Some Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

[Hoopes]

1) Seek out artists and avoid the artistes. I was camped with the folks who built Johnny-on-the-Spot, a piece whose antiseptic whiteness gave way to spontaneous bathroom-style graffiti on Friday night. This was soon washed off. The Paleolithic handprints that appeared next seemed to be more aesthetically appealing, making those a more acceptable form of defilement. Personally, I think Marcel Duchamp was grinning like crazy when the highbrow art he unintentionally inspired was made lowbrow through audience participation. Another lesson: If pristine whiteness is an important element of your sculpture, consider placing guards on a round-the-clock watch.

2) Avoid camping with Rangers unless you're prepared to steel yourself against knowledge of the massive stupidity, insensitivity, tragedy, and occasionally fatal errors of judgment made by burners as the event unfolds. This year I learned why my ticket warns, "You voluntarily assume the risk of serious injury or death by attending". That said, I'm seriously thinking about being a Ranger next year.

3) Always place your partner's comfort level far above your own. I will never again catch myself out beyond the Temple at 2 am with a shivering, sleepy, and cranky spouse, even in pursuit of the sublimity of a New Moon over the towering spires. (The moon's own cyclical influence on her constitution could and should have been anticipated and given priority over my selfish ambitions.)

4) Be sure the people in your camp who need sleep get it. The virgin burner in our party who arrived with me at 3 am on Thursday was so strung out by sleep deprivation and heat exhaustion that he split the event within 36 hours of his arrival and will have to be content with watching my video of that awesome burn. We should have slept in Reno before continuing further.

5) If you're going to spend the afternoon setting something up for a burn, be sure to leave adequate recovery time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. I helped pound T-bar for the Temple of Honor's perimeter fence in the blinding whiteout on Sunday afternoon only to get hopelessly lost in the maelstrom while trying to get back to my camp on bicycle. We missed the first part of the Temple of Honor burn because my recuperation from the dust wasn't fast enough. On top of that, just as I should have been heading back out on the playa, I got snagged to do a videographic interview by the folks filming a documentary about the urinal. Yet another lesson about making choices...

I still think the event was worth every minute, every dollar, and every emotional and physical expenditure it required. I'm tired, sore, and wounded from at least one bicycle crash, but managed to get home intact and without any significant losses. My wife still loves me and I learned some new lessons this year that will only make future burns even more enjoyable.

My personal highpoints were: 1) Shabbat services at B'nai Hamidbar; 2) providing an extemporaneous explanation of the Maya calendar to an appreciative podful of audience at Palenque Norte; 3) a daybreak conversation about Lemuria and Shambala with a couple under the swinging monoliths at the Temple of Gravity, and 4) being part of the audience for David Best's exposition on the genesis of the Temple of Honor and its dedication to John and Jane Doe. He is a genius of compassion.

[dirtytuba]

1) Another lesson: If pristine whiteness is an important element of your sculpture, consider placing guards on a round-the-clock watch.

wait! so, in order to keep you art from being trashed the artist has to hire rent-a-cops? since when does graffiti = participation? why is "respect" left at the gate?

2) Avoid camping with Rangers unless you're prepared to steel yourself against knowledge of the massive stupidity, insensitivity, tragedy, and occasionally fatal errors of judgment made by burners as the event unfolds. This year I learned why my ticket warns, "You voluntarily assume the risk of serious injury or death by attending". That said, I'm seriously thinking about being a Ranger next year.

Although, I found the rangers had their fair share of "stupidity, insensitivity, tragedy, and occasionally fatal errors of judgment" as well as large partions of arrogance and pompous attitudes.

[RebA!]

The virgin burner in our party who arrived with me at 3 am on Thursday was so strung out by sleep deprivation and heat exhaustion that he split the event within 36 hours of his arrival and will have to be content with watching my video of that awesome burn. We should have slept in Reno before continuing further.

WOOO! I greeted you! HEE!
Thats all..

[persuasion]

It's Terence. Just saying hello. I enjoyed camping with you. Glad we were able chat a bit. Vive Le Che!!

[Hoopes]

wait! so, in order to keep your art from being trashed the artist has to hire rent-a-cops? since when does graffiti = participation? why is "respect" left at the gate?

Who said anything about rent-a-cops? The problem could have been easily solved by arranging for each camp member (of which there were 15) to spend an hour or two at the sculpture each day, answering questions and explaining that graffiti, handprints, and the like were not part of the installation. This would have provided it with 24-hour coverage throughout the event. Museums with high art have guards, why not the Playa?

