A Seven Ton Coyote and Other BRC Wonders… Burning Man 2013

October 1, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 15 Comments

Caught in the early morning sun, Coyote raises his head and howls. Note the guy sitting beneath his chin. Much of the art at Burning Man is designed to be climbed on. Large helium balloons stretch off to the right.

I talked to a coyote once. I was hiking on the American River Parkway in Sacramento when I saw one disappear into the brush. I froze. A couple of minutes later he came back out and looked at me. I remained still and he continued to stare. Suddenly he raised his head up and gave a Coyote greeting, “Yip, yip, yee.” Translated loosely, it meant, “Why are you behaving so weirdly?” I raised my head and responded, “Yip, yip, yee.”

I don’t know exactly what I said but he sat down and howled again. I sat down and did likewise. Thus our conversation began. It went on for about fifteen minutes before we ran out of things to say, got up and headed off on in different directions. The experience had been close to magical.

I suspect my behavior would have been different had the coyote been 25 feet tall and weighed seven tons. Fortunately, Bryan Tedrick’s coyote sculpture at Burning Man this year was made of steel and not likely to eat anyone. (Burners were welcome to rest in his belly, however. That is they were until too many fell off.)

Below are photos of Coyote and several other works of art at Burning Man 2013 I considered among my favorites.

Another early morning view of Coyote. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

Coyote and the Man. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

Coyote with people in his stomach shown along with the Man. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

Cargo Youth Spacecraft at Burning Man 2013

I really liked this UFO called Cargo Youth Spacecraft, which was created by Dana Albany working with youth groups in the Bay Area. It was created with 50% recycled materials.

Tom Lovering took a fun photo of the Cargo Youth Spacecraft with the Man’s flying saucer. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

Big words created by Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg have become an annual treat at Burning Man. Past words have included Mom, Ego, Love and Oink. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

Tom caught one of his early morning shots of BELIEVE. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

BELIEVE at night.

I found what looked like neurons slipping across the Playa. This was the Drifts Sculpture by Michael Christian.

A close up of Drift.

Here we have a Canadian Goose made out of 100,000 pennies.

Here we have Penny the Goose made out of 100,000 Canadian pennies in honor of the last year the Canadian penny will be in circulation.

Penny takes off.

Open hands art piece in from of the Center Camp Cafe at Burning Man 2013.

This set of hands created by David Gertler was located just in front of the Center Camp Cafe.

I liked the simple lines of this lotus-like sculpture. The Truth is Beauty sculpture can be seen in the distance.

Zonotopia on the Playa at Burning Man 2013.

This unique structure was part of Zonotopia created by artist Rob Bell for Burning Man 2013. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

One of Tom’s favorite sculptures was You Are the Key. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

Peggy, a crafty woman, liked this knit house. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

Peggy, a crafty kind of woman, liked this crochet house. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

A close up.

Xylophage created by the Flaming Lotus Girls for Burning Man 2013.

The Flaming Lotus Girls have been producing quality art at Burning Man for many years. This year’s theme was named Xylophage and included the large burned out stump, this gnome and several humongous mushrooms. Everything, of course, flames at night.

Flaming Lotus Girl's Sculpture at Burning Man 2013.

One of the mushrooms in the Flaming Lotus Girls’ sculpture.

This set of stacked cubes seemed to reach high into the sky.

“Come over here and catch them from this angle,” Tom urged.

This is only a very small sample of the art found at Burning Man. Later I will visit the regional art but next I want to take you out to what is always one of Burning Man’s top attractions: The Temple. It is truly a sacred area.

Aliens on the Outer Edge of Burning Man… Burning Man 2013

September 27, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 14 Comments

A buzzard in Kathy D'Onofrio's art work at Burning Man 2013

This strange buzzard created by Kathy D’Onofrio greeted me out near the fence on the edge of Burning Man. “Cross over the fence,” he urged in a raspy, secretive voice that only I could hear. (Move the buzzard up and down with your cursor and the evil bird will wink at you.)

There is a fence on the outer edge of Burning Man that separates Black Rock City from the vast emptiness of the Black Rock Desert. Few people and fewer artists make the trek out that far but I felt compelled to. Wide-open spaces call to me and lure me on. This time they lured me right over the fence, but I am getting ahead of myself.

Our journey outward across the open Playa...

This photo of our journey outward toward the fence across the open Playa provides one perspective on the distance and isolation. A desert oasis awaits us on the right.

Looking toward Black Rock City from the outer fence at Burning Man 2013.

Looking back toward Black Rock City from the fence provides a different perspective. The Man is right center, a mere dot in the distance set off by an impending dust storm.

Peggy and Adios went with me on the journey. First we came to the oasis and then the alien village filled with cats and buzzards. Afterwards we found the gypsy wagon where our fortune awaited us. It is a tale best told in pictures…

Peggy stopped to rest at a desert oasis on our way out. It was the last stop before the alien village. Would it be our last stop ever?

“Come this way,” the alien woman with reddish-orange boobs beckoned us toward the family pod.

Her unplucked eyebrows bore a strange resemblance to a plucked bird. Had it been lunch?

Blue alien woman at Burning Man 2013 with fine collection of rocks.

Inside the pod, a blue, alien furtively showed us her fine collection of rocks. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Two aliens in discussion at Burning Man 2013

Meanwhile, outside two male aliens discussed what to do with us while the fence looms ominously behind them. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Peggy Mekemson dances with alien at Burning Man 2013.

They soon had Peggy dancing their twisted dance to unheard music. But my fate would be different. (Photo by Tom Lovering, AKA Adios.)

Cats created by Kathy D'Onofrio at Burning Man 2013

A bright green cat with glowing red eyes caught my attention as I exited the pod.

