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.

Weird, Wonderful, Civic Minded, Burning Man… Burning Man 2013

August 23, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 11 Comments

I love things that are unique and humorous. This suave sphinx at Burning Man made me laugh.

I like unique– even more if it’s strange or amusing. Burning Man qualifies. First time visitors to Black Rock City, aka Virgin Burners, can be overwhelmed by the experience. At least I was. I walked around like a South Dakota farm boy in New York City. Or maybe it was more like a chocoholic in a chocolate factory. After ten years the newness has worn off, but I still find much that intrigues me.

Most of all, I love the art; but I also like the elaborate costumes, the magical nights, the mutant vehicles, the performance art, and the characters. Ah yes, the characters– the nature of the event almost requires you be one to participate. Imagine 50,000 together in a raging dust storm. Scary, isn’t it.

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

Thousands of hours can go into the creation of unique works of art found on the Playa. This ship from last year is a great example.

The art can be uplifting, like this 2006 sculpture…

Or ferocious like this dragon…

Or humorous like this dog.

The costumes and the characters also have great appeal.

As do the mutant vehicles like this mammoth.

And the thousands of performing artists.

Burning Man becomes almost magical at night.

And then there is the culture. I don’t mean the sculpture on the Playa, or the opera you might find at Center Camp; I am talking about the ten principles that Larry Harvey and his devoted band of organizers promote: inclusion, gifting, decommodification, self-reliance, self-expression, communal support, respect for the environment, civic responsibility, participation, and immediacy.

Most of these are self-explanatory but three can use further clarification.

Decommodification means that you can’t buy or sell things at Burning Man. Nor can you promote products or companies. There are no sponsorships; there is no advertising. In addition to being self-reliant (having what you need to survive for a week in the desert– water, food, etc.), gifting is the response to decommodification. Everything from free drinks, to food, to bike repairs, to entertainment, costumes and much, much more is given away in one huge potlatch. And everyone is expected to participate by also gifting.

My friend Beth Lovering, a master bike mechanic, provides free bike repairs as part of her gifting at Burning Man. I have always thought of the work I put into this blog featuring the people and art of Burning Man as my gift back to the event.

My friend Beth Lovering, a master bike mechanic, provides free bike repairs as part of her gifting at Burning Man. I have always thought the work that Peggy and I put into this blog featuring the people and art of Burning Man as our gift back to the event. People from 170 countries around the world have stopped by here to learn more about Burning Man.

Immediacy borders on spiritual. In the words of Burning Man: “We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.”

Nothing captures the spiritual side of Burning Man like the Temple where Burners leave thousands of messages to loved ones. (Photo by Tom Lovering)

The burning of the temple on Sunday evening sends the messages skyward. Always noisy, Burning Man is silent for the burn.

Maybe the most unique thing about Burning Man is that it tries to live up to these principles. For example, there is none of the trash floating around that you find at most large events, even the tiniest piece is chased down. The wilderness ethic of ‘leave no trace’ is serious business at Black Rock City.

So while Burning Man is indeed a huge party in the desert with its share of people who come and party for seven days straight, it is also more. I am quite comfortable with Harvey’s ten principles and believe that most are goals we can all strive for. But tell me truthfully– assuming you have never been to Burning Man, did you expect civic responsibility to be one of the ten?

NEXT BLOGS: I’ll be out this coming week at Burning Man so I am pre-posting three more blogs on my trip up the Alaska Highway that Peggy and I returned from this week. First up I want to look at Road Houses. Once essential on the long road to Alaska, they are becoming an endangered species. Second, we will visit the sign forest at Watson Lake in the Yukon Territory with its 70,000 plus street signs. Finally, on our way back through Washington State last week, we stopped off at Mt. St. Helens, one of the modern world’s most famous volcanoes. I actually flew over the volcano a few weeks after it blew its top in 1980.

And finally, to those who visit this blog (thank you), and to the blogs I follow, I will be off the Internet next week. I will catch up with your comments and blogs afterwards.

Starting on September 2, I will begin my series reporting on Burning Man 2013.

I’ll close with a couple of my ‘strange and wonderful’ favorites. These cool cats…

And this crazy rabbit worthy of Alice in Wonderland.

Okay, Burning Man Has a Touch of Cult… Burning Man 2013

August 21, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 8 Comments

Art projects are encouraged to reflect the year’s theme. These oil tankers welded together reflected environmental concern.

