Lack of Art this Year

[Jgladdy]

I spent at least 2 nights this year just wandering around looking at art. Embrace and the library were nice, and the cubist tree-looking thing was pretty awesome, but overall I was somewhat unimpressed with the quantity and quality of big art out there, especially in comparison to previous years - 2013, 2012, 2011 were really stand outs for me.

Was it just me that there was a lack of stationary art out there? Why did that happen this year?

I also noticed all the art cars seem to have gotten an upgrade, as well as many of the sound camps.

I'm hoping it's not that the influx of foreigners/virgins etc keeping local burners from building big art. It's one of my favorite parts of bm.

[VultureChow]

I assure you, our art cars were jankier than ever.

[DrYes]

I spent at least 2 nights this year just wandering around looking at art. Embrace and the library were nice, and the cubist tree-looking thing was pretty awesome, but overall I was somewhat unimpressed with the quantity and quality of big art out there, especially in comparison to previous years - 2013, 2012, 2011 were really stand outs for me.

Was it just me that there was a lack of stationary art out there? Why did that happen this year?

I also noticed all the art cars seem to have gotten an upgrade, as well as many of the sound camps.

I'm hoping it's not that the influx of foreigners/virgins etc keeping local burners from building big art. It's one of my favorite parts of bm.

I missed the circle of regionals. I thought the last couple of years those really added to the sense of there being a lot of art around the Man.

[--Ever--]

I've heard the same thing. Less art Deep Playa, as well.

The BM wiki lists the amount of registered/placed art for year's past. Perhaps we can check when they update it for 2014.

[maladroit]

There was plenty of art, but a lot of it seemed like "look at this" art rather than participatory or a starting nexus for personal expression. There were SOME really good interactive art pieces, to be sure. But nothing truly epic besides Embrace (which was a little forbidding in its own way). Much of it was spindly and elevated above reach. Few seemed to be attempting a statement, like Church Trap or Like 4 Real. Nothing inspired mind-bending awe like Big Rig Jig. No simple yet massively difficult concepts, like the Pier, which blend into the playa and spark thousands of ideas and interactions, relying on people to supply the adventure. Heck, not much of the art even used fire. A lot of art from 2013 was brought back, unmodified, for 2014.

The Alien Siege Machine burn was well done, and very entertaining. Still...a rehash of Anubis...which was a rehash of the Trojan Horse.

There were definitely some very good, but very small art pieces scattered out in deep playa and buried in nooks and corners within the city. These are people who could do Big Art amazingly, but don't care to learn PR or beg on Kickstarter. We, as camps and villages and neighborhoods, need to recognize these artists and support them with supplies and labor rather than putting $20 on a Kickstarter campaign for someone who's a safe bet.

[RedHeaven]

I had to miss the last 2 years, but boy am I glad I got to experience both Piers!!

Seems like there is always an art piece where DJs end up playing. The Waffle and Conexus Cathedral in 06 come to mind...and the serpent by the FLGs. That was a hot year for art and for this DJ interactive art! Wow...I miss that! Seems like now the emphasis is definitely more art car focused.
Although I hear that blinky dance floor was cool, and a fun place for the art cars to park it...

At risk of sounding redundant and jaded, I totally miss BRC when the only large sound camps were really at 10 and 2, just at the tips, and there weren't gigantic bass avenues going all the way back to the other tips. It made more people wander around at the art and less get sucked in by the untz whomps.
The focus was more spread out in the suburbs and other random venues. There came a point where shit just BLEW the FUCK UP in Dirt Rave World.

[FossaFerox]

I felt like there was less out there as well, but overheard somewhere that a lot of art didn't make it out/up because of the freakish weather. I'm curious how true that is. In the end, for me personally there was nothing that came close to replacing the Coyote from last year. Heck, this year my favorite wasn't even one of the bigger pieces, it was "All these gifts I give to you" which was awesome in its own right, but relatively small/simple to stand out so clearly in my mind.

[666isMONEY]

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Agree with the OP and the Tower of Babel was a fun place to go at sunrise.
One of my favorite artworks this year was several insects made from old car and motorcycle parts.

[peace]

Dude...really? Lack of art? and I suppose there wasn't enough amazing tits, free music and drinks for you out there either. Check your entitlement meter before you post a diss on the artists that sweat blood out there and max out their credit cards.