“Come closer,” his companion urged in an irresistible purr, “and look into my eyes.”

“You are as alien as we are,” she purred. “Cross over the fence. It’s what aliens do.”

I couldn’t help myself. Once again I was caught straddling the fence as I had on previous years at Burning Man. This time I went over…

And immediately discovered my mistake. Would I be able to get back across. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

"Help me Peggy," I pleaded, assuming my best begging position. "Run Curt!" she yelled. The dreaded BRC Border Patrol was rushing toward me at 100 miles per hour and I was over the fence without a ticket.

“Help me Peggy,” I pleaded, assuming my best begging position. “Run Curt!” she yelled, as always helpful. The dreaded BRC Border Patrol was rushing toward me at 100 miles per hour and I was over the fence without a ticket. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

It was the feared BR 15, the truck with the skull and crossbones. A prodigious leap took me back across the fence. Who says white boys can't jump... even 70 year old white boys. "Hey, you can't do that." the voice of the law called after me. "You're too late," I called back. "I have already been out and beyond and returned."

It was the feared R 15, the truck with the skull and crossbones. A prodigious leap took me back across the fence. Who says white boys can’t jump… even 70-year-old white boys. “Hey, you can’t do that.” the voice of the law called after me. “You’re too late,” I called back. “I have already been out and beyond and back.” (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

Our adventure wasn’t over, however. We decided to visit with another denizen of the lonely desert, the infamous fortune-teller, Gypsy Rose. Could she tell me whether I would become possessed by the aliens or captured by the BRC Border Patrol? And which would be the worse fate?

The camp of Gypsy Rose on far Playa at Burning Man.

Gypsy Rose’s lonely camp.

Her horse was getting old.

Services provided by Gypsy Rose at Burning Man 2013

Rose offered the services we wanted but I wasn’t sure about the belly dancing or pick pocket lessons. Maybe the latter– after all, my Burning Man name is Outlaw and I had been over the fence.

At the camp of Gypsy Rose, Burning Man 2013

Unfortunately, Rose wasn’t home. Peggy, who has been known to dabble in I-Ching, offered to fill in. “You will meet a woman dressed in blue with a tie-die neckerchief and white hat and become her slave,” she predicted. Thus ended our adventure for the day. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

NEXT BLOG: We will visit a seven-ton coyote and check out some of the other intriguing art of Burning Man 2013.

The Center Camp Café: A Kaleidoscope of Wild and Whacky… Burning Man 2013

September 23, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 8 Comments

A show of some kind of the other is pretty much guaranteed when you visit the Center Camp Cafe. Here couples practice partner yoga. Are the two guys center-right twins?

There is always something to see or learn at Burning Man’s Center Camp Cafe. Here couples practice partner yoga. Are the two guys center-right twins?

Peggy and I walked into the Center Camp Café to the sound of applause, which wasn’t surprising since someone is always performing. This time, however, the clapping came from the back of the large tent where people line up to get coffee, tea and lemonade. It’s one of the few places you can buy something at Burning Man. The counter stretches from one wall to the other.

During a busy day, Burners are stacked up at the counter 20 deep in several lines. There is constant banter back and forth between the large staff of volunteers and their customers. Sometimes you have to sing a song or tell a story before you get your drink.

It was night now, however, and most Burners were elsewhere. The staff had decided it was time for an impromptu dance. They had climbed up on the counter and were bouncing, bobbing, weaving, stomping and twirling to the music. It was a typical Center Camp happening.

Like the Man and the Temple, Center Camp Café is a go-to place for most Burners. To begin with, it is stuffed with both art and entertainment, inside and out. A large stage surrounded by comfy couches provides a venue for scheduled entertainers and speakers as well as a place for people who want to sleep. A smaller, less formal stage with wooden benches is open for anybody. Just sign up. Storytellers, poets and magicians are welcome as are people who want to rant and rave. The latter remind me of my days as a student at Berkeley.

One might expect a guitar player to be found on the major stage at the Center Camp Cafe…

Accordion player at Burning Man Center Camp 2013

…but don’t be surprised to also find an accordion player.

This knife and fork caught my attention as an appropriate art piece for a cafe.

Cork fork at Center Camp cafe, Burning Man 2013

Here’s a close up of the fork.

Most entertainment is less organized. Parades, for example, are common at Burning Man. Many of them end up marching through the Café. I’ve seen rabbits, and carrots, and belly dancers, and people in little black dresses (both men and women), and kazoo bands, to name a few. The rabbits and carrots, BTW, are at war with each other.

I almost always go on a clock-like walk around the Café to see what else is happening. It’s an easy way to pick up one of BRC’s newspapers or fill out the Burning Man Census at one of the tables provided. Giving things away is big business. You can have your fortune read or receive a massage. Pastie Dan is a regular, providing his usual nipple-cover service for women. It’s impolite to stare but impossible not to notice. I reported last year on the woman who walked around carrying a block of ice. She would hand you the block and then put her freezing hands on your neck. It was instant air conditioning.

Painter works on canvas at Burning Man 2013.

Here a painter works his magic on a large canvas at the Center Camp Cafe.

While another artist uses a woman’s leg for his canvas. The artist’s goggles have a definite steam punk look. Body painting takes many forms at Burning Man with whole camps devoted to the art.

The Center Camp Café is also a place to see and be seen. Burners dress in their best get-ups for a stroll around the perimeter. There are angels and demons and preachers and shamans. I sometime think there are more kilts than you will find in Scotland. Native American headdresses seemed “in” for some reason this year and steam punk is becoming more and more popular. A whole story could be devoted to what’s trending at Burning Man.

