Art & Synesthesia At The Burn

[QueenFrostine]

Hi fellow burners!

I am a graduate student at NYU writing my thesis (pain & agony). My research focuses on utilizing synesthesia as a mode for audience engagement. I will be arguing that all audiences (not just the synesthesically gifted) become more emotionally engaged with art when multiple senses are activated. Specifically in case studies of large-scale art installations that utilize multiple senses in the arts festival setting. Quite the mouthful, that's the short version! Needless to say Black Rock Arts Foundation is ripe with plenty of great examples of this kind of art audience engagement.

I would love any input on sources, ideas, or research outlets from burner artists or art enthusiasts.

I plan on utilizing the Burning Man Census for my research and would love to know if there are other resources or literature about Black Rock Arts Foundation and art engagement at Burning Man that might aid in my research. I know of the census blog, but is there a location for all of the past census results? I would be so honored if anybody could share any wisdom I am open to any and all suggestions and input!

Thanks guys, much appreciated!
p.s. Just had my first burn this past year after years of my family insisting I go. Just as surreal, amazing and unforgettable as advertised!

[Lonesomebri]

I am a graduate student at NYU writing my thesis (pain & agony). My research focuses on utilizing synesthesia as a mode for audience engagement. I will be arguing that all audiences (not just the synesthesically gifted) become more emotionally engaged with art when multiple senses are activated.

You should interview the dude who fell off the giant coyote statue and nearly broke his neck. I think that fits all your criteria.

[Dr Helix]

Need real-time examples to better understand the concept.

[trilobyte]

I'm moving this over to Experiences At Burning Man, since that's a better fit. Good luck with your project.

[Simon of the Playa]

can we hear your tits?

[H.G.Crosby]

Page Blue!

[BBadger]

What exactly is the point of the census data for this work other than maybe age data? It doesn't show anything about the art or the people who viewed the art or what they were thinking. You could just as easily use US census data and it would be just as (in)valid for your research.

Quite frankly, unless your research involves some sort of controlled setting and clinical trials, the thesis will not be all that compelling. What will you have? Some lame poll data about random art projects that you can't even objectively analyze? "Rate your emotional engagement looking at the 'Flaming Schlong' art piece compared to the 'Candle In the Wind'." Uh... five? Some flimsy metrics without a control, like how many "oooo"s you heard when a fireball puffed from a large art car? How do you even evaluate "emotional engagement" let alone being more emotionally engaged without some sort of baseline?

It seems like this is another research-excuse to involve Burning Man. A whole thesis dedicated to speculation. I'd give it up unless you're going to bring some sort of experimental setup to the burn to test your hypothesis.

Maybe change your focus on something more concrete like synesthesia for casino slot machines. Really. Which slot machines attract gamblers, or keep them playing? Does music, vibration, lights and/or their synchronization keep people playing?

[theCryptofishist]

She'd be hustled out of a casino by security so fast her head might fall off!

[QueenFrostine]

can we hear your tits?

It's entirely possible.

[QueenFrostine]

What exactly is the point of the census data for this work other than maybe age data? It doesn't show anything about the art or the people who viewed the art or what they were thinking. You could just as easily use US census data and it would be just as (in)valid for your research.

Quite frankly, unless your research involves some sort of controlled setting and clinical trials, the thesis will not be all that compelling. What will you have? Some lame poll data about random art projects that you can't even objectively analyze? "Rate your emotional engagement looking at the 'Flaming Schlong' art piece compared to the 'Candle In the Wind'." Uh... five? Some flimsy metrics without a control, like how many "oooo"s you heard when a fireball puffed from a large art car? How do you even evaluate "emotional engagement" let alone being more emotionally engaged without some sort of baseline?

It seems like this is another research-excuse to involve Burning Man. A whole thesis dedicated to speculation. I'd give it up unless you're going to bring some sort of experimental setup to the burn to test your hypothesis.

Maybe change your focus on something more concrete like synesthesia for casino slot machines. Really. Which slot machines attract gamblers, or keep them playing? Does music, vibration, lights and/or their synchronization keep people playing?

It's a little more nuanced than I described above, I was just cutting it down for the sake of brevity. Burning man is a small example in a much greater bundle of case studies and neurological research (non "speculative"). I was simply reaching out with in case their was a great installation, artist or piece of writing that applied floating around the Burning Man community that I hadn't found. Also, this made me laugh because as an individual with synesthesia, I accidentally spent 25 minutes in front of a slot machine in Atlantic City very recently. I'm sure there is ample research to be done there by somebody who gives a mild to moderate fuck. Thanks for your input

[Savannah]

can we hear your tits?

It's entirely possible.