Venting aside...this year felt like it was about craft over concept - the art that was there, from the small scale to Embrace, was often stunningly assembled with meticulous detail. I liked it, actually, it was a more intimate year all around.

There is a bigger story out there around BM and the artist relationships. One of many factors is that the honorariums came late this year and only a handful were to Bay Area artists so logistics played a role in scale and scope. It's a constant evolution and it will be very interesting to see how Bmorg will address how they support, or not, the cutting edge, world class art that it has been blessed with in years passed...

[skippy3k]

Dude...really? Lack of art? and I suppose there wasn't enough amazing tits, free music and drinks for you out there either. Check your entitlement meter before you post a diss on the artists that sweat blood out there and max out their credit cards.

Yikes. Put down the coffee and take a few deep breaths. I read it as an idle observation, not a direct criticism.

[Jgladdy]

Exactly what skippy said - maybe my title was a little inflammatory should have been (Lack of BIG art, Lack of Art DENSITY), I dunno. I do appreciate the artists who came out. The pieces I did see were great, just didn't seem there were as many or of the scale of previous years.

As for tits, I'm not into those and I was in a small camp serving food and booze all week, so I had plenty of great interactions. It was a great burn, just didn't have as many of those "ah -ha" moments with the art this year.

For example, last year I thought the church trap was insanely clever and superbly interactive. Most of what I saw this year was more "look and see" but not "participate, touch and experience" with a few exceptions. Smaller in scale, scope etc.

[FossaFerox]

I was strictly talking quantity, not quality. I felt like there was less art present. As I'm pretty sure most artists don't do multiple pieces in a given year I fail to see how that could be construed as an attack on the artists; what was there was wonderful, there simply wasn't AS MUCH of it. And again, that's just my feeling as a random participant.

[BBadger]

Certainly not as much deep playa stuff, noticeable amounts of late/non-working stuff, and a decent amount of recycled art. Lots of cool stuff too, of course. I missed being able to hop from one deep playa piece to another at night. Maybe it was the weather or some other factor that caused it. Maybe just fewer artists. Hauling something out there early is definitely a pain.

[trilobyte]

It was a case of both timing and perspective.

Overall, Burning Man had very close to as many registered and honorarium projects this year as it did last year. The number was slightly lower, but a negligible difference and something that could have easily been overcome with the walk-ups (people who don't register in advance, but just show up at ARTery on playa to register and get placed).

Because of things like build week weather, will call delays, and the earlier gate time on Sunday, fewer of the registered artists had checked in and set up by the time the gates opened (doesn't mean they were a no-show, they were still getting their camp set up and getting their pieces ready to go install. Then we had that whole rain happen on Monday, which seriously hampered the efforts of lots and lots and lots of people.

The perspective issue had to do with scale. Black Rock City 'leveled up' this year and the size of the city expanded. That meant that the inner playa was hundreds of feet larger in diameter - the same amount of art in that space would have felt like significantly less. Additionally, more big installations were placed (at their request) out in deep playa this year, so there was more deep playa art (which is spread out quite a bit more than the inner playa stuff). And then finally, there was no CORE this year - instead the regional groups participated in the really incredibly amazing Souk all week (huge thanks to everyone involved with that, it was awesome).

The art was all there (and better than ever, IMO), you just had to work harder to see it (and of course, seeing it all is impossible to do in any given year - Black Rock City is just that big).

So now comes the most important question in this conversation. What art did YOU bring to the playa? You're complaining about people not bringing enough art - are you doing so as an actual participant who built and brought something amazing to the playa and feel like you were alone, or are you doing so as a spectator who's crying because other people didn't build you enough attractions and exhibits?

[otakup0pe]

So now comes the most important question in this conversation. What art did YOU bring to the playa? You're complaining about people not bringing enough art - are you doing so as an actual participant who built and brought something amazing to the playa and feel like you were alone, or are you doing so as a spectator who's crying because other people didn't build you enough attractions and exhibits?

I feel at least a little responsible. With the growth in the city I should have put up "free wifi" signs in more than just one part of deep playa.