And finally, there is center stage, which really isn’t a stage but is rather a large, round center space where people do their own thing for an audience that isn’t. The photo at the beginning of this blog shows people practicing partner yoga in the center area. The following video shows a man working with flags. There is also other action such as the guy on the right wearing the pink outfit scratching the head of the woman who swoops in on him.

Mural painting on back of Center Camp cafe at Burning Man 2013

The back of the Center Camp Cafe is covered with murals. I asked one woman who was painting a mural if I could take her photo. “Sure,” she replied, “as long as you come back when the mural is finished.”

Murals at Burning Man's Center Camp 2013

Here’s the completed mural along with one on either side.

One of numerous bike racks outside of the Center Camp Cafe provides an idea of how many people visit the Cafe.

A photo of the Burning Camp Cafe from the Playa. The flags on top are one of the major location points that Burners use to figure out where in the heck they are.

Burning Man Center Camp cafe flags at night.

At night, the flags are an even more important beacon for lost Burners. Here they are slightly blurry from being blown about by the wind.

NEXT BLOG: We journey to the outer edge of Burning Man and discover strange, alien beings, which is hardly a surprise.

The Back Roads of Black Rock City… Burning Man 2013

September 21, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 15 Comments

French Quarter in Black Rock City, Nevada.

One can find almost anything on the back roads of Burning Man, including the French Quarter of New Orleans shown here. Great pastries were being served for free.

The back roads of Black Rock City offer a little of something for everyone. Finding it is something else. People would often stop when we were in camp and ask where something was. One person was so confused he stopped twice, not realizing he had already been by. Several years ago a single guy reported to the officials that his car, tent and personal belongings had been stolen. He hitched a ride to San Francisco. After the event he got a call from Burning Man. They had found his car and tent– right where he had left them. It’s easy to get lost when you are out and about.

Black Rock City now has a population of over 60,000 people for its short duration and this, in turn, means that there are miles of roads to explore. BRC is laid out in a semi-circular grid with the circular streets given annual names based on the alphabet and yearly theme. For example, 2013 streets were named Airstrip, Biggie Size, Consumer, Desiderata, Extraterrestrial, False God, Idol, GDP, Holy, Interstellar, John Frum, Kowtow and Laissez-faire. Crossroads that cut straight down to the Esplanade are numbered: 2:00, 2:30, 3:00 etc. on up to 10:00.

Here’s a map from Burning Man to provide a visual. Center Camp is in the middle keyhole-like area. The Man is out in the Playa directly in front of Center Camp and the temple is the small circle beyond the Man. Blue areas represent recognized theme camps. Everybody else is welcome to settle into the white areas– first come, first serve. You simply stake out how much space you need for your group. The scale at the bottom represents 5,000 feet.

The point here is that every road, and almost every block, holds treasures. Theme camps have their own quirky personalities, which sometimes reflect the year’s theme, or not. They often represent a great deal of work. Most give something away, in line with Burning Man’s gifting policy. The camp across from us, for example, gave away free shocks from a cattle prod. We could here the screams. The free shot of whiskey that came with the shock was apparently enough to entice some people in… but not us. The California Library was more to our liking. It gave away books and had a no-return policy.

The Library of California at Black Rock City.

The Library Camp insisted that books you “borrowed” never be returned. A few years ago the library ran out of books. Soon Burners from throughout BRC had shown up to replace the collection. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

Mutant vehicles, games to play, and art are also found in abundance on the back roads, as are free bars, music venues, and, well, you name it. Peggy and I are fond of heading out randomly to see what we can discover.

Art can be found everywhere on the back roads of Burning Man. Peggy and I found these bugs quite intriguing.

Peanut Butter and Jelly anyone? This was a serve yourself stand in case you got hungry in your wanderings.

Here we have a crashed rocket looking suspiciously like a bomb that offers salvation. Go figure. A UFO is on the left side.

I totally got this theme camp. Black Rock City is indeed an empire of dirt. Peggy and I spent a week after Burning Man cleaning Playa dust from the inside and outside of our van. (Well, there were also 7000 miles of bugs from our Alaska and Canada trip that we concluded just before Burning Man.)

The cult of the cargo pants captured the 2013 Burning Man theme in a humorous way.

This theme camp suffered from a serious altitude problem. Couches were provided for a birds-eye view of BRC.

This camp suffered from a serious altitude problem. Couches were provided for a birds-eye view of BRC. Check out the dragon on the right. He’s bitten off the head of the seated guy. Mmmm, crunchy.

Comfort and Joy Camp at Burning Man 2013.

One of the most colorful camps was Comfort and Joy, built by a group of gay men. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

I’ll conclude with one weird cat at Snow Cone Camp.

NEXT BLOG: We’ll visit Center Camp, a happening kind of place.

Out and About in Black Rock City: The Esplanade… Burning Man 2013

September 18, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 10 Comments

The Esplanade is Burning Man’s major road and separates Black Rock City from the Playa. In other words it is prime real estate and home to some of the events major camps, such as Sacred Spaces shown here. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

I could have sat in our camp at Burning Man, watched the world revolve, and felt that the experience was well worth the price of admission.

A constant parade passed by our front door. Costumed everything, entertainers, dressed up bikes, law enforcement vehicles, water trucks, and mutant vehicles were all part of the parade. It’s even possible that an alien from outer space wandered through. Who’d ever know? I was suspicious of our neighbor. And it was nearly guaranteed that representatives of the one-percent travelled our street. The giants of Silicon Valley such as the founders of Google, venture capitalists, and CEO’s of High Tech firms have discovered that Burning Man is a great place to play– and apparently do business.

Given this flying saucer that crashed in the Black Rock Desert during Burning Man 2013, it’s quite possible that aliens were wandering our street.

