The decline of BurningMan

[Isotopia]

I have this theory that some folks are intimidated by the concept and cost of planning and assembling 'big art.' Almost as if "ah, fuck it. My stuff will go unnoticed so why bother."

But then, one should ask "For whom does the artist make his art for?"

I know that's a loaded question but something to chew on just the same.

[buckethead alien]

But then, one should ask "For whom does the artist make his art?"

Good question. But I wonder if the word "art" in and of itself may be a deterrent to some would-be artists, and the focus on capital-A art is a little intimidating.

Art is a word that seems to me to carry its own suggestion of judgement and subjectivity, e.g, "what is art," or "what is <i>good</i> art, or on the distinction between art and craft.

For my part, I prefer to talk about what I do at Burning Man as "cool shit people might like to look at." This frees me from worrying about whether it's art or not.

[geekster]

I think I am trying to look at the thing in almost a holistic organic way. Imagine an ecosystem where things are healthy and in balance. This might represent burning man to some of the older burners. Now something has changed. There are either some kind of unwanted plants, pest, or something in the nature of the environment has changed that prevents things from being healthy. Making rules to try to change things is to me akin to using chemical fertilizers or pesticides. They work but there is a disadvantage in that they might harm beneficial as well as harmful species.

If some root causes can be found, I think things can be done that discourages the unwanted stuff and give an advantage to the kinds of things we want without making drastic decrees from on high. It is like maybe making a slight ph change in the soil might make the beneficial stuff thrive at the expense of the unwanted weeds. Over time the unwanted species will decline to a state where it is tolerable.

That being said, this is exactly what I was hearing and thinking when Rob the Wop made the suggestion of the Virgin Art thing. It was a way of getting the newbies thinking about art, getting them involved in "the art thing" early and POSSIBLY preparing the ground for a great crop of art in the following years as more newbies got that focus very early in their burning man experiance. Granted the potential payoff is years down the road and why I have committed to myself to make this a 3 year project.

I would hope that it could be even MORE than just giving the new burners the chance to experiance the art portion. I would also hope it would give them a chance to interact with experianced burners in a positive way and foster the sense of community on which the rest of the positive aspects of burning man are built.

A couple of other suggestions I made were along the same lines. I think of children as a "beneficial species" in the organic system metaphor. The presence of more kids and families might make the environment a little less comfortable for the less community minded element while at the same time increasing the population of people that are more likely to form community with their neighbors.

A third suggestion was to somehow provide tickets to people involved in the regional/local burner groups at either reduced or at the same cost as this year and maybe raise the cost for individuals purchasing directly on the Internet. This provides an economic break for people that have already demonstrated a desire to form community bonds with other burners and could make it a little easier for them to attend and thereby have the potential to be at the event in greater numbers than the others.

Of all these steps, I think Robs idea of getting the newbies involved in something fun, getting them interacting and feeling appreciated is a great investment in the future and one I intend to be personally involved in. I suppose it is just what I am. I won't feel that I have a right to complain unless I have done something to try to make things better. I would hope that the other experianced burners will take this opportunity to reflect on things and try to come up with things they think can improve the ecosystem that is the burning man community rather than simply give up and walk away. When the beneficial species leave, the place is likely to be overrun. The experianced burners are the most precious thing we have and it is a shame to see them become discouraged and leave. Oh, I think someone is going to build a "revirginator" this year so if someone is completely jaded, maybe we can run you through it and start you over from scratch

[geekster]

The main point being, the kind of changes that would probably be best are likely to be subtle and take a while to completely "soak in". Making any kind of drastic blanket changes would, I fear, be disruptive and likely piss EVERYONE off.

[geekster]

Oh, and one other thing ...

Having the event one week earlier will bring in more of the 30-somethings. Most people in that age group have kids. School starts the week the event is currently held. Even if they don't want to bring their kids, many people don't want to take off the first week/days of school. Making it the week earlier is a lot easier for people to have the grandparents or a nanny or sitter or whatever watch the kids while they are away. The week that the event is currently held on makes it very difficult for couples with school aged kids to attend so you end up with people without kids, people with pre-school kids, and people whose kids are gone ... and not many of the nice people who would love to go but can't becausee school is that week. The middle of the age demographic is missing to some extent.

