Burning “The Man” Is How Burning Man Started
It was a gathering that became an event. A community that started a tradition. In a 2018 WaPo interview, New Yorker Jim Glaser shared his thoughts. He describes it as “kaleidoscopic magic,” saying, “it is just huge! There are lasers, there are art cars, and there are flames shooting out of everything. And people do all of this for basically no money.” “It is one of the most barren places in the country, and it blossoms with more creativity, life, and love than anything ever in the history of mankind,” Glaser explained.
It attracts the eccentric, the experimental, the curious, and the strange. It’s a barter and trade community where nothing is for sale. It’s about giving and receiving and self-reliance. People pilgrimage to the Black Rock Desert, a remote area two-and-a-half hours north of Reno, to live free in an open and radically inclusive community for nine blissful days.
Burning Man's Humble Origins
Today, we know Burning Man as an event that draws tens of thousands of people out to the remote Black Rock Desert every year. However, Burning Man had much more humble beginnings before it became synonymous with the Nevada desert. The first few Burning Man events were held at San Francisco’s Baker Beach before authorities caught on and banned the community in 1990.
The ban was mainly due to wildfire hazards, which is understandable considering that the event was centered around burning “The Man” statue. Founders Jerry James and Larry Harvey then moved Burning Man and their community to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Every year, Burning Man gathers in a semi-circular settlement that is so large that it can be seen from high above in the sky.
A Celebration of Life
Burning Man is all about enjoying life and celebrating our brief time here on Earth. Naturally, this type of celebration calls for late nights full of music, dancing, and a rollicking good time. What better way to celebrate and dance the night away than with a larger-than-life boom box art installation? We couldn’t think of anything more fitting.
“Rockbox” was created by Bay Area artist and Burner Derek Wunder. He was inspired to create this portable art installation after observing weather-worn cars with blown-out speakers driving around the desert during his 2004 visit to Burning Man. He modeled his portable party machine after 80s boomboxes and his love of old-school hip hop. This art piece definitely brings the party wherever it goes.
The Child Inside Us
Breaking the routine is what Burning Man is all about, but there's a lot more to see as well. Art installations are common, and this one is a perfect example of the beauty and emotion that people are able to provide. With the Playa being a dried lakebed that Black Rock City sits upon, it provides the perfect blank canvas to the Burners' various works of art.
Huge wrought-iron sculptures that look like two adults at odds surround a pair of glowing children who are reaching out to each other. Is it telling us to go back to our childlike states?
Where You Can Be Yourself
Ninety-nine percent of the time, you might feel trapped. Maybe you have to wear a tie, or scrubs, or jeans. Not at Burning Man, as this rad dude shows. This isn't the kind of look that most will rock while out and about.
Shimmering shades, tats, body paint, piercings, and what looks to be the wildest dreads we've ever seen atop his head. It all comes together to make something that wouldn't look out of place in a “Mad Max” film. He's standing in front of a big sculpture that seems to say “Earth,” which very possibly means something. Hard to tell.