Even Pastie Dan stopped off at our camp. Dan is a budding entrepreneur and a Burning Man institution who provides a unique service. He will gladly give (and apply) pasties to any woman making a request so she can go topless or braless without feeling quite so naked. Pasties come in a variety of sizes and can leave you looking smiley or even patriotic. Perusing the net, I found Pastie Dan’s website where you can check out some of his favorite projects or buy pasties for at-home use. Let’s see, will it be the snowman or the pumpkin? Hmmm… The pasties come with directions. Using the right amount of glue is important.

Normally Pastie Dan plies his trade at Center Camp but occasionally, he wanders the roads of Black Rock City. He stopped at our camp to see if any of the women were in the market for pasties.

Staying in camp was not an option, however. There was far too much to see and far too many adventures to have. I’ve already introduced the art; there were over 300 pieces at Burning Man 2013. And of course there was the 24/7 entertainment, not to mention the major burns. Everyone knows about burning the Man; it is the signature Bacchanalian experience that gives the event its name. But there are also numerous other burns ranging from the Temple to regional art.

Then there are the events hosted by theme camps. Our “Welcome Home” packet included a 160-page catalogue of everything we might do. Randomly opening the book to page 102, I learned I could paint myself, learn self-hypnosis, redefine who I was, or talk with a paleontologist. Authenticamp declared “Men: dare to receive custom tune-up of your masculine presence by embodied, tuned-in women.” No thanks. If Peggy hasn’t tuned me up after 20 plus years, I doubt it is going to happen.

Beyond all of the above, I find that wandering up and down the roads of Black Rock City, stopping off at Center Camp and occasionally dropping into one of the large theme camps can provide a year’s entertainment in a week. This, and my next two blogs will feature photos exploring the streets of Burning Man.

I am going to start with Burning Man’s main thoroughfare: the Esplanade.

Another view of the Sacred Spaces Camp. (Photo by Tome Lovering.)

Another view of the Sacred Spaces Camp. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

Roof of Sacred Spaces Camp at Burning Man 13

I wandered into the Sacred Spaces Camp and shot this picture of the roof.

I wandered into the Sacred Spaces Camp and was greeted by this woman. The Sacred Spaces Camp includes artist, musicians, and specialists in alternative healing.

I was greeted by this woman. The Sacred Spaces Camp includes artist, musicians, and specialists in spiritual development and alternative healing.

This year's Burning Man theme about Cargo Cults led to a number of Theme camps to focus on the South Pacific Islands during World War II. This "crashed plane" would have provided a treasure chest of cargo.

This year’s Burning Man theme about Cargo Cults led a number of Theme camps to focus on the South Pacific Islands during World War II. This “crashed plane” would have provided a treasure chest of cargo.

Views along the Esplanade at Burning Man 2013.

One theme camp along the Esplanade at Burning Man decided to decorate its main tent as a South Pacific volcano.

Not sure where this tutu wearing King Kong fit into the scheme of things but he too, along with the Empire State Building was found on the Esplanade.

Not sure where this tutu wearing 30-foot tall King Kong fit into the scheme of things but he too, along with the Empire State Building, was found on the Esplanade.

This Celtic Castle was one of many venues on the upper ends of the Esplanade where DJs, loud music and dancing rule into the wee hours of the morning. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

NEXT BLOG: We will travel the back roads of Black Rock City and visit such sites as the Library of California and the French Quarter of Louisiana.

A Bird-Trap Church and a Cathedral of Photographs… Burning Man 2013

September 14, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 23 Comments

A side view of Church Trap at Burning Man 2013.

If you ever caught birds as a kid, you’ll recognize this set up. You would take a wooden box, put a stick under one side tied to a string, and then put bird seed under the box. You get the idea. The name for this diabolical structure designed by Rebekah Waites was called Church Trap. I thought the outhouse was a clever addition.

One summer when I was a child, my mother decided it was time my brother, sister and I got some old-time religion. So we were dressed up and dropped off at the Diamond Springs Community Church for Vacation Bible School. I must have been all of five years old. Marshall and Nancy were older.

One day we were privileged to witness a true miracle in progress. Somehow we had escaped from Vacation Bible School only to be corralled into attending an actual kids’ service. I think it was a graduation ceremony meant to put the exclamation point on our lessons. It came complete with hymns, prayers, a sermon and lots of Amens. Then the big moment arrived.

“Would you like to hear the Lord knocking at your heart?” the Minister asked.

“Oh yeah!” “Wow!” “Really?” What little kid could resist?

“None of you little kids open your eyes until I tell you to,” he ordered.

Twenty little children dutifully bowed their heads and screwed their eyes shut. Three didn’t. If there was to be a miracle, the Mekemson kids wanted to see it. So we watched the preacher with eagle-eyed attention. He tiptoed from the pulpit to the back of the church.

Bang, bang, bang. He pounded on the back door. Yes indeed, the Lord does work in mysterious ways. We watched the minister tiptoe back to his pulpit.

“OK,” he said, “you can open your eyes now. Did you hear the Lord knocking?”

Twenty little sets of big round eyes popped open and twenty little mouths started gabbing all at once. You could almost guarantee that the kids would be eager to come back to church. The minister smiled smugly until his eyes fell on us. We got the glare. He kept us afterwards for the lecture. Unless we changed our ways, we were bound for a very hot place.

I thought immediately of the experience when I saw the Church Trap. I wondered if the minister would have had a sense of humor about it. Probably not…

Another side photo of the church with this one featuring the lonely desert mountains behind it. The church looked like it had come straight out of an Old West ghost town.

