Over the years, Burning Man has evolved from a bonfire among friends in San Francisco to an international phenomenon attended by modern-day hippies and tech moguls alike. It is many things, however, despite what people say (and by “people” we mean “we, in this very article”), the organizers insist that the event is NOT a festival.
Whatever it is, it is held together by a dedicated community and set of organizational rules and principles. Here we take a peek into the Burning Man take on a double-decker bus — a truck with an added tier and a couple of antennae chauffeuring people around the Playa.
The Burning Man Sculpture
This is it. The week-long event culminates with the symbolic burning of “The Man.” Standing at center stage, the epicenter of the Burning Man encampment, looking over the communal gathering all week, all congregate around the structure on the last night.
This isn't just a big bonfire we're talking about. It takes professionals to build it and it takes professionals to burn it to a crisp. The effigy is ignited by a pyrotechnic performance as Burners cheer on the flames. Generally, the Man stands 40 feet high, but in 2019, 80,000 Burners witnessed a 60-foot-high Man burn to the ground.
The Eternal Carousel
This massive sculpture, the size of a country fair fun zone ride, presumably spins endlessly with human-shaped forms strapped on for dear life. Only the artist knows the meaning, but this one can seem a bit creepy. It’s hard to tell if it represents an amusement park ride or something else.
What if it symbolizes corpses hung by meat hooks, a spinning death carousel, like a gloating serial killer’s masterwork? Or, considering the poses and positions of the body sculptures, maybe it's meant to depict an adult person doing a backflip and enjoying feeling like a child again? Yeah, it's probably that last thing.
Departure
Here we see rows of hundreds of cars, vans, trucks, bikes, and various hybrid, man-made vehicles a la Frankenstein on their departure back, as they leave Black Rock City to return to the world. Many arrive by car but the few Burners who can afford it arrive by private planes or helicopters.
It's not an easy place to get to — it's not like you can just take a bus or the subway. Still, once you get there, it can also be incredibly hard to leave. But those people who are prepared to make the strenuous journey do it because they want to be there.
Releasing Social Stigma
At its core, this temporary city in the Black Rock Desert, as well as other Burn cities around the world, has forged a permanent community of people who are dedicated to celebrating creativity, self-expression, cultural differences, knowledge sharing, releasing social stigma, and so much more.
All to create this massive, unique experience, filled with individuals from all over, smack dab in the middle of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. It is beautiful to see how such a barren place can bloom and blossom with art, friendships, and collaboration. All you need is people who are devoted to the concept.