Questions for art project-Help

Jsnawder · Post by **Jsnawder** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:59 am

Hello, I am a current art student at Herron School of Art and Design doing a project over a subculture. I have chosen the Burning Man Subculture as my topic because I find the way that participants are connected in the sense that they are different interesting.

For this project I need to get feedback and talk to at least three different people that hold different positions in the subculture. For example in regards to burning man it could be people that come only to observe, those who are creating the art/performance art, vendors/merchants or whatever reason you yourself choose to go to burning man. I also need some info on what objects that you interact with that are meaningful to you when experiencing Burning Man. This could be something like body paint (why do you wear it, how does it make you feel) Masks, mind altering substances, instruments, art tools, ect.

If anyone could help me it would be an amazing help and I would be incredibly grateful. I will be creating a really cool work of art in the end and would love to to send a copy to anyone who would like to help and get a free poster.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:08 am

I am a vendor/merchant at Burning Man, what would you like to know, about selling tee shirts and hacky sacks in BRC?

Also, glow sticks. The kids out there sure love their glow sticks!

I get a good deal from China and pass the savings along.

RingO'Fire · Post by **RingO'Fire** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:44 am

Jsnawder,

First off, let me say welcome to eplaya and good luck on your art project. You have selected a fascinating subculture upon which to base your project. As your assignment parameters suggest, (i.e., having to talk to three people in different "positions"), Burning Man participants are a very varied, diverse and eclectic groups of folks.

Also, before the snark attacks begin, I'd also like to say that you're not likely to get a whole lot of help on your project here on the eplaya. In fact, you're likely to get some kind of mean, bitchy responses to your original post. Please don't take it personally.

It's just that, oh, every couple of months or so, someone posts a request on eplaya that reads something like, "Hey, I've never been to Burning Man, but am really interested in it. So, I'm writing this paper for my XYZ class and was wondering, could you tell me what Burning Man means to you?" This is interpreted by old-time eplayans as, "Hey, would you dudes help me write my paper?" Like I said, this is something that happens fairly frequently.

So, that having been said, and without directly responding to your request, here is what I recommend. I'd recommend Googling "Burning Man gallery" for tons of pics of the event, which will at least help give you some ideas of the "flavor" of the event. Look for Burning Man videos on YouTube. Who knows, perhaps the photos and/or videos will help give you an inspired idea for your art project. Also, I'd recommend Googling "Burning Man playlist" to find some examples of the extremely varied musical offerings on the playa.

Google "Burning Man blog" to get some descriptions of people's experiences that are already completed, and which are readily available. Since they are likely to have come from multiple perspectives, there you will have satisfied the requirement, albeit indirectly, to "talk to" three different people. You can also scan through other discussion threads here on the "Experiences at Burning Man" topic, but you're unlikely to get many long narrative-type descriptions. Reading blogs and discussion board threads may not satisfy the direct letter of the "3 people" requirement, it will certainly satisfy the spirit, which is to get some diverse viewpoints from people within the subculture in question.

Good luck!

Jsnawder · Post by **Jsnawder** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:10 pm

Thanks for the reply C.F.M, as a vendor I would like to know why you choose burning man as your location to sell your products. What are your most popular items and why do you think they are so popular.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:13 pm

J...you really should start with reading up on the event a bit before diving into the deep end of the pool. You're about to drown.

Jsnawder · Post by **Jsnawder** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:15 pm

Thanks for the reply Ring O Fire I will definitely put your suggestions into great consideration. I have done a lot of the things that you have suggested (except for play lists, great idea) For this project I really have to interact with people in the subculture and get there personal feedback as opposed to looking at media and trying to interpret peoples experiences. What role do you play in Burning Man? Are you a performer or observer? Thanks!

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:18 pm

Jsnawder wrote:Thanks for the reply C.F.M, as a vendor I would like to know why you choose burning man as your location to sell your products. What are your most popular items and why do you think they are so popular.

*snicker*

I can't even do it.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:34 pm

Thanks for the reply C.F.M, as a vendor I would like to know why you choose burning man as your location to sell your products. What are your most popular items and why do you think they are so popular.