Another side photo of the church with this one featuring the desolate mountains surrounding the Black Rock Desert. It was a fitting backdrop for a church that looked like it had come straight out of an Old West ghost town. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

A front view of Church Trap with me holding up the trap pole. Does this make me a pillar of the church? (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

A front view of Church Trap with me holding up the trap pole. Does this make me a pillar of the church? Note the roll of music coming out the top. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

Inside, an organ filled the church with the music you saw escaping in the previous photo. Was music the birdseed designed to trap people?

Church Trap designed by artist Rebekah Waites at Burning Man 2013

A view of the music filled church. Tom Lovering, AKA Adios, has been lured inside.

Curtis Mekemson springs the Church Trap at Burning Man 2013.

With enough people inside, I move to spring the trap. And yes, I did catch a bird or two as a kid. They escaped. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

“It’s the biggest thing I have ever done,” Mike Garlington said of his Photo Chapel, a 40-foot tall cathedral where Mike featured his photographs of family, friends and fellow DPW (Burning Man’s Department of Public Works) volunteers. His contemporary work had a feeling of age, like photos that were taken in the late Nineteenth or early Twentieth Century. “I collect old photos and these are terrific,” a young woman standing next to me said. Like her, I had assumed the photos were taken from an earlier era until I saw Larry Harvey, the founder of Burning Man, staring out at me from one of them.

Mike Photo Chapel from the rear. Larry Harvey is on the bottom right.

Mike Garlington’s Photo Chapel from the rear. Larry Harvey is on the bottom right.

The back of the Photo Chapel at night with Larry Harvey at the bottom center.

A front view of the Photo Chapel by Mike Garlington at Burning Man 2013.

A front view of the Photo Chapel. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

The steeple of the Photo Chapel at Burning Man 2013.

Looking up at the Steeple of the Photo Chapel. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

A side view of the Photo Chapel at night.

A view from inside the Photo Chapel. The person featured is Joey Jello, a member of Black Rock City's Department of Public Works who die in an auto crash just before 2012 Burning Man. His motto, shown below, was "Never Betray." It referred to his core values.

A view from inside the Photo Chapel. The person featured is Joey Jello, a member of Black Rock City’s Department of Public Works who died in an auto crash just before 2012 Burning Man. His motto, shown below the photo, was “Never Betray.” It referred to his core values. As for the horses, I don’t have a clue.

Photos on the Photo Chapel at Burning Man 2013 taken and processed by Mike Garlington. builder of the chapel.

A close up to provide a closer look at some of the photos. Mike Garlington, photographer and creator of the chapel is on the upper left. Larry Harvey on the lower right.

Photo of chimp on Burning Man 2013 Photo Chapel.

I’ll conclude with this chimp who appears to be praying.

NEXT BLOG: A visit to Center Camp.

Truth Is Beauty: A 55-Foot Tall Woman… Burning Man 2013

September 10, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 47 Comments

The sculpture Truth and Beauty at Burning Man 2013.

Truth Is Beauty. This 55 foot tall sculpture was a main attraction at Burning Man 2013– for a good reason.

There are two sets of greeters when you enter the Kingdom of Burning Man. The first are Border Guards. They check your passports, i.e. tickets. Then they ask the usual questions: “Are you carrying anyone else? Do you have a pet on board? Do you have guns?” Trying to sneak someone in can get you banned. Usually someone climbs on board and checks our bathroom. This time, the guy waved us on. We were disguised as middle-class retirees. We could have been someone’s grandparents. Heck, we are someone’s grandparents.

The second set of greeters serve as the Black Rock City equivalent of the Welcome Wagon. They even give you a package of goodies. These folks smile through the worst of dust storms, as do the Border guards. “I can see you are Virgin Burners,” the guy told Peggy. “Actually,” Peggy responded, “This is our tenth year.” There was a moment of silence. “Welcome home,” he recovered. “You are going to love the art this year. The artist who did Bliss three years ago has a new sculpture. It’s incredible.”

That caught our attention. Peggy and I had been blown away by Bliss, a 40-foot sculpture of a female dancer. So we were excited to learn that the same artist, Marco Cochrane from Mill Valley, California, had produced a new sculpture for Burning Man 2013, another colossal female named Truth Is Beauty. After visiting the Man and the Temple (always our first stops at Black Rock City), we cycled over to see the Woman. I’ve capitalized the W because the sculpture deserves it. Truth Is Beauty is 55 feet tall. We were awed. Peggy and I returned to visit several times during the week.

In preparation for today’s blog, I decided to do some research on Marco Cochrane and his art. The first thing that I learned was that Marco and I share a passion for Joseph Campbell. In fact the name for the whole Bliss project, which includes Bliss, Truth Is Beauty, and a third sculpture yet to be done, is taken from a quote by Campbell, which Cochrane has posted on his website:

Follow your bliss and doors will open where none existed.

The original Bliss sculpture from Burning Man 2010 now resides on Treasure Island, San Francisco, where Marco has his studio. The statue weighs 7,000 pounds, is 97% air, and includes 55,000 welds, all done by hand. The internal framework is based on a geodesic structure (thank you Bucky Fuller), and includes 4500 ball joints. The “skin” consists of a steel mesh stretched over the structure and screwed on.

The art at Burning Man can be spectacular, such as this tall, nude woman.

Bliss at Burning Man in 2010.

Marco used the same model, Deja Solis, a six-foot tall singer/dancer from the Bay Area, for both Bliss and Truth Is Beauty. His goal in working with a model is to have her relax, feel safe and be herself. He then works to capture her essence and recreate it in his works of art. His goal is to help us move beyond seeing a woman as an object and see her instead as another human being, a rather large human being.

If you would like to learn more about Cochrane and his projects I would recommend going to his website. There is also an excellent interview by Matador Network. Following are a number of photos designed to capture Truth Is Beauty from different angles and in different lighting conditions. Enjoy.

