. Yet....Subjects for Conversation:
We actually had a huge art project planned, another big space to walk within like our 2013 white temple space called "Veritas" (pictured in my avatar). For 2015, we "submitted to submit" back at the end of 2014, following the process to write a Letter of Intent to request approval to apply for Honorarium, the two-stage process now in effect. We described a large spiral shaped space, a central courtyard surrounded by 15 foot high walls that spin off the perimeter like a vast pinwheel with a huge central eye, and a bigger-than-life sculpture to be in a cage placed at center of the 25 foot wide courtyard; overhead would hang hundreds or even a thousand bells and chimes to be within finger reach for the ringing. Huge sail structure oil-painted walls sporting immense imagery would have spun out from the big circular perimeter in this "pin wheel" design, and overhead in the courtyard would have been cables strung up high in a geometric shape, the cables high up to hold the thousand chimes and bells.... At center of the courtyard would have been a 10 foot tall massive male and female embraced glass sculpture, imprisoned within a 20' high cylindrical cage, set on a pedestal, forever trapped by illusion of reality....
Sadly we did not even get the opportunity to apply, as our Letter of Intent Request was turned down along with the majority of the 510 Letters of Intent they received (that was OK with us, but...), and we also did not get tickets for our team in the regular ticket sale. So with both hopes dashed of tickets or applying for Honorarium to obtain tickets, out went our big project to the pile of ideas that could not be, since we could not build without knowing if we could get into Carnival of Mirrors. Thus is the plight of the artist at today's Burning Man, beyond the Honorarium installations. It must affect others, a discussion I'd like to continue to somehow ensure the quality of art on Playa into the future. This is not a poor-me commentary, because we are fine no matter our personal contribution, but it is a Burning Man event quality discussion on the potential trending status of Playa Art.
I submit now that this issue needs discussion and solution, if Burners want to see lots of huge and great art, pieces potentially much grander and more detailed than the Honorarium pieces. More than 510 artists wanted to install on the Playa this year. 510 were the ones who simply applied ahead for Honorarium, felt like going through that long application process, had the time and felt bold enough to do so. How many did not even apply? Less than 100 artists (and a few teams) are guaranteed admittance by virtue of winning Honorarium. How many of the remaining greater-than-400 artists gained tickets in the main sale, AND THEN were successful in the ADDITIONAL hunt for vehicle passes, early enough to build their biggest vision? I submit not so many. Yet many would continue to build huge Playa art....if they know they can enter with it in time to actually build.
How many artists did not know about the new Letter of Intent policy and did not even apply for Honorarium (via Letter of Intent, early) ? How many artists did not even want to apply for Honorarium, but decided if they got tickets and vehicle passes, they would build something grand?
I submit the number is far greater than 400. When we've installed in years previous, both "Veritas" in 2013, and the smaller sculpture on Playa we've installed in years past, we never thought to apply for Honorarium. We just created to create. We knew we'd find tickets.
We can no longer say "the tickets will find us" or "if we are meant to go, the tickets will show." What we know is that many many artists are not getting tickets, or vehicle passes, or both.
Please think about ideas to help there still be huge art on Playa, projects that may take many months to build. Artists need to plan. And the benefit to Burners is the annual creative infusion that only a gluttony of art, sight and sound can provide, in the place in the dust.
What kinds of solutions could there be? Perhaps artists apply for the right to buy tickets by submitting their art projects to the Burner community that won tickets? Or should there be a separate artist lottery? Or should artists who at least get tickets and can *prove* they have a large art project in their (huge) truck be allowed to enter without a vehicle pass? Or can they build something, then take photos of it and submit for the right to buy tickets and vehicle passes? Or should 500 Playa artists, or some number, be guaranteed the right to buy tickets?
This is not for me, but for the future of Burning Man. Perhaps next year we will decide it is too much angst and trouble to try to find tickets and vehicle passes in order to build, but others will perhaps still be ready for the fight. We have spent countless hours merely searching for tickets, and then for vehicle passes -- We could have finished our art with the time we have searched. If we are not creating, that is fine, just like everyone else.....But...Should artists have to fight to install, when they need the time to create, and to earn the money to pay for the creation they bring?
What are your ideas everyone? 4 artists here are darn tired of fighting for the right to enter and bring art. We are fine with just fighting to enter, but having the energy and time left to create after the fight is asking a lot of artists. I'd bet there are another 400-500 or more who feel the same. Is it ok to have less art and smaller art because artists have to fight so long to know if they can even go? Is it ok if Burning Man changes? Is it ok if Burning Man has honorarium art, and the rest of art is mostly small projects that could stand in a building lobby?
What are your ideas?