[Badger]

Damn Geekster, kick it dude. Great stuff. Really. What I'm starting to sense is that people's disappointments and their expectations around the event although often focused an a single issue do bring to the table a unique observation of a single facet of a much larger jewel. I'm hoping this thread takes off even more and that input along with substantive suggestions for remedying the problems (real and perceived) will start spilling out.

Thanks for the thoughts.

I think I am trying to look at the thing in almost a holistic organic way. Imagine an ecosystem where things are healthy and in balance. This might represent burning man to some of the older burners. Now something has changed. There are either some kind of unwanted plants, pest, or something in the nature of the environment has changed that prevents things from being healthy. Making rules to try to change things is to me akin to using chemical fertilizers or pesticides. They work but there is a disadvantage in that they might harm beneficial as well as harmful species.

Blammo! He scores. Again!!

The very essence of what you just posted above seques nicely into a discussion that's taken place here in many variations over the years.

The Tragedy of the Commons

here are a few links that basically describe the idea. I highly recommend a look as I believe you'll see that there are some very interesting and similar parallels to our event.

http://dieoff.org/page95.htm

http://members.aol.com/trajcom/private/trajcom.htm

What Harden suggest in this seminal 1968 tract is that consumption of a resource by an ever broadening and increasing populations starts to be detrimental to the commons (i.e the event) when more people consume the available resources yet are unwilling to return in the same measure that which they use or take away everyone suffers. Although it might be stretching the context in applying what we're talking about to the exaple Harden uses the metaphors are there to get an idea of where I think things are going and to some degree why.

[spectabillis]

...this is exactly what I was hearing and thinking when Rob the Wop made the suggestion of the Virgin Art thing.

Do you know the thread/topic this was in? Would like to read the idea you are paraphrasing.

A third suggestion was to somehow provide tickets to people involved in the regional/local burner groups at either reduced or at the same cost as this year.

I was thinking FREE tickets for artists involved in an installation, performance, highly themed vehicles... even free tickets to people who work certain beneficial positions supporting the effort you are addressing.... just like the existing ability for those financially hardened to apply for discounted tix. There are already procedures in place for camp assignment and art car registration, this would combine and expand two already established procedures. Thats a much easier thing to do than working from scratch, and a much better way to sell the idea to the org.

The biggest drawbacks are the org's potential loss of profit, the added resources needed to administer the applications, and the possible need to offset this cost with higher ticket prices. But honestly, I dont see that as much of a problem.

I won't feel that I have a right to complain unless I have done something to try to make things better.

I hear you.

the place is likely to be overrun.

Not to be too negative, but its already happening.

[spectabillis]

The Tragedy of the Commons
here are a few links that basically describe the idea. I highly recommend a look as I believe you'll see that there are some very interesting and similar parallels to our event.
http://dieoff.org/page95.htm
http://members.aol.com/trajcom/private/trajcom.htm

That does look interesting... will read.

[geekster]

Have a look in the "Bringing Newbies Into The Fold" thread. There is also another thread where discussion was going on ... maybe I should bump it. We have formed a tribe over on tribe.net ... Temple of Vesta which you can get to at the url:

http://virginparade.tribe.net/

[spectabillis]

Have a look in the "Bringing Newbies Into The Fold" thread. There is also another thread where discussion was going on ... maybe I should bump it. We have formed a tribe over on tribe.net ... Temple of Vesta which you can get to at the url:

http://virginparade.tribe.net/

Right on, will do. Thanks.

[Rob the Wop]

Have a look in the "Bringing Newbies Into The Fold" thread. There is also another thread where discussion was going on ... maybe I should bump it. We have formed a tribe over on tribe.net ... Temple of Vesta which you can get to at the url:

http://virginparade.tribe.net/

I am in Geekster's camp on this one.