The toes of the sculpture Truth Is Beauty at Burning Man 2013.

To provide perspective on the size of the statue, these are her toes and my foot. BTW, I wear a size 14 shoe.

Peggy Mekemson standing in front of sculpture Truth Is Beauty at Burning Man 2013.

Peggy provides perspective on Truth Is Beauty’s foot. This photo also provides a good look at the inner construction of the statue.

A side view of the sculpture, Truth Is Beauty by Marco Cochrane at Burning Man 2013.

A side view of the sculpture outlined by the early morning sun.

Camera photography by balloon at Burning Man 2013.

As you might imagine, photography is big at Burning Man. 68,000 people probably means 68,000 cameras. This photographer attached his camera to a large balloon to capture unique perspectives on Truth Is Beauty.

Head shot. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

From the ground up, Truth Is Beauty almost becomes abstract.

The magic of night at Burning Man, also applies to the art. Using a series of LED lights inside the statue as well as outside lighting, Truth Is Beauty evolves through a number of almost mystical colors.

Truth Is Beauty at night during Burning Man 2013.

Outside lighting gives the statue a sense of solidness.

Truth Is Beauty lit up by LED lights at Burning Man 2013.

The LED lights give the appearance that the sculpture is filled with stars.

I took the following three photos from the same perspective to show Truth Is Beauty as she changed colors.

Truth is Beauty at night, Burning Man 2013.

Truth Is Beauty one.

Sculpture Truth is Beauty by Marco Cochrane at Burning Man 2013

Truth Is Beauty two.

Truth Is Beauty three.

Our friend Tom Lovering (AKA Adios) from Davis, California has a good eye for capturing unique photos. He was up before the sun to be out on the Playa for these pictures of Truth Is Beauty. I will conclude with these photos.

A properly placed sun provided Truth Is Beauty with a heart. (Photo by Tom Lovering)

Truth Is Beauty photo by Tom Lovering at Burning Man.

The sun outlines Truth Is Beauty’s head and is captured in her arms. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)

If you enjoyed this blog, you might want to check out my top five reasons for going to Burning Man in 2014.

NEXT BLOG: Two very unusual churches at Burning Man.

The Intriguing Faces of Burning Man… Burning Man 2013

September 8, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 9 Comments

I was wandering through Center Camp when I came across this striking woman with her striking blue eyes, blond hair, and almost doll like features.

I was wandering through Center Camp when I came across this striking woman with her piercing blue eyes, blond hair, and almost doll-like features.

The Pershing County Sheriff’s Department closed the gate to Black Rock City on Friday morning– Burning Man’s 2013 limit of 68,000 people had been reached. New participants would be admitted only when other participants left.

68,000 is a Super Bowl size crowd; it’s a lot of people. So who are these folks who take a week off to travel to Nevada’s remote Black Rock Desert? I was curious, so I checked out the Burning Man Census data. There were some surprises.

A delightful woman from London stopped by our camp when Adios was spraying people with ice water. Her visit led Peggy and I to speculate on the number of people attending Burning Man from outside the US. Our sense was that it had increased dramatically. Turns out we were right. Preliminary 2013 census data suggests that international participation is approaching 25%.

This young man was from somewhere in the Middle East. I had a hard time understanding him but I decided he was both cryptic and Coptic. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

My own blog numbers support this apparent international interest. People from 170 countries around the world have checked out my Burning Man posts.

The 2011 Census suggested something even more surprising to me: the number of Republicans participating is approaching the number of Democrats and Independents. Part of this reflects the fact that Burning Man is becoming more mainstream but it may also show that younger Republicans are taking a broader view of the world. If so, this could bode well for the future of the Party, not to mention the Country.

In the not-so-surprising column: The number of under 30 participants is close to the number of over 30 participants. (Kids and 70 plus year-olds are also present.) The majority of Burners have college and advanced degrees. The most common professions are in the computer and technological fields with a strong representation from the arts community as well.

This elderly woman was beautifully dressed. Several hundred people over 70 attend Burning Man each year.

The real story of Burning Man isn’t in numbers however; it is in the individuals.

For example, Peggy and I were at Center Camp on a quiet evening when an elderly man from Reno invited us to over to check out his art project. As a kid, James McNulty had a hobby of collecting the paper from firecrackers. Some 20 years ago he began using the papers he had collected to make collages. His hobby had turned into a passion. Eventually his works of art would be exhibited in such places as UCLA and the Pacific Art Museum.

James McNulty of Reno Nevada and his fireworks art.

James McNulty talks excitedly about his collages made from fireworks paper.

He also gave a great massage. “I know all of the pressure points,” he told us proudly. I checked out his art while Peggy checked out his massage.

A close-up of James’ collage of firework paper.

While I checked out his art, James gave Peggy a neck and shoulder massage. You can tell by the contented look on Peggy’s face that James knew what he was doing.

Burning Man is chock-full of characters like James, both young and old. It is what gives the event its unique flare.

I was taking a photo of dancing at the Robo-Heart mutant vehicle when suddenly Adios popped up in front of my camera. I snapped the picture.

Later we were semi-invited to a wedding where wearing black was requested. Adios didn't have ant black so his wife Punkin outfitted him. You are allowed to have multiple personalities at Burning Man.

Later we were semi-invited to a wedding where wearing black was requested. Adios didn’t have any black so his wife Punkin outfitted him. You are allowed to have multiple personalities at Burning Man.

This is Punkin, who owns a bike shop in Davis, California. She had her decorated bike in the window of the shop for the month preceding Burning Man. I suspect one of the dragons wandering the Playa took a bite out of her sleeve. They are always after fair maidens.

