Trash Fence Art - What do you think?

[Kisses]

So... this is my first year bringing art to the Playa, and I was hoping you lovely folks could help me out with some feedback.

I originally wanted to build a giant box that looked like it fell out of the sky, Cargo Cult style, but due to logistical issues, that's probably not going to happen. So I made the logical and obvious step to: Trash Fence Art! I would love to have really, really long strips of fabric and weave them into the trash fence, the longer the better. Write something on it, get other people in on it, and in the end have this huge banner of writing in different languages, alphabets, what have you.

I emailed the ARTery to check if "messing" with the trash fence was okay - never heard back, but I did find some art project from 2008 that also focused on the fence, so I assume that part is not the issue. Unfortunately, when I talked this over with a couple of people, the tenor seemed to be, A)What exactly makes this "art?" B)It's kind of lame compared to your original idea, and C)Are people really going to find, look at, and be interested in this?

I maintain that the whole thing could be really fun and awesome, but unfortunately that doesn't mean these aren't valid points.

So what I'm really asking, I suppose, is, if you happened to wander along the fence and came across a banner, what would you be interested in? What would make you keep reading/looking/going? What would make you keep walking to find out where it starts?

[Captain Goddammit]

I think it'd be kinda' cool, but I think the trash fence is DPW's thing, you might need the OK from them, since they will be stuck with un-weaving it at teardown if you don't, I'd imagine that would be the main concern.

[Ugly Dougly]

Sublime! Go for it!

[some seeing eye]

Who is drawn to the perimeter? Airport, gate-perimeter, DPW, (even LEO) and demoopers. Engage the Artery(again), Gate-Perimeter, Airport & Earth Guardians. Could imagine fence demooping/ writing on your project/ recording fence finds via art car tours. Don't worry about the criticism it is social practice art.

[TT120]

I was. In fact, the trash fence was the first place I went on my bike after arriving. If there had been something like this out there, I would have had fun with it.

[ygmir]

Who is drawn to the perimeter? Airport, gate-perimeter, DPW, (even LEO) and demoopers. Engage the Artery(again), Gate-Perimeter, Airport & Earth Guardians. Could imagine fence demooping/ writing on your project/ recording fence finds via art car tours. Don't worry about the criticism it is social practice art.

this^

[dhiana]

Interesting idea. You don't know you're done seeing all the far art out on the playa until you hit the trash fence

The trash fence does have a specific function and adding strips into the fence could easily make it a sail that could rip out of its fence posts.
BUT, keeping that in mind, it could be possible to do something using the right materials spaced far enough apart.

Why not pose a question for people to answer on the strips? There is an artist that erects chalkboards with the question, "Before I die, I want____"

Good Luck!

[Kisses]

Sweet. Some fantastic points, thanks, guys. <3 Off to hunt for email addresses now.

[ACfromSAC]

I make a point of taking a bike ride along the perimiter during one of the later days in the week to soak it all in from afar. I think this would be a great idea. I notice quite a few people tend to be out along the permiter. Go for it! If I happen to see you out there, I'll join you.

[ygmir]

yeah I go out along the Trash fence almost daily.

[Rice]

yeah I go out along the Trash fence almost daily.

[ygmir]

yeah I go out along the Trash fence almost daily.

"go".

[trilobyte]

Don't take 'no response' to mean yes you can do it. Submit your project through the proper channels (art project registration) and send an email to playainfo@burningman.com (if that's not where you sent your question earlier) about the prospect of basically installing art on the trash fence. They'll hopefully get you in touch with the right folks within city services, who can weigh in as necessary.

To answer your question, no I would not be interested in art that was installed or woven into the trash fence. What you've described doesn't sound like it's been though through very well from a LNT perspective - a big banner is something that not only would need to withstand some heavy duty sustained winds, but be exactly the sort of thing you'd want to install well inside the trash fence perimeter. If it fails at the fence, it just blows away at the outside perimeter. The only way to really secure it would probably involve installing additional hardware and other stuff that interfered with the fence.

Good luck with your project, in whatever form it ends up taking shape in.

[Kisses]

Don't take 'no response' to mean yes you can do it. Submit your project through the proper channels (art project registration) and send an email to playainfo@burningman.com (if that's not where you sent your question earlier) about the prospect of basically installing art on the trash fence. They'll hopefully get you in touch with the right folks within city services, who can weigh in as necessary.

Yes, naturally. I originally emailed the ARTery so that, if it was a 'no' right of the bat, I could skip the registration process and save them and myself some time. If I manage to get a 'yes' or can't get an answer within a reasonable amount of time, I will of course go through the official channels.

To answer your question, no I would not be interested in art that was installed or woven into the trash fence. What you've described doesn't sound like it's been though through very well from a LNT perspective - a big banner is something that not only would need to withstand some heavy duty sustained winds, but be exactly the sort of thing you'd want to install well inside the trash fence perimeter. If it fails at the fence, it just blows away at the outside perimeter. The only way to really secure it would probably involve installing additional hardware and other stuff that interfered with the fence.

Good luck with your project, in whatever form it ends up taking shape in.

I guess my original post wasn't clear on this point - I didn't mean a wide banner that would cause trouble and/or become moop. I'm talking about something like ribbons - a couple of inches wide at the very most and spaced out so they won't obstruct the elements.

Thank you for the feedback, though. I'll be sure to come up with ways to make the whole thing 100% LNT-compliant.



ETA: Just reread my original post, and yes indeed, I wrote "huge banner." My apologies. I meant 'huge' as in long, not wide.

[trilobyte]

Still huge MOOP potential. Doubly so since this is your first time out (you don't have any experience yet at weather/playa-proofing an installation), I've seen well-made flags and stitched banners get torn into shredded, stringy messes after a couple days of hard weather out there. If it's in the city or even the open playa those strands that come off a frayed up ribbon would likely end up in a trash fence. If it's installed at the trash fence, it just blows out of the containment zone.

Be radically self-reliant - bring your own base to install your piece onto and leave the perimeter fence alone.

[Kisses]

Fair enough - I'll keep that in mind.

[dragonpilot]

...get torn into shredded, stringy messes after a couple days of hard weather out there...

This was my tent my first year.

[Kirby82]

I really like this idea!! they are right about the moop tho...

[daft]

I ran into a guy two years ago who did stuff like put license plates out on perimeter one year and another he put on top the fence posts little fish. My belief is you could do it as long as you take it down as well.