“Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble.” Macbeth immediately came to mind when I saw these three lovelies on a mural in Black Rock City. This seemed to fit Burning Man’s 2017 theme, Radical Rituals. And why do witches come in threes so often?
Murals have been around for a while. Try 30,000 years. Those ancient cavemen and women painting on the dark walls of their caves in Europe had a message they wanted to pass on, as did the prehistoric artists of the Southwest pecking out their messages on rock 3000 years ago. In modern times, graffiti artists have used their spray cans to mark out their territories and declare “I was here,” irritating competing gangs and the public as well, which, I’m pretty sure, was the point.
Street art has become more sophisticated today, and more acceptable. Major cities and small towns alike want a piece of the action. You are as likely to see a mural in a small Midwestern town as you are in Paris, Moscow, Rio or New York. The best of the street artists have found fame, and even a bit of fortune.
Not surprising, street art has made it to Burning Man. Murals may show up anywhere in Black Rock City, but a special place is reserved for them on the back wall of the Center Camp Café. I always try to include a few in my review of Burning Man art because it is representative of the art form, and, more importantly, I am fond of murals. They often show up in my blogs when I travel, and, I might note, they often show up in the blogs of the people I follow.
As you might imagine, Burning Man art can get a little weird. Take the cat below, for example. If you have a cat, you have noted their hygiene practices, and possibly even been a little embarrassed by them when the boss or the in-laws are over. But cats are cats, and, for all I know, they may do it on purpose during awkward moments. You might make your dog feel guilty about the practice, but never your cat. Speaking of dogs, they were featured on a mural as well.
Okay, this is a bit outrageous… But you have to admit, it is a cat ritual.
I may have seen this as a cartoon a long time ago in a New Yorker, but Karen Strauss’s mural on rituals made me laugh.
I can easily get lost on the Net when I try to find a particular Black Rock City mural artist. I never know where the search will take me, if anywhere. For example, Papa Witch caught my attention. I watched him work, found his monkey/ape charming, and was intrigued by how he signed his work.
Papa Witch, Chokae Kalekoa, paints the Monkey King on the wall behind the Center Camp Cafe at Burning Man.
I thought the Monkey King was quite regal.
My Papa Witch search eventually took me to Chokae Kalekoa, who was doing a fundraiser for a 2000-mile bike ride he was going on through the West. He declared, “The Conscious Relaxation that is achieved By Shutting my Monkey Mind, reveals a state of ok-ness that allows me to Mindfully Work, Artistically Create and Frolic to the best of my ability.” He taught meditation and promised, “I hereby pledge that on this 2000-mile odyssey bicycle ride, I will get 2000 people that I meet along the way to frolic and meditate with me.” He was shooting to raise $5,000. Darn, I thought, why didn’t I think of that for the 10,000-mile ride I did around North America. An equivalent amount would have been $25,000! But it wouldn’t have worked. I didn’t have the desire to frolic with 10,000 people, and I certainly didn’t have the stamina. Can you imagine frolicking with 100 people at the end of a 100-mile day on your bike?
Like much art work, most of the murals leave the viewer to make up his own interpretation of what he is seeing. So, I have, liberally. My apologies to the artists in advance. They are certainly free to correct me. Do you have any unique interpretations you would like to add?
This mural was quite clear And meaningful. Not drinking water at Burning Man can get you in a heap of trouble.
This mural, right next to the drink water mural, made me chuckle again. The sign on the bottle says “Not Water.” Note the sleepy-eyed cat up above. I found three among the murals.
These mermaids included the third cat, and a flying saucer.
This is weird. I am sure that the symbols tell a story. One look at the teeth and I promptly named the mural, “Dentist’s Dream,” however.
Another strange one, but I liked it. Note the name, Femmebrandt. I called this one, “The Eyes Have It.”
Does this remind you of anything? I got stuck on GOP. How else are you supposed to interpret an elephant with wild orange hair. I’m pretty sure that isn’t what the artist had in mind, but…
I thought of global warming here, which may say more about how my mind works than the mural. But I saw the water lapping at the city and thought of poor Houston. Frogs aren’t doing very well with global warming either.
Another artist works on her mural. The post says, “It’s for all of us.”
Go with the flow.
Daliesque, I am thinking. This fox had quite a rack.
And finally, bring it on!
NEXT POST: I wander around the outer edges of Burning Man.
Wandering through Time and Place 
Fantastic art. I have to get to Burning Man someday.
Indeed, Peggy. 🙂
Loving the art.
Tons more coming, Greg.
Always love seeing Burning Man through your eyes. The murals definitely bring on various ideas and interpretations. Being Canadian I didn’t think about the GOP but an elephant at sunset in Africa. Much more pleasant. 🙂
I am a fan of urban art but only when it is done properly, so often it tips over into graffiti. In Lisbon recently I found the streets badly disfigured with so called street art. But then again maybe I am just getting old and grumpy.
No, there’s good stuff and bad stuff, Andrew, along with very good stuff and very bad stuff. And there is still a lot of pure graffiti.
Most of these weren’t to my taste, but I do like that fox: no doubt Burning Man’s answer to the jackalope.
Somewhere in the back of my memory, I remember a similar painting. I though it was a Dali but looked and couldn’t find it. Must be another artist. –Curt
‘Go with the flow’ is may favourite. It has an almost Japanese feeling to it.
I liked it as well, Gerard. There is always a lot of variety in what the mural artists put up. I don’t know how they are selected to do their art. Maybe they just ask. –Curt
Haha, the cat one is indeed very accurate! Our cat has definitely embarrassed us before when we’ve had company over!!
Kathrin — http://mycupofenglishtea.wordpress.com
And did she care? Laughing. –Curt
Umm, no. I think shame or embarrassment are not emotions in a cat’s repertoire.
🙂
I am constantly surprised by Burning Man! I would not have expected to see street art there. Very edgy and out-there, and seemingly more intricate than a lot of other street art I’ve seen.
Creativity seems to thrive at Burning Man, Juliann, regardless of the art form. The talent level varies among the street artists, but some of them are really good. –Curt
The murals are quite detailed. I guess they’re painted on the spot? Or are some of them painted beforehand and brought as canvases to install? So much for so little time.
They are painted on the spot, Rusha. I often see the artists our working away. –Curt
Ha ha ha! That cat! It is clearly an oft-stuck pose with my cat. I have a friend who works on oil rigs in the Gulf with only men for long periods of time. One was joking with him about almost getting a pussy shot from me when I sent a photo of my bare legs in the creek. In reply I sent a photo of my cat in a pose rather similar to the one at the top. In the absence of some other kind of shot, it was much appreciated by the boys on the ship.
The eyes have it. Love that one. Not sure what it is, but that one catches me. I am so glad you capture all this art for us. What a great bunch of photos you grabbed in only 3 days.
I bet the boys did get a laugh out of that.
“Not sure what it is,” a feeling that I frequently have at Burning Man. (Laughing). –Curt
Blessings – Papawitch 🙂
Thanks Papawitch! Glad you found that post from several years ago. –Curt