While Tom, AKA Adios, is capable of getting into loads of mischief, I doubt he can keep up with El Diablo.

Feathers seemed to be in at Burning Man 2013. I really liked this profile shot I caught in Center Camp.

Woman in feather headdress at Burning Man 2013

I found this feathered woman out on the Playa.

This couple from the band, Interstellar Transmissions, came walking by our camp dragging their drums behind them.

This couple from the band, Interstellar Transmissions, came walking by our camp pulling their drums behind them. Note the ET hand print. Later I found the drum set parked next to Center Camp…

Drumset from the band Interstellar transmissions at Burning Man 2013.

The cymbals reminded me of flying saucers, which tied in with the year’s theme.

Peggy caught this photo of me petting a vulture out near the fence on the edge of the Playa. Shortly afterward, I go in trouble with the law for climbing over the fence. But that's a story for another blog.

Peggy caught this photo of me petting a vulture out near the fence on the edge of the Playa. Shortly afterward, I got in trouble with the law for climbing over the fence. But that’s a story for another blog.

Not to leave you with an image of me patting a vulture, here's Peggy at Center Camp with flowers a floral head piece that had just been given to her.

Not to leave you with an image of me petting a vulture, here’s Peggy at Center Camp with a floral head-piece that had just been given to her. The necklace was also a gift.

Next Blog: I will feature what I consider to be one of the top art pieces in the history of Burning Man: Truth Is Beauty by Marco Cochrane of Mill Valley, California.

Black Rock City, Joseph Campbell and Star Wars… Burning Man 2013

September 6, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 16 Comments

At night, Burning Man is a magical place that can pull you out of your everyday world. Here, the Man, about to be burned, stands on top of a flying saucer. Note the monster mutant vehicle on the right and the clothes hanger vehicle on the left.

In the movie, Star Wars, Luke Skywalker begins his heroic journey in Episode IV by travelling to the spaceport of Mos Eisley with Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2D2 and C-3PO. Once there, they meet up with Hans Solo and Chewbacca, the 200-year-old Wookiee.

Mos Eisley is a dangerous place, a frontier town populated with colorful characters and aliens who exist outside the law. It is a world totally different from the one that Luke has known– the perfect place to launch a heroic quest.

George Lucas credited the world-famous mythologist Joseph Campbell, and his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, for inspiring his original trilogy. According to Campbell, the standard myth of the heroic quest consists of three phases: a departure from everyday life, an initiation that consists of overcoming a series of challenges, and a return to normal life where lessons learned are shared.

I am a long time fan of Campbell. His admonition to “follow your bliss,” i.e. do what you love, is my motto. I think Joe would have seen Black Rock City and Burning Man as the perfect jump off place for a quest. I suspect he would have immediately begun to mythologize the experience.

Departure involves coming into a town, region, or situation that shakes up your perception of reality and provides you with an option of change, or even transformation. You can have your nails done or go for the complete makeover. Or you can beat a hasty retreat back to your comfort zone. It’s up to you.

The Virgin Burner, i.e. newbie, who comes to Black Rock City, is immediately thrown into a world of heat, and dust, and noise, and music and magic. There are monsters roaming the Playa and naked people wandering through camp. You can find angels, and devils and aliens on almost every block of the 68,000-person city. You can sway all night with thousands of people to the primitive beat of heavy metal in a tribal ritual as old as humankind, or meditate alone in the far reaches of the Playa.

For me, Burning Man starts with the journey there. When Peggy and I hit the vast open stretches of the Northern Nevada desert, we know we have almost arrived. I took this windmill shot on a very lonely route 447 from the small town of Cedarville in California to the small town of Gerlach in Nevada.

Monsters, such as this dragon, roam the playa 24/7 but are particularly impressive when they are lit up at night and are spouting fire.

The newcomer to Burning Man, known as a Virgin Burner, is greeted by the third largest city in Nevada, a town of 60,000 plus that has grown up overnight. Each street offers multiple opportunities for exploration. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

There are innumerable things to do... many which come as a surprise, such as as roller skating.

There are innumerable things to do… many which come as a surprise, such as roller skating. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

The God telephone Booth at Burning Man 2013.

Feeling a little overwhelmed? You can always call on God. One of the theme camps provides a booth. Much to her surprise, Peggy discovered that God is a woman. Peggy told her she was glad she was at Burning Man. I am not sure what Winnebago had to do with the discussion.

The far reaches of the Playa at Burning Man 13

For all of the vaunted crowds, noise and ceaseless activity, large stretches of the Playa are made available to Burners who want a little down time and are willing to bike out to the fence that marks the end of Burning Man territory.

And art is everywhere– art that can inspire by its beauty, challenge by its message, and amuse by its humor. Over three hundred works were scattered through the city this year including a beautiful 42-foot naked woman with her arms outstretched in dance and a seven-ton coyote howling at the moon.

Art has become Burning Man’s major attraction for many people, including me. This woman drew a constant crowd and I will devote a complete blog to her. BTW, is that a flying saucer on the left? (grin) (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

This seven ton coyote was also a major attraction at Burning Man 2013. More later...

This seven ton coyote howling at the sky was also a major attraction at Burning Man 2013. More later…

Performing art is even more prevalent. Fire dancers work their magic with twirling balls of fire and batons. Musicians sing and play drums, guitars, saxophones, sitars, accordions, banjos, harmonicas and almost anything else that makes music. A one-man-band went strolling by our camp with his instruments trailing along behind. We stopped on the Esplanade and listened as a woman with a powerful voice sang Italian opera on top of a mutant vehicle that shot fire into the sky when she hit high notes.

Music the night of the Burn at Burning Man 2013.