I had no idea what I was getting into in 97', but I took three things away from Burning Man after the first time I went:
1. A like-minded group- I discovered the Cacos and became hooked.
2. A change of self-image- I walked naked in public for the first time, and broke an essential strap on my psyche. Small redneck desert towns tend to force a feeling of self-consciousness upon an individual to conform to a specific social code and order. Very restrictive in demeanor and clothing, you could literally be having stupid rednecks picking fights with you in any bar in town for wearing the wrong hat. You tend to unconsiously conform if your formative teenage years happen in said town. As with any straps holding something down, after the first broke- the rest follow in short order.
3. A change in the perception of art- There were no galleries in town, unless you count the occasional showing at the local community college. Art was something for cities 120+ miles away, and only done by professional artists. When I went, everyone was attempting to do art. It was a concept that blew my mind. It doesn't matter if it's 'crap', it's an extension of you. I wholeheartedly agree with badger (I often do actually), in that I am far more impressed by the individual non-professional art pieces than with the large scale artists. You see a far greater range of the inner human state of individuals. The hastily painted mural on the side of a theme camp can often have more impact on me than a well-thought out professional piece.

This being said (forgive a long-winded wop for a moment more)- the initial hurdle that faces every budding 'artist' is the exact moment when the media hits the canvas. You have to tear through the psychological hurdle of thinking that what you are doing will be crap, and unworthy of starting- or if started, unworthy of finishing. You have to throw insecurities and self-consciousness to the wind and throw yourself into the act of creation- of exercising that portion of your brain that has lain dormant since your high school art class. Then placing your artwork out in the open for the world to view it. Regardless of how crappy you think it is- it is infinitely better than a blank canvas- and shows the world a hidden portion of yourself. Imagine sneak peeks of 30,000 inner souls arranged on a blank desert landscape for your viewing pleasure. How could you not walk away in awe and wonder?

That's the reason why I want to help out the Geekster starting in the beginning of the year. See if I can talk some PDX burners into bringing down supplies, or helping with the virgin roundup. Somewhat selfish of me really, as if the event can go back to being an artistic playground- I could go back. I just can't come back the way it is. But the 'forced art' portion is a way to break the tying bond. The virgins will build something as a collaberation, realize that it wasn't really all that painful to do art, realize that people appreciated and wanted them to do it, and come back the next year unafraid to bring something artistic of themselves.

[geekster]

I have not said anything for a few days in the hopes that others would respond. A couple have but I think this is worthy of more thought and discussion so I wanted to inject another thought and bump this back up in the process.

One thing that I noticed is that BM is for many a week-long rave. While I nothing at all against raves, I do think there is a time and a place for everything and having a little of that activity is probably a good thing. But dancing till you drop, getting back up and doing it again, day after day for an entire week might limit one's overall participation. I got a strong vibe from a lot of people that BM was just the biggest anything-goes week-long rave on the planet and it made me a little sad to think that is what it has become.

I read the material Badger pointed to concerning the Tragedy of the Commons and think it is pretty consistant with my own thinking and even my own experiances. Heck, I remember back when the Internet was young, people actually had working "guest" accounts on their computers that people could log into and use.

While I am not advocating banning of rave camps, it wouldn't upset me to make it a little more difficult for them to be there in such large numbers. To have a situation where the ravers are saying it isn't as good as it used to be might be a healthy thing overall. Sort of like the parking analogy used in one of the pieces in Badger's links. You don't prevent people from abusing parking, but you do make it less desireable for them to do so. I can't think of a way to actually DO it with rave camps, maybe knock the audio power limit back a bit, maybe reduce the hours a little. I don't look at it so much as punishing the ravers as I do giving them a chance to experiance some of the other aspects of the event to a greater extent than they would otherwise.

[Badger]

While I am not advocating banning of rave camps, it wouldn't upset me to make it a little more difficult for them to be there in such large numbers.

One of the things I plan to throw out for folks within the Project to consider is that large encampments (Lush for example) who end up with a large parcel of the 'commons' along the Esplanade should be required to plan for a level of interactivity that is commensurate to both their physical size, number of camp members, etc. and stress that having yet another bar or another large sound system as the primary draw to other attendees does not necessarily fullfill that... (trying to think of another word) 'requirement'. Although there are others who I can think of I'll cite Thunder Dome as the ultimate example of a group that has done this perfectly.

[geekster]

Yeah, Badger! That there should be a kind of compact or duty or expectation that is presented explicitly and transparently that in exchange for "up front" positioning a camp would provide some level of experiance beyond "just another bar" or "just another sound camp" isn't a bad idea. I think you hit on an answer. The Esplanade should be like "The Boardwalk" of the event and people positioned there should be more interactive.