However, I agree 100% that art should be respected. Just because a sculpture provides expanses of white space (as opposed to intricate black-and-white designs, purple, or whatever) doesn't mean it should be trashed.

My interpretation of what happened to Johnny-on-the-Spot is that the Burning Man audience is not yet ready for highbrow art. The art of Burning Man has always been more "lowbrow", in the vein of underground comix artists like Robert Crumb & Robt. Williams, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (though hardly in the vein of classic California custom car culture), tattoo artist Don "Ed" Hardy, and innumerable "primitive" and folk artists who just want to create something crazy and beautiful, such as is exhibited at galleries like La Luz de Jesus.

Duchamp was a good selection for imiitation, especially because Burning Man is such a Dada-esque venue. Tristan Tzara said, ""The beginnings of Dada were not the beginnings of an art but of a disgust." Johnny-on-the-Spot was presumably intended as a statement (of disgust?) about how David Best's work was being manipulated by his audience, who demanded from him temple-memorials. However, the "audience participation" in adorning both the Temple of Honor and Johnny-on-the-Spot with spontaneous graffiti are both very Dada-like methods of creating art. David Best's work, especially with found materials, is also very much in the spirit of Dada.

[precipitate]

> the Burning Man audience is not yet ready for highbrow art.

I think you should apply to work for the DMV next year. Clearly they need more highbrow artists screening art cars.

But seriously, I'm not sure this is as much a matter of the audience being ready for art, as that Burning Man isn't a gallery. It doesn't have the same rules as a museum, and deliberately so. Graffiti and sabotage are unacceptable, of course, but you can't bring your art world expectations to a vehemently alternative arts festival and expect them to be shared universally.

[clandyone]

I actually think it's apropos that Johnny-On-The-Spot wound up with bathroom-style graffitti on it. It was, after all, a urinal. Kinda symmetrical.

That said, yes, defacing other people's art sucks.

[ubu]

I learned that you have no privacy even in your own domicile at burning man, and that you must expect surveillance from cops while at the burn.

I learned that "having a good time" can become as sanctimonious a command as any religious injunction, and that if you reveal that you are not having a good time in any conventional sense you will offend the church of greeters and the welcome homers.

I discovered that catharsis has no interest for me, that just day to day moment to moment living is really more interesting than prescribed and controlled festival.

and finally, I discover yet again, that there are as many experiences of an event as there are experiencers.

I live so beyond the pale of ordinary workaday sleep, that burning man is kind of a step down for me, I fit or don't fit equally in or outside of the burn, so in many senses the burn is irrelevant to me and has been for years.

On the other hand, in many ways burning man is more interesting than ever before; I'm certainly not nostalgic for those pre 96' years or for 98 or 99. I don't like the cops, however, and I don't like the creeping sancitmony. More dada would surely help. More dada, less cops.

[dirtytuba]

Who said anything about rent-a-cops? The problem could have been easily solved by arranging for each camp member (of which there were 15) to spend an hour or two at the sculpture each day, answering questions and explaining that graffiti, handprints, and the like were not part of the installation. This would have provided it with 24-hour coverage throughout the event. Museums with high art have guards, why not the Playa?

I was being facetious about the rent-a-cops. but the "easily solved" solution sounds equally facetious only because I think it would be very difficult to make sure someone (out of 15 people) to take the 4-6 am or the 12pm-2pm shifts. or to even the idea that have 15 people are dedicated to each and every art project. none-the-less I do think that either type of solution would be difficult to implement and time/resource consuming.

BUT! I do suggest that (as they do in museums) a info plackard be manditory for each art installation on the playa. So that eveyone can at least know the name of the art and/or the artist. and maybe some rules/lack of rules of engagment.

AND! that BM add some words to the greeters shpeal or to the website that respecting art is participation much like respecting the playa.

My interpretation of what happened to Johnny-on-the-Spot is that the Burning Man audience is not yet ready for highbrow art. The art of Burning Man has always been more "lowbrow"...<snip>.

this is really very funny to be taking about hi-brow vs. low-brow with the subject matter being Duchamp's "ground shaking" R. Mutt piece. Yes, he is probably laughing his ass off on this one....BUT I don't think it would be "right" to make the hi vs low art distinction when talking about BM's art. its too confining.

SO... getting back to the origial thread...

I learned that you can't get upset when someone desides to trash/steal art that I worked on, because it can leave a dark cloud over the rest of your visit to BM.

