B u r n l o g

BBTV interviewed the chaps who constructed the amazing Steampunk Tree House for the 2007 burn. I managed to scale it toward the end of the week on one of the clear and still moments. Soooo lovely that installation…! And it’s for sale.

While this article is essentially an ad for the “General Dynamics Itronix XR-1 rugged laptop PC”, it could be useful for nerdy burners who need a reliable laptop on the Playa:

GCN Lab Review: The Itronix XR-1 rugged laptop survives heat sandstorms and careless handling

Oh look, another regional burn: Kiwiburn. I wonder what a burn with sheep would be like…?

Kiwiburn is New Zealand’s annual regional Burning Man event. Kiwiburn will be held at Whakamaru Domain, Mangakino from 10AM Friday, February 1st to 10AM Monday February 4th, 2008. The theme will be CombustInUnity.

Wednesday 30 Jan: Set up and registered theme camp, art, and volunteer arrival
Thursday 31 Jan: Set up and registered theme camp, art, and volunteer arrival
Friday 1 Feb: Kiwiburn opens 10 AM
Saturday 2 Feb: Kiwiburn
Sunday 3 Feb: Burn Night
Monday 4 Feb: Kiwiburn ends 10 AM
Tuesday 5 Feb: Final clean up day
Wednesday 6 Feb: Waitangi Day
Thursday 7 Feb: School Term Begins

Kiwiburn is a collective experience. Everybody contributes, everybody pays. As there are no paid performers at the event, there are no spectators and what is shared are the passions and dreams of those who gift them. You cannot “attend” Kiwiburn, but you can be a part of it.

It’s been going since 2003. Here’s some more history on Mark “Yonderman” Stirling and his quest for a burn in New Zealand.

Got ‘em!

City on a Hill Press relates this news-bite about a gallery showing to celebrate Burning Man art through Feburary 3rd., 2008:

Close to the Flame: In the Spirit of Burning Man

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History 705 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Close to the Flame: In the Spirit of Burning Man. In celebration of Burning Man’s radically inclusive spirit, the Museum of Art and History is giving art made for the 40,000-strong, Black Rock Desert get-together a second life. Burning Man’s mission statement exalts immediacy to the “touchstone” of its culture, and this showcase is no different: expect it to be cutting-edge, and highly experimental. Installations will be housed in the Solari Gallery, away from arid Nevada sands, through Feb. 3.

The Fernley Leader reports some good news in difficult times about the Nevada areas devastated by recent floods:

Burning Man members donate $5,000, volunteer efforts.

Burning Man’s San Francisco main office has given all their employees that want to volunteer their time Friday off and has hired a van to take them up to Fernley.

Burning Man is the annual counter-culture festival that brought more than 47,000 people to Black Rock City in 2007
A subgroup of Burning Man enthusiasts known as Burners Without Borders has raised $5,000 in donations through an e-mail list serve with money coming from as far away as London, England, said BWB organizer Tom Price.

BWB was created in response to Hurricane Katrina, and over six months had 200 volunteers providing more than $1,000,000 in disaster relief aid to the Gulf Coast.

“It’s our experience from Katrina that people need one two things: cash or somebody standing in front of them saying how can I help?’” Price said.

Approximately, 20 members of the group from Sacramento, Reno and Tahoe plan to converge on Fernley and offer their help. BWB is an all volunteer group and 100 percent of donated funds will be available for aid, Price said.

Found this little story on the LAist news site. It mentions Jack Haye as the co-illustrator of the “Man” structure for “The American Dream” theme of Burning Man 2008.

Jack’s a wonderful chap whom I know well. He’s the co-owner of the amazing art and kitschy culture boutique known as Heebe Jeebe in Petaluma, CA (also known as Boomerang Gallery for the many underground local artist shows he and his wife, Drew Washer, hold there each year… check my Sonoma ArtCast local art tribe for gallery pictures from a number of shows I’ve documented there).

Jack also has been building portions of the Man structure for, I think, some 10 years. Recently, he’s been directing the fabrication of the large lanterns surrounding the Man (not the lamplighter ones that spoke out into the Playa). Jack is also chummy with David Best of the many Temples fame and has dabbled a bit on those projects too as far as I know. Jack’s a Burning Man hero (and mine too)!

Here’s the article in full:

LAist: Burning Man Reveals the New “Man”

Burning Man has revealed the design for the new Man. The design was created by Larry Harvey and Rod Garrett, and illustrated by Jack Haye and Rod Garrett, and will be the centerpiece of the Burning Man Arts Festival in the Black Rock Desert. The American Dream is the theme to this year’s festival.

This year’s Burning Man will be the tallest ever, and will stand on top of a four-story obelisk. The monument will be draped with flags of countries from all over the world. Inside the obelisk, a double-helix like strand will create a spiral staircase that will resemble DNA. The “Man” will be burned on Burn Night on Saturday, August 30th.

The Burning Man Festival takes place on August 25th to September 1st 2008. Tickets for Burning Man will go on sale on January 16th, please remember there will be NO tickets available at the gate, tickets must be purchased before the event.