Sprinkle the bars like little easter eggs throughout the city, maybe on the corners. Encouraging people to go bar hopping from joint to joint throughout the 'burbs isn't a bad thing. I wouldn't have a problem taking a couple of bars off the Esplanade and putting some interactive stuff out there ... heck, even stuff like Lite-Brite and Trampoloid are fun even if they are small ... but then again, every camp might not WANT to be on the Esplanade either.

[stuart]

this year a great effort was made in the placement process to move sound camps off of the esplanade

this year many complained that the esplanade was 'dark'

[ronski]

... but then again, every camp might not WANT to be on the Esplanade either.

This year I spent a good deal of dance time at The Pink Mammoth, aka Pinkys, at around 7:30 and Mars. (Real nice crowd, music and vibe.) Had a great conversation with one of the main guys who said they had been specifically invited to be located on or near the Esplanade this year, but they intentionally turned it down. They wanted to be farther out in the 'burbs.

[Rob the Wop]

this year a great effort was made in the placement process to move sound camps off of the esplanade

this year many complained that the esplanade was 'dark'

I'm hoping this doesn't equate to 'sound camps' = 'Burning Man'. There used to be plenty of 'light' before the sound camps took over in 99'.

Does this mean that all other forms of art should be moved instead and Burning Man should pander to the major rave zeens? Or that event goers now expect the esplanade to be mainly sound camps?

I'm not sure which question's answer would be more personally depressing.

[stuart]

Rob, I honestly don't know but the correllation, and that's all I am saying it is for now, has given me pause.

[d6]

When told we were placed on Esp. this year, I initially turned it down as well, citing " I need sleep, not thumpa thumpa" so that I might have the energy to WORK during my stay at BRC 2004. We relented, and set-up at 3:00 plaza corner / Esp.

Our early Saturday drop-off / placement was rendered pointless, as most of our 8 person group returned Tuesday to find significant wind destruction ( we had 1 weenie with us saturday, whose constant complaining facilitated us leaving Sat. before all necessary securing was completed) throughout our campsight. We returned on Tuesday, as we are the 30+ demographic, have kids that start school that week, and I still am not fully accepting of that time away from family, but compromises run amok!

Upon rearrival, I was mildly overwhelmed, then really excited, to finally start the "final" realization of 4 sep. projects that had taken considerable time over various stages for the past year.
The rebuilding aspect turned us into fucking champs, and
With some 4 ft stakes via dpw manager friend, (this also being his last year) we emerged victorious after the brutally fun wind relented, with our sight fully running from thurs-monday.
I suppose some digged it, others could care less. The whole point of our efforts were to confuse, disorient and get people to laugh, and possibly to run away in mock terror. We didn't solicite, you either came by and checked it out / played, or kept walking. We knew that some would investigate further, and that was also fine.

We brought out things personal as well as interactive, and a running "joke" was to comment in ref. to our camp:
"phhh, thats not art, why are THEY on esplanade" as the weirdness of eventually coming to terms with the fact that WE had changed into one of those groups making an effort for most to see was now.
We had previously always been in the burbs, art cars, yes, neighborhood parties, of course, and dispered to help out in lots of other established areas.

pyschotic break starts here:

Butt now, as a response to the last couple of years, we knew that if we were to continue to enjoy / contribute to BRC, a bigger, more artistic effort must be made by us, temporary citizens in a place were unheralded "art" may yet still be the "point".
maybe.
if you try.
and don't ONLY like sex, drugs, alcohol, or the "wheres my fucking gift" /// "ENTERTAIN ME" mentality.

I'm not there to be as intoxicated chemically for as long as my body mal-functions.
I don't really give a rat who the self-imagining "superstar" dj is.
I don't care about your band. really really don't.
I have no positive response if you tell me how much you say you spent on your Home depot card, or paid someone else to make your "art" / artcars.
Your hometown suffers from economic blight, so it's harder for you to goto BRC? boo-hoo, you're breaking my heart.
I am not there to watch a show, or expecting to be entertained, or to educate those who cant or dont want to be taught.
your sexual preferance? all yours, great, have fun with that, go nuts!, just dont violate those who wish to remain unviolated, and clean up your own fucking mess.

