B u r n l o g

A Short List of Burning Man in the Default World: Kinetic Sculpture Races

By stache at 12:06 pm on Thursday, November 1, 2007

I’ve lately been tracking Kinetic Sculpture Racing (KSR) and the derby-like DIY race events it fosters around the country. This struck me as an interesting mutual influence scenario with artists’ kinetic sculptures off the Playa influencing art at the Burn and vice versa.

Wikipedia has an entry describing the advent of KSR:

The Kinetic Sculpture Race has been an annual event in Ferndale, California since 1969. It began when local sculptor Hobart Brown “improved” the appearance of his son’s tricycle, and was challenged to a race down Main Street by Jack Mays. Soon, another twelve machines entered to inaugurate the first race. Neither Hobart nor Jack won; instead, the first winner of the Kinetic Sculpture Race was Bob Brown of Eureka, California whose sculpture was a smoke-emitting Turtle that laid eggs.

Today, KSR is usually about a hearty race over pavement, water, sand, dirt, and even mud. More general info about KSR can be found at Kinetic Kingdom which also features the Kinetic Grand Championship race.

Here are a few links to sites and galleries of these amazing projects. Go out to a race near you and bring a bit of the Burn to the “default world” and support your local kinetic sculpture racers! Better, yet, build your own.

ePlaya’s Kinetic Sculpture Racing Camp, BRC: “Only once did we lose a Kontraption in 2007, and we found it near The Man within hours. The dust storm was no doubt a factor, which we understand. But do try your very best to bring the silly thing back, and if you cannot, PLEASE tell us where it is — absolutely no hard feelings.”
Laughing Squid’s tracking of Bernal Heights Hill Soap Box Derby 2007 Photos and Bike Kill V, Chaotic Bicycle Olympics in Brooklyn

da Vinci Days Kinetic Challenge, Oregon: “…get ready for our human-powered, all-terrain competition with road-worthy, mud-sloshing, water-slogging kinetic sculptures!”
Kinetic Universe, Inc., Arcata, California: sports the motto “Adults having fun so children desire to grow older”.
Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, Maryland: “The eight-hour race covers 15 miles–mostly on pavement, but also including a trip into the Chesapeake Bay and through mud and sand.”
Prescott Valley Kinetic Sculpture Race, Arizona: “…while the judges cast a critical eye on all entries for any infractions. Bribes were generously doled out and readily accepted.”
Klamath Kinetic Challenge, Washington: “If you missed the 2007 Klamath Kinetic Challenge you must be kicking yourself. It was great.”
Port Townsend Kinetic Skulpture Race, Oregon: Celebrating its 25th year of races!
10th Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, Ventura, California: “Where Art and Engineering Collide”