I also learned that some of the BM rangers have a person power aganda and its best to stay clear of them. I found most of my interactions with Rangers to be very much like interaction with the LAPD, sometimes they are very friendly and informative, other times...well I didn't feel like Rodney King, but I did feel like saying, "can't we all just get along?"

I also learned that most people think a sousaphone is a chair.

[Lydia Love]

I also learned that most people think a sousaphone is a chair.

<Snort!>

[tepepinda]

2) providing an extemporaneous explanation of the Maya calendar to an appreciative podful of audience at Palenque Norte

That was brilliant! Thank you for being there at just the right place and time to help us learn about the cycles of time the easy way!

Indeed, if you could post a URL it would make following up on it even easier... (it's not that I don't know how to use Google... it's that I trust your discernment. Judging from your outrageously clear and understandable explanation, you probably have your own site on the topic.)

Sorry for that personal note, everyone. Now on to the topic...

I learned that no lessons are hard by the time you are learning from them -- it's the confusing preliminary work that is challenging. This year seemed to drift for me, like a dream, but in a bad way. It did not come together in a unified experience. It always seemed to be starting or ending, never just happenning. But now that I am back in consensus reality, I am beginning to understand that BM has been seeming like less and less of a departure from my life because, over the years, my life has been becoming more and more like the playa. It's slightly scary, but it's liberating and energizing and makes me want to continue that work. I've learned that Burning Man is a voyage, not a destination -- that it's a stepping-stone to a more meaningful life and a more livable world. The hard part is that it took me so long to realize that.

[PJ]

...I do suggest that (as they do in museums) a info plackard be manditory for each art installation on the playa. So that eveyone can at least know the name of the art and/or the artist. and maybe some rules/lack of rules of engagment.

I don't like the idea of of even simple mandatory labels (or worse: written interpretations) upon public art. I want nothing to interfere with my experience when I encounter the piece. Very often I look up the name of the work and the artist later. The works' titles are indicated on the map, and can be researched via the website later. But if the artist chooses to placard their own work, that's fine with me.

[Hoopes]

Judging from your outrageously clear and understandable explanation, you probably have your own site on the topic.)

Well, as a matter of fact....

http://www.ukans.edu/~hoopes/506/Lectures/Calendar.html

But even better sources are the following:

http://www.hermetic.ch/cal_stud/maya.htm
http://www.michielb.nl/maya/astro_content.html
http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/maya.html

[tepepinda]

Judging from your outrageously clear and understandable explanation, you probably have your own site on the topic.)

Well, as a matter of fact....

I knew it! Thanks!

It's the people that make the man... As much as I hate to ask people about their lives in the off-playa world, it's usually fascinating and worth it...

thanks for being there, then!

[precipitate]

> As much as I hate to ask people about their lives in the off-playa world

Why?

Sometimes it's irrelevant, you're having an experience in the moment and what the person does the rest of the year just doesn't matter. But if you're actually going to get to know someone, understanding his everyday life is an integral part of it. So why shy away?

I'm not saying treat it like a cocktail party, trying to gauge just how much above you on the social ladder everyone is. But it seems to me silly and arbitrary to not mention what happens the other three hundred some days of the year. Then again, it's generally not the first (or even tenth) question out of my mouth, even back here in the real world.

[nymphgonebad]

i learned the hard way that:

1) it is foolhardy to attempt to plan a wedding and go to burning man but that no matter what i forgot to bring i still ended up with more than i needed. also that however stupid it may be to go to burning man when you are getting married in 2 months, that you should go anyway.

2) that using bm as your bachalor/bachalorette party may seem like a good idea, but is easier said than done. i was really good this year (although incredibly horny); not once did my finacee have to wander back to camp and find me with my tongue down some hot guys throat. i was sorely tempted to gang rape at least 4 guys i was camping with but settled for outrageous flirting.

3) that jettisoning the fresh fruit for costumes i did'nt end up wearing was a mistake.

4) that paking last minute was an even bigger mistake.

hrh - the princess

[PurpleKoosh]

I think you should apply to work for the DMV next year. Clearly they need more highbrow artists screening art cars.

As a DMV employee...would you believe I agree with you? If I had a nickel for every time I heard my fellow Hotties telling someone "Your car meets our standards this year, but won't next year," I'd have next year's ticket paid for already.