I go / went because at first, it was a feeling of an underlining communal sense that I had missed. I saw science in beautiful , artistic capacities, and regardless of the planned or improvised results, people were trying, godammit, even if it was for more sex, drugs, alcohol or fucking gifts.

I will always miss the Extra Action energy, the megavolt SOUND, the formerly fab-u-lous "costumes" in abundance, the genuine reactions to immediate surroundings, and because I've seen it less and less and less, we'll be back again next year, bigger, slower and older.

This long rant ends now.

d6 2000
Cs 1995

[Rob the Wop]

Something occured to me while driving to work this morning.


Burning Man is in the throes of a civil war. One that is entirely unintentional and unconsious.

The Rave movement is dying, it has been ever since it became a mainstream topic of discussion. You can watch any long running 'feel good' TV show (aka Seventh Heaven, Gilmore Girls, whatever..) and there will eventually be an episode concerning an 'underground' movement- it is doomed. Not a big deal, all things come in cycles.

But it has found a unique niche.

Burning Man is like a petri dish filled with fresh agar to the Rave culture. The wild costuming, bright colors, and glowing lights at night were already part and parcel of the rave culture. The DJs already had the mobile sound systems, ready to set up in a warehouse in a moment's notice. The attendees already had the water discipline, the drugs, and the habit of finding obscure corners where the action was at. Just add a dome and some distance and you have a theme camp.

'Normal' culture had night clubs and concerts. They had costuming on Halloween, Mardi Gras, and Carnival. While they started the Burning Man movement, they didn't have the experience that is Burning Man as a regular part of their culture. So they considered it all art, and tried to bring all the art with them to the desert.

When the costumed club kids came, they brought the loud sounds. The regulars bitched- but in the end they had a belief of inclusion. They allowed it at a distance at first, but as more came- they allowed them into the general population. They tried to set up 'quiet zones' and 'loud zones'.

And the costumed club kids kept coming, and ignored the intent of the zones and did their own thing. When it seemed that they overwhelmed the event with their sound, a set of rules were established. And the rules were 'kind of' followed, and the exodus of the 'founding artists' began.

Now the people that believe in the art of all kinds are waging an unknown war against the costumed club kids. They bring their creativity. Some dance, some don't. Those that don't are eroded year by year. And the costumed club kids fight the war with increasing numbers and louder sounds. And the artists fight back with acceptance and more art- but you cannot fight an invading hoard with acceptance. So they leave and take their art with them.

And the costume club kids ask where the art is, and why isn't their ticket money being used to make more art? So they invite their friends, saying that the party is great- just bring a costume and some food. And their friends say- "I know this awesome DJ!" or "I'm got an awesome sound system that I can bring, plus the best vinyl!" And this pushes out another artist that came to share of themselves.

We can either educate the costume club kids and turn them to artists, or bring the artists back by limiting the kids in some way. I don't think the costume club kids mean to do what they are doing, but the fact remains.

Their is still civil war.

[Badger]

Very cool Rob.

Sure is enough to chew on here for a few days.

[d6]

fuckin WOW rob, I couldn't agree more!
And your post helps me to put to rest some issues I've had over the years, as I'd quit throwing shows in Rno, (dj-based ones), due to becoming more and more disillusioned / disgusted by the lack of "music / art" fusion being accepted here in a show format.
Your post helped my brain.

We went from free shows in an awesome 2 story art gallery to only watching the clock so we could pull the plug and go home.
It kept slowly de-evolving into a purely "night-out how high can i get" attendee experience, instead of what we were trying to do with art exhibits, robots, sound, lighting, interactive visuals, themed-decor.
We always put out invites for ANYONE to get invloved, we were almost never contacted, aside from "dj's" wanting the headliner spots,and getting snotty when told "no".
over 15 years of shows, I can name all 6 of the people who gave up their time for "art" incorporated into our shows. The different "cycles" here with dj shows seem to be every 3 years or so, having strong draws, to dying out, then coming back, but always in less numbers than before.