Someone call an ambulance. I think I've just bitten off half my fucking tongue....

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 2:32 pm

fine, make me be the bad guy.....sure....i see how it is...

HEY STUPID, READ THE 10 PRINCIPLES OF BURNING MAN AND THE FIRST TIMERS GUIDE BEFORE YOU GET ON HERE AND WASTE OUR OH SO PRECIOUS FUCKING TIME!

there is NO vending.....huge fucking oh i didn't bother to do any research, DUH!

I for one could be reading something somewhere else, without getting elevated blood pressure and a heightened urge to kill.

i could have spent the last 5 minutes cruising etsy for that perfect accessory to wear to decompression.

BUT NO!

i had to stumble in here, and grab the bullhorn by the ears and shout thru the wires.

I SUGGEST YOU DO SOME READING ON THE SUBJECT FIRST, OR THIS WILL SEEM LIKE A WARM WELCOME AFTER WE GET THRU WITH YOU IF YOU CANNOT TAKE THE TIME TO EDUCATE YOURSELF FIRST. I FOR ONE AM PREPARING NUMEROUS INSULTS JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T WISE UP.!

also, some grammar and correct sentence structure would help enormously.

now run along, and be radically self reliant.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:02 pm

Is it troll season already?

Artemis · Post by **Artemis** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:08 pm

Jsnawder -

I'd be happy to help you with your project, but I'd like to know that you have done some research first so that you can ask relatively informed questions and understand when someone is being sarcastic. Again, as RoF has suggested, do not take it personally if folks are being sarcastic. They are frustrated with folks asking for help who haven't first exhausted other sources of information.

I understand that your assignment may require you to talk to 3 people directly rather than read blogs or posts of people's experiences. However, you will do your assignment better if you have enough knowledge to ask questions that make sense and have an understanding of when someone is pulling your leg.

Go back and do some homework and I'll be glad to talk with you. You can "PM" (personal message) me if you'd like.

Best of luck!

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:19 pm

as you can see, any residual west coast niceness and tolerance have been thoroughly erased and washed off by the cold hard drizzle of the east.

california is like xanax to a eastie...has the same effect, generally.

ok, i'm sorry for busting your yarbles so hard....i should apply a light squeeze instead of the vice grip, just for the sake of community.

god knows what i'll be like after a few months in oregon.

if anyone ever sees me in dreadlocks, please shoot me, dead.

Thanks.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:28 pm

I wonder if anyone from "reacharound camp" will reply.....now, they're some participants with lots to give........

Token · Post by **Token** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 4:03 pm

Why would I ever want only one position? I want all positions!

I'm very fond of the following:

On my lap missionary on the giant sea-saw.
Doggy style on a wet bar with crushed ice on it.
Hanging lotus on the silk and ring trapeeze.
Any position I can get in a well constructed maze.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:51 pm

I'm still mulling over the idea of having to "pick" a sub culture. Study a bit and see how big a misconception that is. Could the OP have picked dog fighting, tall bike jousters, magazine recipe contestants, giant vegetable growers? "Oh darn, somebody already took Burning Man, now I gotta write about bottle ship building."

Something interests this student about burning man, and since he/she hasn't studied it much yet, I wonder what this individual is interested in, and what fantastic art is imagined. Let us know how it works out.

Post by **Sham** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:35 pm

Roberto Dobbisano wrote:fine, make me be the bad guy.....sure....i see how it is...

HEY STUPID, READ THE 10 PRINCIPLES OF BURNING MAN AND THE FIRST TIMERS GUIDE BEFORE YOU GET ON HERE AND WASTE OUR OH SO PRECIOUS FUCKING TIME!

there is NO vending.....huge fucking oh i didn't bother to do any research, DUH!

I for one could be reading something somewhere else, without getting elevated blood pressure and a heightened urge to kill.

i could have spent the last 5 minutes cruising etsy for that perfect accessory to wear to decompression.

BUT NO!

i had to stumble in here, and grab the bullhorn by the ears and shout thru the wires.