We registered almost 600 cars this year, and making the standards tougher is the only alternative we can see to having to actually limit the number of available licenses. And if we don't bring the numbers down voluntarily, we run the risk of having BLM setting a cap within the terms of the land use permit - having art cars on the playa at all was a compromise they agreed to grudgingly in the first place.

[Hoopes]

It's Terence. Just saying hello. I enjoyed camping with you. Glad we were able chat a bit. Vive Le Che!!

Hey there back! I enjoyed camping with you, too (even though we never took you up on that offer to ride your cool PowerPuff Girl scooter).

About that music on Sunday morning... I thought it would be a nice contribution to the "spirituality" theme was to bring some actual Spirituals. The old-time black gospel music came from two collections, one by Harry Smith and the other by Alan Lomax (the same recordings that were extensively sampled by Moby on Play).

The rousing chorus of "Let me tell you about Jesus, he's alright!" was selected for its depth of feeling and energy. I hope you realized it was not even remotely related to proselytization. (We're actually a Jesus-free family.)

[blindtoaster]

do not everevereverevereverevereverevereverevereverevereverever base a long distance relationship on somebody you spent three days with at Burning Man.

[PJ]

do not everevereverevereverevereverevereverevereverevereverever base a long distance relationship on somebody you spent three days with at Burning Man.

Or jail.

[precipitate]

> base a long distance relationship on somebody you spent three days with at Burning Man.

Actually, that worked out quite well for me. Guess I just got lucky. Then again, I'm assuming you mean a committed romantic relationship, and this isn't one of those by a long shot. But we're still very good friends.

[Last Real Burner]

or worse.

mr smith

[Chai Guy]

> base a long distance relationship on somebody you spent three days with at Burning Man.

Actually I'm in a long distance relationship with somebody I spent 1 hour with at Burning Man. It's working out nicely, and we are making plans for one us to move soon (not sure which one).

[mr. wrong]

yeah actually, I'm really happy with the long-distance romance I happened onto at BM this year. I mean, we live on different continents and all, but... I'm still better understood by my BM love than by most women I meet here.

[Badger]

When you are four years old do not EVER decide to play car by sticking dad's car keys in the electrical socket.

I think that was my first rush.

[Kleiner Fallhammer]

1. Keep a serious and vigilant eye out for the cops. They're everywhere - both hidden and obvious. And they are most assuredly looking for you.

2. Don't feed the energy monsters. They creep out of the woodwork when you're least expecting it, dripping calumny and poisonous self-absorbtion. They feed on your anger and irritation; the only way to rid them is to utterly ignore them. Just turn your back and walk away.

3. Try not to take it personally - everyone has an agenda.

4. It's entirely worth it to spend a little extra money on very good facial moisturizer. Whatevery you do, don't put cheap sunscreen on a badly burnt and peeling puss.

5. Don't fall asleep without taking off your false eyelashes.

[turnstyle]

I also learned that some of the BM rangers have a person power aganda and its best to stay clear of them. I found most of my interactions with Rangers to be very much like interaction with the LAPD, sometimes they are very friendly and informative, other times...well I didn't feel like Rodney King, but I did feel like saying, "can't we all just get along?"

That seems to be a fairly common sentiment, which is sad.

I wasn't a ranger last year (or this year), but I was in the Medical Branch...and I can tell you from firsthand experience - the emergency services are there to protect people from the stupidity, lack of consideration and lack of common sense of other people (and occasionally themselves).

Granted, some rangers do it for the power trip - but if everyone employed consideration and common sense, there would be a lot less demand for their services.

Unfortunately, Burning Man, like any other society has all sorts of elements. We as a society need some organization to enforce some basic social order.

If we leave people to their own devices...we are only as considerate, helpful and loving as the WORST offender in the bunch.

It's sad...but true. While Burning Man is truly my HOME - I recognize it's limitations...

[robbidobbs]

1) Don't take anything personally.
2) drink water whenever you think about it, cause life gets busy, and forgetting to drink even for a few hours can seriously reduce your judgement faculties.
3) what might seem like an emotional catastrophe might just be a violation of 1) and/or 2)

[Stormy]

Never ever trust anyone to be anywhere at anytime. Planning a wedding on the playa was crazy, but it worked despite the plans.

[EB]

Learned the hard way:

When planning a burn with a Newbie, don't overrule all of their suggestions based on your "experience."

Also, while on the playa for the first time with a Newbie, show them the Cafe, the man and maybe one or two favorite camps, but don't play tour guide for the rest of the trip.

Everyone should get to see the elephant through their own eyes.

Great topic, this.