The masses in Rno at our dying shows percentage-wise slowly-turned from 15-50 yr.olds, into a frighteningly-younger (13-17yr olds), drug-only-art-what-art?-who-gives a fuck about art? culture.
This is also why we have only run ambient sound at BRC over the past few years, instead of "sounds and vinyl at a moments notice, why yes, I too can be a superstar dj"

personal note:- surprisingly enough, turns out I DIDN'T want to hear the double-dutch bus remix at 5:58 am, or "ghostbusters" all night, every night for a week.

Our camp numbers rose sharply with the advent of club kids / ravers, replacing those who came to camp with us and participate, until the only ones of us who were left with "artistic delusions" ran out of patience for those who chose to contribute nothing,
and sponge everything.

so our herd was thinned, and they were left to fend for themselves, which equated to their campsight having zero art, zero interactivity (unless buying drugs counts), and fourth-world squalor and filth running amok.
Isn't pestilence a part of every civil war?

LET THE RECLAMATION BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

D6, unpopular-bot with the rave kids.

[Rob the Wop]

Thanks guys.

We can either educate the costume club kids and turn them to artists, or bring the artists back by limiting the kids in some way.

I just wanted to pitch in here real quick and state that this is why I will be helping Geekster in whatever capacity I can next year with the Virgin Roundup, Parade, and Forced Art camp.

I have no authority or ability to limit Burning Man culture- so the latter option is a no-go (this is BMORG's territory). But the former option holds promise not for next year- but the years following.

The best idea would be to promote 'orientations' in conjunction with the roundup. VerbenaMaya had a pre-BM party where she had costumed volunteers as 'examples' of avoidable behavior. Add some forced art into the mix- and you have a great prep mechanism. Anyone not briefed in the pre-BM party would get hit with the roundup at BM itself.

[geekster]

I am going to start getting seriously busy on the newbie art stuff after the holidays. One thing I am going to need, though, is a venue for the art making. I am campless at the moment. I don't see myself going back with the same camp I went with last year unless they make some fundamental changes but that is a different story.

We will need an area that can keep some newbies shaded and watered while we run them through building their art and stage them for a little parade. I have a small Toyota pickup and I can probably rent a trailer to pull behind it so everything I bring is gonna have to fit in it. It would also be nice to have someplace with some space to show the finished art.

My HOPE is that we communicate to the newbies that they are a valued part of the community. People have thought of them and given them a small activity for a couple of hours on one day to get them interacting and give them a chance to return something to the city that will be appreciated. Once they see how easy it is and how fun it can be, I hope it will sow seeds for future art AND create a crop of newbies that will in turn be more interactive with the following crop of newbies the next year. I figure after three years, it will make a difference or die.

I would further hope that by the 4th year, the virgin art parade will be a tradition like Critical Tits is and continue on its own. Heck, word might even get out and we might see newbies SHOW UP with art already made because they heard it from their friends that were newbies a previous year and THAT would be the ultimate payoff for me.

After the art making, parade, and display, I would hope that the newbies that choose to participate feel personally invested in the Burning Man Project. If they walk out of our little event feeling like a full fledged participant and that it is THEIR event, then we have, I think, left a very nice trace for the following years. Things are a bit quiet now but anyone wanting to participate and is on tribe can join the Temple of Vesta tribe at virginparade.tribe.net and I will also be trying to get into contact with some folks to see if we can have a nice art burn on Friday night or possibly Saturday before man burn to celebrate their last hours of "virginity". Having some fires going on the playa before man burn might be a nice reminder of how things used to be. I am currently planning the virgin roundup/art build/parade to be after lunch on Wednesday and would like to have everything done and cleaned up before supper.

Remember, Virgins are lucky. To see one smile brings good luck and to give a Virgin a hug brings a hundred in return.

[stuart]

i like the romantic nature of your post Rob but I find a bit of a false dichotomy.

I am both a costumed club kid (well, not really a kid, and I don't spend every weekend in dance clubs) and an artist.

I think the sol system installation this year was gorgeous. It was art. If one wants to say it was not art because it was connected with all of those other negative things like dancing, djs and a big ass P.A. I call bullshit. I also call bullshit on saying something is not art if the fuckwitted artists who made it did not clean up after themselves, be it Lush or the Leviathan.

Just an example from an observer

Now an example from a participant.

