One of the ten principles of Burning Man is “radical inclusion.” In fact, it’s the first principle listed on their official website. According to founder Larry Harvey, “Anyone may be a part of Burning Man.” Technically, any adult can join the community regardless of race, background, and gender identity. This sounds like a perfect utopia, but there are some flaws beneath the surface.
Despite being open to all, it’s not exactly affordable. Attending Burning Man costs hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Plus, most Burning Man attendees are white, with only 1% identifying as Black, 6% identifying as Latino, and 6% as Asian. On the other hand, many queer folks have found a welcoming community at Burning Man. Everyone’s experience is unique, but there’s definitely room for growth in terms of diversity.
Money Has No Meaning
Burning Man is a one-of-a-kind event for many reasons, one of them being its economy. Once you step foot into the Black Rock City community, your money is worthless. Burning Man operates on a bartering system in order to embody the “decommodification” pillar of their mission statement. They don’t sell any food, drink, or entertainment. Instead, everything is considered a trade or a gift.
Burning Man also rejects capitalism with its choice of sponsors. Because Burners don’t use traditional money during the festival, there are never any corporate sponsors pouring money into the event. Instead, people rely on each other to get what they need. Burners completely understand that teamwork makes the dream work.
A Waking Dream
Burning Man is a nine-day festival that goes by in a blur for most of its attendees. Many Burners probably go home wondering if their time in the desert was just a dream. That’s why this art installation from the 2005 festival is so perfect, even after so many years. The sculptor Pepe Ozan created this giant installation called “The Dreamer,” which revelers could walk into and sit around a firepit.
Pepe Ozan was a visual artist who returned to Burning Man again and again. He not only installed large-scale sculptures but also directed performance pieces with original music, which he called “operas.” In an ironic twist of fate, “The Dreamer” was later installed at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, which is a stone’s throw from where the original Burning Man began on Baker Beach all those years ago.
Entertainment for All
Burning Man doesn’t like to call itself a music festival, but there is plenty of live music and dancing throughout the course of the event. The nightlife at Burning Man is absolutely buzzing, with artsy dance clubs and live concerts featuring famous musicians. Big names such as Skrillex, Diplo, and Major Lazer have performed over the years.
Diddy even performed on a Burning Man stage one year. The awesome thing about all this live music is that it’s totally free. Although you pay for an admission ticket, you don’t pay for anything else once you enter the Playa. Imagine seeing a free Skrillex or Diddy concert with the clear desert stars shining down on you. Sounds like a dream.
Going Against the Grain
Burning Man is a community of anti-establishment outsiders and lovers of all things rebellious. Naturally, the Burner community draws many artists with the same “outsider” mentality. This community of revolutionary thinking and desire for change brings about some amazing art that is shocking to some people. In 2013, Rebekah Waites made waves when she constructed her piece “Church Trap” out in the desert.
The piece was a giant wooden church tilted open with a wooden beam, much like a traditional animal trap. According to the artist, the piece was “about dogma as a trap” and encouraged people to question authority. Visitors could enter the trap, sit in the pews, and interact with the LED light display inside. To top it all off, “Church Trap” was burned to the ground at the end of the week-long event.