[Jovankat]

The perspective issue had to do with scale. Black Rock City 'leveled up' this year and the size of the city expanded. That meant that the inner playa was hundreds of feet larger in diameter - the same amount of art in that space would have felt like significantly less. Additionally, more big installations were placed (at their request) out in deep playa this year, so there was more deep playa art (which is spread out quite a bit more than the inner playa stuff). And then finally, there was no CORE this year - instead the regional groups participated in the really incredibly amazing Souk all week (huge thanks to everyone involved with that, it was awesome).

Yeah any one of those three things seems like it would do it, let alone all three. Personally I didn't notice a difference, but I spent more time out there this year so I saw more art this year than last (alas I still missed much, will try harder next year) but I like that there is quite a bit of space between pieces, especially in open playa. It means that when you get a piece to yourself briefly it feels super alone and disconnected to everything else and when you're ready to move on the options for where you head are more varied. If there were another piece *right there* it would seem an obvious choice for your next destination. I like that it's a trek between pieces and there's not even remotely an obvious path between them.

[kittyrodriguez]

I had the opposite feeling. I felt that, looking out on the playa, it was a sea of art. True, mostly "smaller" art, but I almost felt like there were just too many things to go see. Maybe because they were smaller and more spread out. I don't know. But the open playa looked a little overwhelmed.

That, obviously, was my personal experience. Not fact or criticism.

[GreyCoyote]

the perspective issue was a matter of scale

I think that is the big factor. The city is spreading out. The density of art is just lower. There was tons of stuff, just more spread out. And something else I noticed was some art was pulled back from the street and sat more toward the middle of camps. You kinds had to look for it a little. This may be a response to the asshats who like to trash stuff when its unattended.

[Jgladdy]

So now comes the most important question in this conversation. What art did YOU bring to the playa? You're complaining about people not bringing enough art - are you doing so as an actual participant who built and brought something amazing to the playa and feel like you were alone, or are you doing so as a spectator who's crying because other people didn't build you enough attractions and exhibits?

Way to turn it around...

I did bring some art but it wasn't open playa, smaller metal/wire work that was displayed in my camp (they were lantern bonsais - lit with lamp oil). It was nothing of the scale of some of the larger pieces out there, but I was proud of it.

That being said, there are many ways to participate. I'm a bit perplexed by the Either-Or nature of your statement. I think it'd be virtually impossible for a small camp that is serving food all week to the public to also deal with creating, building, maintaining, and disassembling a huge art piece.

Either "Create Big Art" or "Be a worthless spectator" is not a dichotomy I believe exists. We all work during the week on different things - it just wasn't my choice to bring large physical art to the playa, although considering my perspective this year, I'd definitely consider it next time I attend.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

I think it'd be virtually impossible for a small camp that is serving food all week to the public to also deal with creating, building, maintaining, and disassembling a huge fart piece.

it depends on what you served, i suppose...

[Jgladdy]

it depends on what you served, i suppose...

It was beans, all beans

[trilobyte]

It's not so much an either-or as it is a direct response to your bitching and complaint, that people didn't bring you enough art to see and experience. Yes, the city is so much more than just art installations on the playa, but that's what you took issue with.

Burning Man is a do-ocracy - think that the city needs or could use more of something... do it, don't complain that others aren't doing it/building it/bringing it for you.

[robrob]

the souk was cool, but the inner playa did seem a bit empty after getting used to seeing a couple dozen large scale art pieces around the man.

not a complaint! and i like change.
But I did miss CORE. Not just because of the art, but because it kinda helped facilitate a couple types of interactions.
- it was a rally point for local peeps. No matter what time of the day or night, if I needed a familiar face, I could probably find one out at our CORE.
- it was a good conversation starter; it was really awesome to meet a cute participant from NOLA and play "i'll show mine if you show yours"

[peace]

As they say...there was more art next year.

I was a little snappy, probably because I worked over several months on a piece that never physically made it out there. This is, I believe, the first year that the Burning Man population didn't get bigger and maybe we are used to seeing More every year, that acceleration is the normal. The population cap and evolving ticketing strategies fairly or unfairly lends to the idea that Bmorg can choreograph what type of attendees will show up- artists, theme camps, not plug n play or whatever. And they have done an amazing job, but I don't think they really want to be in that role?