I put together what I consider, as do many others, to be a pretty kick ass piece of art. Yea, whatever. I feel, however, that if I want people to stick around for more than 3 minutes checking it out I need to offer more. The work that I do grabs people, but it's the party in the camp that makes them stay. I want them to stay so that some might realize that the piece I did is a long format unified whole, not just some quick flashy eyecandy (although most will see it as such). I also dig the performances that people invent to go along with the work. This would never happen without the music.

So, am I making a deal with the devil? I don't know. I do know that folks stop by. Some just dance. Some just watch for a minute. But a few watch, and then dance, and then really watch and then come find me to chat about it. Call me shallow, but I want that payoff.



as an aside, I do know that the folks who visited the camps to either side of us, where things were going on other than electronic dance music, were as much pigs as those who stopped by hi!.


I am considering, as an experiment, putting my installation in the deep playa this year instead of having it in a camp. Lots of nasty issues with that, but the different experience could be quite interesting.

[Zulegoona]

I like the idea of an virgin roundup orientation thing including some kind of art production and ritualistic parade ending in a fire ceremony. It would have been great for me this year, but that is my sort of thing.

I have a harder time seeing those that have paid their bucks for the biggest f**king anything goes party in the world, going along with it. I do think it's well worth doing, but I question if there would be any effect on the rave/party faction.

The kids do bring an energy that isn't all bad and I really enjoy the diversity of Black Rock City. Having the major sound generators on the esplanade seem practical and concentrates the brightly lit all night partying and that’s good. But it also puts the dance clubs in the center of things, features them in a position of high importance. It seems to say this is what Burning Man is all about.

[Rob the Wop]

i like the romantic nature of your post Rob but I find a bit of a false dichotomy.

I am both a costumed club kid (well, not really a kid, and I don't spend every weekend in dance clubs) and an artist.

Tsk tsk, stuart. If there can be artists that are costumed and dance, then it implies that the two sets overlap- hence no false dictomy. The issue then falls to whether the individual feels themselves primarily an artist, or primarily a 'costume club kid'. It sounds like you prefer to call yourself an artist primarily, though I might be mistaken.

But I definitely hear you. I did write the piece with a metaphorical slant, forcing a gray issue into something more white and black. I am trying to underline mentally the picture of what is percieved by many of the 'exodus' artists to be the main issue. At least the majority of those I know that no longer attend. The answer is almost always "It's turned into a rave." Which means? Loud, inescapable bass thudding all night long and people just showing up for the dance camps.

I can't prove that the lack of art directly corresponds to an influx of 'costume club kids'. This would require the sticky task of defining art and 'costume club kids' along with gathering the ratio of 'art' versus 'non-art' in the square footage defined as Burning Man. And plotting trends over the years BM has been held. I'm wwaaayyyy too lazy for that venture. But I can attest to the reasons why a statistical sample of non-event goers that I know aren't going anymore. So the question remains, of those people you know that are artistic and refuse to go- what is their main reason? If it aligns with the general feeling of what I'm describing- is it an accurate portrayal?

[stuart]

A guy I do my camp with is calling it quits for awhile. This was, I believe, his 7th year.

He said he wants to wait a few years so that all of the art and camps cycle out. He wants to come back when it is all new again. He also wants to something a bit less taxing with his vacation time.

[blyslv]

[quote="geekster"]Idrastic decrees from on high. [\quote]

I think that's what the OP was complaining abuot, a creeping cult of personality. Many decisions are made now that were never made in previous years events and that kills a lot of sponaneity and feeling of ownership. I don't know if it's avoidable or not.

[blyslv]

What Harden suggest in this seminal 1968 tract is that consumption of a resource by an ever broadening and increasing populations starts to be detrimental to the commons (i.e the event) when more people consume the available resources yet are unwilling to return in the same measure that which they use or take away everyone suffers. Although it might be stretching the context in applying what we're talking about to the exaple Harden uses the metaphors are there to get an idea of where I think things are going and to some degree why.

Before I first went I read the Hatted Ones rehetoric about abundance and how that is created, and it got me really excited. We consume to get out there, but once out there the only resource we have is our own enthusiasm and energy. That is renewable. So I am not really sure that Hardin's analysis totally applies. To the extent that people feel a loss of ownership for their burningman is what's important, I think.