This week, an otherworldly gathering in the desert is taking place in the Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada. A celebration of life, earth and all the incredible things we’re capable of building and creating, over the years Burning Man has served as the surrealist of settings to showcase some of the most mind-boggling and incredible art by talented young creatives. They’re not necessarily well-known or reputed artists outside of the festival, but the Burning Man Festival becomes their world stage. Some of the festival’s most impressive sculptures and installations were made in someone’s garage or backyard. Let’s check out some of the most unforgettable…
1. The Neverwas Haul
(c) Michael Holden
Neverwas Haul, a self-propelled 3-story Victorian House, made from 75% recycled equipment and materials, returns with new interiors, engine, and collections from its travels around the world (i.e., oddities of the Jules Verne).
The artists are a self-confessed collective of “tinkerers, gearheads, and steam bohemians who fabricate steam-powered art out of repurposed industrial detritus”.
The Neverwas Haul was designed and built as a vehicle for the Burning Man Festivals in 2006 and 2007 but these days its semi-permanently housed at Obtainium Works in Vallejo and can be rented in that venue for weddings, dinners, and other events. For the right price, the Haul can even be transported to your location.
(c) Loupiote
Discover more about the Neverwas and its creators here.
2. Truth is Beauty, a.k.a Giant Naked Lady
(c) Alan Grinberg
This was the second sculpture by artist Marco Cochrane to debut at The Burning Man as part of his project called “Bliss”. In 2013, the Californian artists whose aim is to empower women, welded steel, rods and balls and then covered his sculpture in stainless steel mesh “skin”, which has interactive lighting effects. Each sculpture of the Bliss Project by Marco is at least 40 ft tall.
(c) Michael Holden
(c) Scott Ashkenaz
You can get an idea of how this was put together and erected in the desert here and here.
Discover Marco’s world here.
3. Walter the Bus
(c) James Addison
A giant VW bus– in fact it’s officially the world’s largest. Need I say more? Okay, here’s a little more info…
Walter is a fully functional, 13-foot 2-inch tall, road-ready vehicle and began life much like anyone else – in 1963 as a rescue vehicle at an airport. Originally, he is a Walter Crash Truck that was stationed at Luke Air Force Base … Walter’s job there was explicit – sit and wait for a plane to crash.
Kirk Strawn, the original benefactor of the world’s largest VW project, knew when he first saw the Walter Crash Truck at the Jerome Jamboree decades later that Walter’s boxy frame, wheel base, and tire size resembled a giant VW bus. Over the next seven years, Kirk and mad collective of dreamers called Tribe Walter, this giant bus became a reality and debuted at Burning Man in 2009. You can find some great pictures documenting its construction here.
Walter the Bus website.
4. Dust City Diner
(c) Kinematicslabs
The Dust City Diner is a working 1940′s-era diner created for the annual Burning Man festival in Nevada, constructed on a a flatbed trailer. The “neon” sign beckons as bee-hived waitresses serve up hot grilled cheese sandwiches and steaming coffee to weary travelers.
(c) Scott R Kline
It’s a creation of the Kinematics Lab, see what else they do here.
5. Temple of the Stars Bus
(c) Alan Grinberg
Can anyone help out with more information on this beautiful bus?
6. Black Rock Bijou
The Black Rock Bijou was the classic movie theater located in the deep playa, outside of Black Rock City at Burning Man each year from 2010-2013.
More info on this Facebook page
7. The Apocalypse Puppet Theatre
(c) Ryan Swift
Not surprisingly “the world’s only” bicycle-powered puppet theatre, it made its debut at the 2007 Burning Man. Pedalled around the desert festival by a crew of 8 cyclists hailing from Oakland, California, the Apocalypse Puppet Theatre was founded by a combination of puppet designers and various theatrical talents.
Photos found on the Smithsonian (Mark Kaplan)
(c) Tristan Savatier
Learn more about the Apocalypse Puppet Crew here.
8. Church Trap
(c) Atil
Church Trap is a large-scale interactive art piece designed by artist Rebekah Waites that made its debut at the 2013 Burning Man festival. Church Trap combines the elements of a decaying church and a box trap. Tipped on its axis, a large wooden pole appears to be the only thing suspending it high up in the air. At the base of the pole is a rope waiting for participants to give it a tug and possibly collapse the church over unsuspecting victims inside… At midnight on the Friday before the close of the festival, Church Trap was burnt to the ground. The Organ and Installation piece saved from a fiery end, they both live on in numerous art exhibits through out california.
Discover more here.
9. The Skull Car
(c) Naturalturn
Another car sculpture that’s tricky to find who is behind it. Let me know in the comments if you have an inkling…
10. A Giant Boombox
(c) Scott R Kline
After showing up at the Burning man in 2011, it went up for sale on Craigslist for $5200. Created by Californian artist Derek Wunder, it’s officially called the RockBox. Here’s a copy of the Craigslist description:
…built on a 1987 1 ton automatic dodge van with 318 v8. 30k lb load rating. carries around 50 people when fully loaded upstairs and down. 10kw onboard generator. 1750w inverter for accessory power. exterior led perimeter lighting for nighttime use. motorized retractable antennae is 37 ft high when extended. rotating led beacon at the top of the antennae for location from a distance. steel security door at rear of vehicle to keep unwanted people out when not in use. built in dj deck inside the faux “tape deck”. 4ft rack mount for sound gear. 2 furman power conditioners included in sale. lower skirts are removable for transport. requires a 1 ton diesel truck or larger for transport. i have a very nice triple axle heavy duty trailer i use for transport that i will sell seperately for $6500. comes with a ton of spare parts. sound system is sold seperately, Includes 1 mackie fussion top, 2 mackie fussion 18″ subs, 1 mackie srm 450 monitor, 2 pioneer cdj 1000′s, 1 allen and heath xone 92. $5200. vehicle cost nearly $20k to build in materials and 7 months of my life. no expense was spared. would cost at least $30k to reproduce now not including time spent. exterior lighting has been upgraded to MUCH brighter led lighting…
Okay, okay, one more: The Shipwreck
(c) Loupiote
The Kickstarter page for this installation is still online, so you can see how it all got started in 2012 before it debuted at Burning Man that summer. The year before, the same collective built a 300 foot long third world pier in the middle of the Black Rock Desert. Check
(c) Michael Holden