I SUGGEST YOU DO SOME READING ON THE SUBJECT FIRST, OR THIS WILL SEEM LIKE A WARM WELCOME AFTER WE GET THRU WITH YOU IF YOU CANNOT TAKE THE TIME TO EDUCATE YOURSELF FIRST. I FOR ONE AM PREPARING NUMEROUS INSULTS JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T WISE UP.!

also, some grammar and correct sentence structure would help enormously.

now run along, and be radically self reliant.

Roberto, you son of a bitch. Could you have left even a shread of snarkiness for someone else here? Noooo, you had to take it all for yourself!

As far as the request from the original poster. There is no way to explain or understand this thing called Burning Man. No matter what you read, study or get passed on by word of mouth, you will not be able to capture this incredible happening. In January, tickets go on sale and I suggest you buy yours early. I will repeat a phase that has been used many times before to describe this event: "It's like trying to explain colors to a blind person". Any article that I've read, I can immediately tell if the writer has actually attended BM or is just writing from what they heard or assumed is happening. I'm sure you wil get some help here, but attending will work best.

Best of luck on your class report and I hope you get an A!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:47 pm

It's just a refugee camp with plenty of resources.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:01 am

How could someone make it all the way to posting on Eplaya, without a single fucking clue about what Burning Man is?

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 12:40 pm

How could someone make it all the way to posting on Eplaya, without a single fucking clue about what Burning Man is?

i ask myself that same question all the time.

it seems we are a vortex, sucking stupid in like a black hole.

thats what first dragged me in, of course.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 12:46 pm

Roberto Dobbisano wrote:
it seems we are a vortex, sucking stupid in like a black hole.

thats what first dragged me in, of course.

And here I thought it was my magnetic animaltism.

oscillator · Post by **oscillator** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:09 pm

Roberto Dobbisano wrote:i should apply a light squeeze instead of the vice grip, just for the sake of community.

The only subculture I am aware of is the one where you have to take a sip of hot sake anytime someone uses the terms: vice grip, sake, and community in the same sentence.

<sips sake>

Roberto Dobbisano · Post by **Roberto Dobbisano** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 1:24 pm

The only subculture I am aware of is the one where you have to take a sip of hot sake anytime someone uses the terms: vice grip, sake, and community in the same sentence.

oh what the hell, i'm already drunk, why not for the sake of community and vice, sake it to me.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 3:06 pm

damn good thing I had some hot sake here when I read that!

littleflower · Post by **littleflower** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:20 pm

Roberto Dobbisano wrote:
The only subculture I am aware of is the one where you have to take a sip of hot sake anytime someone uses the terms: vice grip, sake, and community in the same sentence.
oh what the hell, i'm already drunk, why not for the sake of community and vice, sake it to me.

you forgot grip.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:16 pm

Drinking sake is the only way to relieve the pain of the removal of the balls of the community with vice grips!

bigbluedoggy · Post by **bigbluedoggy** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:22 pm

I think it got scared and left...

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:36 am

Blech to warm sake. Cold and in abundance with some sashimi, that's the way to drank it.

Ooo, flashback...I sold my body for some cold sake, and amazing rolls, on the playa. It was seriously the best tuna I've ever had. They let me sit, and eat and drink my fill...all the while in my Prom Princess Hitler outfit. Awesome.

Post by **Sham** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:31 pm

Where the hell did Jsnawder go? So people were a little hard on him. I sent off a PM to help and I never heard back. If this project is worth doing, then respond and get the info you need.
This could actually be a life changing project for you, or an exercise in hiding under the cover for safety.

What's it gonna be?

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 5:54 pm

fuck I missed all the fun.
fucking work.

Jsnawder · Post by **Jsnawder** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:24 pm

Hi everyone thanks for the replies I am starting to get a lot of good information from some of these posts. Sorry I kind of disappeared for the weekend, I had to work doubles every day on top of having a bunch of other projects going on at the same time. Unfortunately I have to go to work again right now but will be back on again tonight to make notes of everyone opinions. Thanks again so much for everyone who has helped me.

Questions for art project-Help

Questions for art project-Help

C.F.M.

Ring O Fire

Re: C.F.M.

Thanks