Each year, Larry Harvey, the founder of Burning Man, selects the event’s theme for the year. Art projects, theme camps, mutant vehicles, etc. are invited to use the theme for inspiration, or not. Burning Man is a do-your-own-thing kind of place

Psyche, The Green Man, Evolution, and Beyond Belief are examples of past themes. They are relatively easy to relate to. This year’s theme is Cargo Cults, which strikes me as odd. What is Harvey thinking?

The personal image I use for this blog and Facebook was taken the year Burning Man had an evolution theme. The ape was part of art piece on evolution. There is some question whether the ape or I represent an advance in evolution.

The personal image I use for this blog and Facebook was taken the year Burning Man theme was about hope, fear and the future. Are we evolving toward something more positive? BTW, there is some question whether the ape or I represent the advance in evolution. (Photo by Ken Lake)

I first learned of Cargo Cults in a zany book by Christopher Moore, The Island of the Sequined Love Nun. Moore is one of those folks whose imagination can take you on a laughing roller coaster ride and leave you asking, “What just happened?” If you like strange, I highly recommend his books.

Anyway, Cargo Cults were a phenomenon that grew out of the impact of World War II on certain South Seas islands. Traditional cultures with little knowledge of or contact with the modern world were suddenly buried under an avalanche of technology and material goods as first Japan and then the Allies occupied the islands.

On one level, it was like manna from heaven. On another, it resembled hell. Traditional cultures buckled under the impact and native inhabitants were left without the underpinnings of their belief systems. When the allies packed up at the end of World War II and took their goodies with them, the natives were left with nothing.

Cargo Cults were the result. They carried a mixed message. Forget all of the modern stuff and return to your traditional practices. Think of a fundamentalist preacher urging “Old Time Religion” as a response to modern trends. But there was more. Returning to the past would also get the goods flowing again, the manna from heaven. The natives went out into the jungle, built airplane runways, and waited in expectation. Their cult included the belief that the cargo would magically reappear.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia, West Africa, I watched the conflict between modern and traditional cultures. And I watched as my students struggled with the conflict. Existing with one foot in each world creates a difficult balancing act. It is easy to get lost. I also think it is easy to lose what is good in the old and take on what is bad in the new. “Dark magic,” xenophobic tribalism and grasping materialism make a poisonous brew… regardless of the culture. Liberia and its tragic civil wars certainly proved this.

And yet, the clash of cultures has often created the dynamic mix of old and new that allows and encourages us to move forward, to see old problems in new ways, and to find new solutions.

I can’t wait to see how this year’s theme will be handled at Burning Man. The stalwarts of the event believe Burning Man is more than a huge party in the desert. They like to believe they are creating a new culture. And maybe, to a degree, they are. If they are a little cultish in their approach, it comes with the territory. The question is how a Cargo Cult fits in.

In my next blog, I will explore what I consider the positive aspects of the Burning Man “culture.”

The Burning of the Man at Burning Man (and lots of other stuff) represents the impermanence in life. But it also represents rebirth...

The Burning of the Man at Burning Man (and lots of other stuff) represents the impermanence of life and letting go. It’s a key element in the Burning Man culture. But it also represents rebirth…

Each year, like the Phoenix, a new Man rises out of the ashes and sits on a base representing the year’s theme. This year’s Man will be sitting on top of a flying saucer. Put that together with Cargo Cult… Hmmm.

Why Is A Very Large, Naked Man Riding His Bike in Front of Our Camp? Burning Man 2013

August 19, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 7 Comments

Burning Man's Black Rock City in the remote northern Nevada Desert.

Over 40,000 people will be making the trek to the remote northern Nevada desert next week and creating Black Rock City, home to the annual event known as Burning Man. Peggy and I will be there. We will begin reporting on our 2013 experience on September 2.

The clock is ticking. It is serious countdown time for Burning Man 2013. Peggy and I hit the road on Sunday, six days from now. And I haven’t done an ounce of planning or preparation. Nada. We were too busy driving up the Alaska Highway and back. When we should have been making our costumes, we were hanging out with the Kodiak Bears, or catching salmon, or dodging potholes in the Yukon Territory.