Personally I could do without half as many theme camps that gift from 2-4 (like I keep track of time) and have more art and pirates and chaos but whatever. I say blow off your theme camp and make an big fucking installation next year- then everybody's happy.

[calsutmoran]

You better get started on some art projects then. How exactly do you think it gets there?

[islandkat]

I am an artist who wanted to install art this year with my team. All of us wanted to install. We installed last year on the Inner Playa, and one of us had installed smaller personal pieces for a few years. The experience as an artist is a life changing one (I highly recommend it!!), adding a big bonus of extra-transformative experience on top of the event experience as it is. It is a birth, and then the birth changes you, and then as it is enjoyed on the Playa, affecting Burners perhaps differently than envisioned, and it changes you again. We so wanted to have a piece on the playa this year.

The theme just came out too late for us. Our team lives in different countries. We need time to meet and agree, and to plan logistics. We just could not get it done. True, we could have just planned a project without theme adherence, but we kept waiting, thinking it would come, and not trying to adhere in some way to the theme would take away the fun for us. We are a passionate crew who loves symbolism, ideas, puns, connections where it seems there are none, exploring new thought-lines, and we hoped to have fun with the theme. It could not be....We attended of course anyway, having an "upgraded camp" (experience offered for all) experience instead. It too was magical. But we missed not having an art project.

We also had trouble getting all of us tickets (!!). If the team cannot all get tickets, and we missed honorarium application deadlines (which do not guarantee all tickets anyway, but would have helped, had we made honorarium), how can we produce a project? One of us had a ticket from the official sale; the rest of us all got tickets only in last couple of days preceding the event, and we were incredibly lucky to get those tickets, "lucky" being the appropriate word. We planned our camp experience despite not having tickets, and we were fortunate to be there, but we certainly could not plan a huge art installation without knowing we would gain entrance. It would be nice if those that miss honorarium (whether missing application deadline or not making the cut) but have a project to install on the playa could receive opportunity to buy tickets as late as the June art installation paperwork deadline, imho. That would help more art show up. We cannot install if we cannot enter.

We too noticed less big art, all of us coming to the conclusion separately and then in a night of revelation confessed we all thought the same, perhaps near the same number of pieces (we meant to glance at those figures), but less huge art. We thought a few things may have impacted it, just guessing, perhaps as for us the late theme announcement hitting some artists (and thus perhaps also ticket issues as well), and associated not applying for honorarium by the deadline affecting many to say "next year," secondly perhaps all the legal stuff scared some big project artists from starting in the fall when they would have (wondering for example if the event would have to change with the lawsuit stuff that was going on), and lastly, we thought perhaps it is all combined with the normal ebb and flow, breathing in and out, of building something big. It is an enormous amount of time from one's personal life, weekends and nights and money and vacation days, and perhaps some of the biggest project artists needed a break, coincidentally in tandem rhythm. Maybe all these things came together to produce a "light on Big" year.

So we hope for Big next year, for the fun, for the impact, for the added transformative experience for all. We plan on installing, and we've given feedback hoping for earlier theme announcement.

[trilobyte]

it's worth pointing out that the art theme announcement wasn't really any later than it's been in the last few years.

It's probably also worth pointing out that there was significantly more art on the playa last year than in years where the theme was announced at the end of the previous year's event, that kind of takes the wind out of the sails that the amount of art is dependent on the theme announcement.

[islandkat]

Thanks trilobyte, that's right, I have heard there have been later theme announcements, but 2012's was announced in November; I cannot remember 2011. Some have been announced early. Early is better for some artists, true not all. But thanks for pointing that out. Interesting about whether there is correlation with date of announcement and amount of art, but with growth it will not be so valid a statistic, with too many other variables.

[FossaFerox]

Was last year a particularly art-rich year? That would explain my perception as it was my first burn and set the bar, so to speak. The art this year was great, there just felt like there wasn't as much of it.

[tamarakay]

I loved the smaller art. As a fledgling artist it helped me feel more comfortable with starting small. I had all these ideas but would picture some fabulous art piece out there and get intimidated. Smaller pieces, like lucky420's Sanchez, showed me it's all fabulous. Just put it out there.

Vandalism just infuriates me. I just can't imagine how anyones idea of fun at the burn is to go trash someone's hard work.