I would be surprised if there is a musical instrument not represented at Burning Man. I’ve even seen harps. Above, on the left, is a flaming tuba. A woman with a lit hula hoop works stage right.

Campbell saw artists as modern myth makers, as the people who capture and translate what is happening in the present time, who “turn the world into an icon so that it’s radiant.” He would have been excited to see the cutting edge art that Burning Man artists produce and enjoyed meeting the artists. I also think he would have understood the burning of art, which speaks to our transitory nature and the Eastern concept of letting go.

The burning of art, the Man and the Temple guarantee that thousands of Burners will be present on the Playa.

I don’t think Burning Man will transform the world, as it would like to, but it is part of a transformation that is taking place. I do believe it has the power to transform individuals. Many who participate return home changed. For some, it is the “aha!” experience of a lifetime. Joe Campbell would be impressed, or at least amused.

This woman strolled by our camp on stilts and performed a graceful dance with her cape. Performance art is everywhere in Black Rock City.

I conclude this blog with the Man wreathed in fireworks.

Next Blog: The faces of Burning Man 2013

Burning Man 2013… A New Series

September 3, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 15 Comments

The Man of Burning Man 2013 perches on a flying saucer and overlooks Black Rock City with its 68,000 participants.

The Man of Burning Man 2013 perches on a flying saucer in the early morning sun and overlooks Black Rock City with its 68,000 participants. Soon, he will go to his fiery demise.

It was three o’clock in the afternoon and I was in our van, Quivera, trying to take a nap. A block away a band was perched on top of a bus named the Purple Platypus singing lyrics that incorporated a generous portion of F words. The heat was stifling, as one might expect in the desert in late August. I had compensated by soaking my bandana in water, laying it across my chest, and directing one of our battery operating fans on it.

My wife Peggy, aka Luna, and friend Tom, aka Adios, pose in front of a sign on the front of the Purple Platypus Bus. These are indeed “the good old days.”

I was rewarded with instant cooling and had almost drifted off when a longhaired James-Dean-rebel-type rode by on the bicycle he had modified to look like a lowrider chopper and fitted out with a hundred and fifty decibel boombox. Muttering one of the words from the Purple Platypus Band, I rolled off the bed and returned to my comfortable lawn chair outside. It was covered in playa dust that was now boiling up, driven by the heat of the afternoon sun and its accompanying wind.

I couldn’t capture the fast-moving lowrider, but we did find a 15 foot high boombox wandering the Playa as a mutant vehicle. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson.)

Dust storms are a common occurrence as the sun heats the air and winds start to blow in the afternoon. This photo is taken from our camp on G Street looking toward 6 street. Check out the handkerchiefs worn by the bike riders, cowboy-like, over their noses.

I was grouchy about the heat, dust and missed nap but my irritation was lessened by the endless parade of costumed Burners who walked, biked and rode by our site on 6 and G Streets. We were in a prime location, just down from Center Camp. A huge church built by John so he could marry his girlfriend Muse dominated the block directly opposite from us. We were invited to the wedding, sort of. “Wear black,” the beer-filled John had directed.

The Church of the Jerk, Burning Man 2013.

This is the church that John built so he could marry his girlfriend Muse at Burning Man. I took this photo just after the wedding. The church would come down at the end of the week. Bone and Bonetta were also married in the church. I will blog about both ceremonies later.

An infinite number of port-a-potties lined 6^th street, maybe 50 yards away. Having them nearby was both a blessing and a curse. It depended on which way the wind was blowing and how badly we had to go. Large sewage trucks arrived in pairs every few hours to service the toilets. They came with long hoses and could empty 40 pots in ten minutes. Slurp, slurp, slurp. Burners with bursting bladders stood by with pained expressions while the job was done.

A long line of port-a-potties lined Sixth Street just down from our camp on G Street.

Women tend to be more sensitive about the condition of the port-a-pots than men and one Burner had discovered a unique way of gifting his fellow Burners. Each morning he would show up with cleaning equipment and station himself outside of one of the toilets. A long line of women would immediately migrate to his site. When each one finished her business, he would rush inside and clean the facility, making it ready for his next customer. It was indeed a pristine pot to pee in.

Enough on the pots except to share the two signs below that were humorously posted on the walls. I will also note that I amused myself one morning by going bowling at the Toilet Bowl out on the Playa.

This sign warned Burners to be on the lookout for snakes that could be lurking down inside the potties.

There is a substantial police presence at Burning Man, but NSA cameras in the toilets… (grin)

Colorful signs announced the presence of some port-a-potties on the Playa. This one was named the Toilet Bowl and came with a bowling alley. Here I line up to take a shot. I managed to knock down all but one pin. (photo by Peggy Mekemson)

We had lost the fat, always-naked 60-year old man who had wandered by our camp several times a day last year. A skinny, always-naked 80-year old had replaced him. “How are you doing?” our camp member Adios, AKA Tom, asked, which of course was an invitation to stop by for a chat. But how in the heck do you maintain a conversation with a bone-skinny naked 80-year old? “What do you think about the art this year?” Tom asked while I smothered a laugh.

The art, actually, was fantastic. Over the next few weeks I will blog about the art, the people, the mutant vehicles, the burns and all of the other things that make burning Man the wonderfully unique event that it is. Join me.

Next Blog: What do Burning Man, Star Wars and Joseph Campbell have in common?

The sun sets on another day at Burning Man, a strange and sometimes wonderful event in the desert, guaranteed to challenge you concept of reality.

The sun sets on another day at Burning Man, a strange and sometimes wonderful event in the desert, almost guaranteed to challenge your concept of reality.

Wandering through Time and Place

Exploring the world with Curtis and Peggy Mekemson