I should be nervous. Heck, Peggy should be nervous. Burning Man is my responsibility. Soon we will be in the midst of raging dust storms and stifling heat in the remote Black Rock Desert where a city of 40,000 people plus will appear and disappear in a week’s time. What will we eat, what will we wear, what will we drink?

One of numerous dust storms makes it way across the Black Rock desert, engulfing people and mutant vehicles alike. (Photo by Don Green)

One of numerous dust storms makes it way across the Black Rock Desert, engulfing people, a giant slide and a mutant vehicle. (Photo by Don Green)

Dust storm invades Center Camp at Burning Man.

Peggy ‘battens down the hatches’ in a valiant but hopeless attempt to keep out the dust from a storm that has invaded Center Camp. (Photo by Ken Lake)

Are we psychologically prepared for a week of port-a-potty toilets and baby-wipe baths? Or should this be the year we practice cleanliness by running naked behind the water truck? That’s always a sight. And speaking of sights, are we prepared for the very large, naked man who insists on riding his bike back and forth in front of our camp several times a day?

And noise, the 24/7 beat of heavy metal music, and drums, and mutant vehicles with mega loud speakers. Make a note: take noisemaker with extra batteries. No, make that two noisemakers with a box of 50 Costco batteries and earplugs.

Does any of this sound like fun? Actually it is. Or at least it’s unique. And it’s addictive. I’ve been ten times or so. I don’t remember anymore. Which may be another problem related to Burning Man. (grin) But I am a fan and once again I look forward to sharing the experience with you… the great art, the craziness, the people, the magic, the desert and all of the other factors that go into making Burning Man one of the greatest shows on earth.

Will this monster be awaiting us when we arrive at Burning Man?

Or how about this jolly looking fellow?

Maybe a big breasted giant bee awaits us.

Or maybe, horror of horrors a big breasted giant bee awaits us.

Should I be anxious as this Burning Man street sign suggests and spend my week in worried preparation. Or should I trust my luck to chance?

Should I be anxious as this Burning Man street sign suggests and spend my week in worried preparation. Or should I lay back and trust my luck to chance?

NEXT BLOG: What’s with this year’s theme and what the heck is a Cargo Cult anyway?

Burning Man and Steampunk… Burning Man 2013

March 25, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 11 Comments

It is hard to imagine steampunk being better represented than Neverwas Haul. Picture placing a Victorian home on top of an old train's steam engine, complete with cow-catcher. (Photo by Tom Lovering aka Adios.)

It is hard to imagine steampunk being better represented than Neverwas Haul. Picture placing an elegant Victorian home on top of a train’s steam engine. (Photo by Tom Lovering aka Adios.)

Burning Man and steampunk are made for each other. Think sci-fi/fantasy, alternative history, Wild West, Victorian costumes and mutant vehicles and you could be thinking about Burning Man… or you could be thinking about steampunk.

Although I have spent much of my life reading science fiction… and many of my favorite authors have dipped into the world of steampunk (some like Jules Verne, long before the genre evolved), it was at Burning Man that I first heard the name.

I view steampunk as an escape into the past, a form of romantic fantasy where Victorian elegance and advanced steam engine technology exist side by side. Gas engines, electricity, and strait-laced Victorian attitudes have yet to be invented.

The elaborate costumes and mutant vehicles that are so central to the Burning Man experience provide fertile ground for steampunk culture. Two mutant vehicles, El Pulpo Mechanico and Neverwas Haul, stand out in my mind as archetypes of steampunk presence at Burning Man.

I look forward to seeing in what wonderfully creative ways steampunk will be represented at Burning Man 2013.

El Popo Mechanico enjoys watching the Man Burn at Burning Man 2012.

El Pulpo Mechanico enjoys watching the Man Burn at Burning Man 2012. (Photo by Curtis Mekemson)

El Popo Mechanico with an admiring crowd in all of his flaming glory.

El Pulpo Mechanico with an admiring crowd in all of his flaming glory. (Photo by Curtis Mekemson.)

El Popo Mechanico, a major example of steampunk, rests up for another fiery night at Burning Man.

El Pulpo Mechanico, rests up for another fiery night at Burning Man. I love the bulging eyeballs and sharp teeth. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

An upper view of Neverwas Haul and a crew member dressed up in Victorian garb. (Photo by Curtis Mekemson.)

