest than the animated image, though I don't know that I identify with them per se.

[BBadger]

Hmm, they're nice designs, but a symbol is supposed to represent something. If it's not readily apparent what these patterns represent, or the symbolism isn't explained, those patterns are not really symbols. If these patterns are supposed to be open to interpretation by the viewer, that doesn't really cut it either. Somebody else (the artist) made the call to label these symbols, and not only that, symbols of Burning Man -- something not open for interpretation from the point of view of the artist. So what's the interpretation?

[Token]

Oy, ok my harsh was a touch over the top. Thank you wise old guys for putting a positive twist on it.

Yall nailed it pretty much.

Besides, the 10 principles have been eroded over time to a significant degree that they are now just guidelines. Not much meat in them no more. The BORG did the best they could but ... Here we are and there it is. Relevance lost though most still hold on to the values.

I'd personally focus on symbology and iconography that doesnt have readily applicable reflection in the real world.

Fur example, some very BM only concepts:

Shirtcocking
Sparkle Ponies
Nose Picking
Playa Foot
Hot Topic Dome
Dangerous Art
Safety Third
Fuck yer Day

To name a few

The spoils and riches for those would make me smile.

[Captain Goddammit]

I'd love to see what Wick comes up with for those!!!
How about it, Wick? At least give us the shirtcocking one!

[tamarakay]

I do agree with the statements regarding symbols and intent. Most symbols gain meaning through use. When the stop sign was firsts put out no one associated that shape with stop, but through use we now all do. I think we can all have opinions and discourse without rancor. I know I know, it's eplaya lol, but let's give it a whirl. All the political mudslinging and hate being spewed out in the world has me worn down. I'm looking to build people up and could use a boost myself. It's been a rough couple months.

[Simon of the Playa]

im working with Chanel to market the ten smells of Burning Man.


it will be out with the summer collection.

[tamarakay]

im working with Chanel to market the ten smells of Burning Man.


it will be out with the summer collection.

Which neatly goes with tokens idea for symbols. I see a collaboration happening

[Simon of the Playa]

im working with Chanel to market the ten smells of Burning Man.


it will be out with the summer collection.

Which neatly goes with tokens idea for symbols. I see a collaboration happening

i'm digging what your laying down....i LOVE collaboration, it's like art mash-up.

Hybridize and Mutate, it's the only way...

[vargaso]

The hazardous waste symbol does not, in and of itself, signify its meaning. We've just come to know it as that. The same could be said of the symbols the OP created. I say more power to him.

[Simon of the Playa]

1. Reno-Casino

get really drunk, and fall down in your circus-circus hotel room, face down.....breathe deep, take it all in, for that is the essence of all things virginia street.

2. Sage

purple, green, blue and everything in between......burn it, it removes all evil spirits from your rental car.

3. Indian Taco

whats IN that, does anyone really know? who cares, just shut up and eat it.

4. Drywall

yes, everything tastes, and smells like you've eaten drywall.....you have.

5. diesel fuel

i like to huff it, but i digress

6. patchouli - nag champa

you can smell center camp from the man if the wind is blowing right

7. drugs

dank diggity nug-a-licious rasta pasta far-i

8. Crusty Crotch

an acquired taste, usually acquired friday night before the burn in someone's tent you just met while testing those new pills that you also just found.

9. Porta-Potty

that sweet sweet smell of the pooper trucks on a hot afternoon

10. Truck Stop Shower

what you smell like after you spend half an hour soaking at the flying J trucker services after exodus.

[GoGhoti]

I chose to accept the gift of the symbols as given and have incorporated them into my main illustration art for this year's burn. To me the 10 Principles, however they are manifested, are what make Burning Man different from other events in the ways they guide or influence our behavior. With this years' DaVinci's Workshop theme, I'm treating the Principles as "Guilds," and recognizing actions embodying one or more of the 10 Principles with a small token/coin/charm gift with one of Wick's symbols on one side and my Burning Man 2016 illustration on the other side, which shows all symbols, my take on the Vitruvian Man, BRC, and some additional DaVinci "Easter Eggs". Language is an abstraction and although it might be "nice" if we had symbols that were more intuitively evocative of the principle they represent, I for one am Grateful to Wick for creating these and making them available to the community. Let's all create instead of trying to destroy someone else's good works.

[trilobyte]

That sounds like a great idea and cool project, and hear hear!