I also like this side view of the Victorian house on Neverwas Haul. (Photo by Curtis Mekemson)

I feel that a number of other mutant vehicles at Burning Man would be quite at home in a steampunk landscape. This is one. (Photo by Beth Lovering.)

A final steampunk-like mutant vehicle found at Burning Man. (Photo by Curtis Mekemson.)

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

NEXT BLOG: It’s back to the sea ports of the Mediterranean and the volcano-preserved city of Pompeii.

Burning Man 2013… Is It on Your Bucket List?

February 20, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 6 Comments

The Burning Man festival, which takes place each year around Labor Day in the remote Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada, has become a Bucket List event for thousands of people.

Peggy and I have our 2013 Burning Man tickets!

I dutifully checked in a week early, received my authorization code, and then jumped on the Net when Burning Man opened its general sale of 40,000 tickets. I was put in the queue line. I would have my opportunity to shell out $720 for two tickets (two are all you are allowed to buy) when my number came up… if there were any tickets left. Burning Man made it clear; there were no guarantees. Everything was on a “first come first serve” basis.

I was worried. Three days earlier I had upgraded my Hugh’s Satellite Internet Service. (Peggy and I live out in the woods beyond the reach of normal Internet.) Apparently the upgrade impacted my ability to get on AOL where I had stored my authorization code, a fact I learned 10 minutes before the sale started. Forty minutes later I had worked my way around the problem. Was I too late?

Three hours… that’s how long I waited in the queue, and I am not good at waiting. I twiddled my thumbs, read the newspaper (yes, they still exist), and read several chapters in a book by Nicholas Carr on how the Internet is shaping our brains. It’s making us less patient. Finally, I was allowed to buy my tickets. I figured I was probably number 39,998.

My friend Tom Lovering, AKA Adios at Burning Man, who had been warning me for days via phone and Email not to miss the sign-up, failed to get tickets. So it will be Craig’s list for him in August. Several hundred if not thousand people will have discovered by then they can’t go and will need to sell their tickets.

So was it worth the hassle? My response is a definite yes! Burning Man is a Bucket List kind of event. I been going since 2004 and it’s still on my bucket list. Every year is different. Burning Man is so big and so diverse, there are always new things to see and experience. Last year’s program, make that catalog, listed over a thousand different events… all free.

I will be blogging about various aspects of Burning Man every week or so over the next several months leading up to the event. I will also continue my series on Mediterranean Ports I visited a couple of months ago. This summer I will feature the trip up the Alaska Highway through Canada and the Yukon Territory to Alaska that Peggy and I are making. As always, there will be lots of photos.

Burners, as BM participants are called, watch in fascination as the Man burns (shown above) in 2012. A mechanical steam-punk octopus lurks in the background.

Burners, as BM participants are called, watch in fascination as the Man burns in 2012. A mechanical steampunk octopus lurks in the background.

Elaborate costumes are an important part of the Burning Man experience. (Photo by Don Green.)

Hundreds of Mutant Vehicles, such as this Mammoth, make there way through camp and back and forth across the Playa.

Hundreds of Mutant Vehicles, such as this Mammoth, make their way through camp and back and forth across the Playa. I took this photo from our camp.

Hundreds of works of art are displayed annually at Burning Man. This woman, who was kneeling, stood at least 15 feet tall.

Art comes in all shapes, colors and sizes. Here, a pair of mantises face off.

Art comes in all shapes and sizes. Here, a pair of colorful mantises face off far out in the Playa.

Much art is made to be interactive. Here, burners were invited to walk through the ant farm tunnels. The farm was at least 50 feet tall. Big Ants.

Regional art has been added to Burning Man over the last three years. This Texas Longhorn came from Texas. (Photo by Tom Lovering)

Regional art has been added to Burning Man over the last three years. This Texas Longhorn came from, no surprise, Texas. (Photo by Tom Lovering)

The Black Rock Desert can be quite beautiful, as this rainbow demonstrates.

Over the next few months, I’ll be blogging about various aspects of Burning Man. Join me. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

NEXT BLOG: The beautiful walled city of Dubrovnik on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia.

Next Burning Man blog: This year’s theme is Cargo Cult. What does it mean? I will use themes from other years as examples.

Wandering through Time and Place

Exploring the world with Curtis and Peggy Mekemson

Burning Man 2013