1997 Art Installations

All artworks in these listings will be presented by these artists on the open playa in Black Rock City. Honoraria Art H has been awarded a grant by Burning Man Project. Registered Art includes all other projects that have registered for placement on the open playa in BRC. You can learn more about the BRC Art program here.

Bone Towers

by: Michael Christian
year: 1997

Sculptor Michael Christian will design and install a tower covered with sun-bleached cow bones gathered from the local ranchers’ cattle graveyards. This monument will mark the location of the Black Rock Ranger station in Central Camp.
URL: www.michaelchristian.com

Das Ammouniten Projekt

by: Hendrik Hackl
year: 1997

A giant ammonite, 70 ft. in diameter and 10 ft. high. Ammonites are nautilus-like shells frequently found in fossil formations. This giant fossil, created by German artist Hendrik Hackl, will be illuminated at night. Participants who penetrate its coiled center must devolve, crouching by degrees until they reach all-fours and finally wriggle like a worm.
URL: www.hendrikhackl.de

DoUCDLite

by: Michael Pedroni
year: 1997

A curtain of glittering CD’s suspended from a metal frame, which reflect the sunlight as they move in the wind.

Fire Fantasies of Neptune

by: Mystic Krewe of Satyrs
year: 1997

The Mystic Krewe of Satyrs brings us this hand-pulled Mardi Gras-style float, an enormous colorful whale, which will be ridden by Marie de Mer, the mermaid, on the night of the burn.

Future Primitive

by: Steel Neal
year: 1997

A large anguished human figure made of salvaged scrap metal.

Kill Your Television

year: 1997

Watch a family of All-American dummies crash test a giant TV.

LOTTO TREE

by: $teven Ra$pa
year: 1997

This tree was discovered on the playa by $teven Ra$pa. The tree was extraordiary in that its branches yielded numerous LOTTO forms, Monopoly money, dollar bills, fortune cookies promising great wealth, and a variety of good luck charms. Several times a day watery messages appeared in the dirt around the tree. Apparently the result of a highly intelligent root system, these messages included: “WIN,” “DREAM” and “It’s Your Lucky Day!”. The third day after the tree was discovered, it self-incinerated and disappeared, leaving not a trace. The next day a mysterious space traveller, “Skeletor Space Mickey,” told $teven that this tree grows in many varieties in isolated locations throughout the universe, appearing and disappearing often instantaneouly. It was a miracle, he said, that the tree had lived for so long in one place. He also said that anyone taking a LOTTO form from that particular tree’s branches was guaranteed to win LOTTO upon returning to civilization. Unfortunately, no one knew this until after the little tree was long gone.

Mirrorage

by: Shelley Hades-Vaca
year: 1997

A 56 ft. long curving panorama of the ocean. This photographic seascape is intended to evoke a sense of our original mother: The Sea.

Nevada 1997

by: Spencer Tunick
year: 1997

A combination of performance, sculpture and photography, this photo shoot is part of the Naked States project. Large groups of people will combine into abstract shapes and formations that reflect political and social events that affect our society. The resulting images will explore the vulnerability of human weakness and the anonymity of public space.
URL: www.spencertunick.com

Pyramid of the Camera Obscura

by: Chris De Monterey
year: 1997

Crawl through a mysterious labyrinth. Behold the shriveled husk of Pharaoh! See a panoramic view of our encampment cupped like a spectral pool within its secret chamber. Based on a design first conceived by Leonardo Da Vinci. A playa landmark since 1994 — newly renovated!

Shrine of the Dessicated Rats

by: LadyBee
year: 1997

All have sinned against the rodents! You may now repent and receive blessings at this commemorative shrine to the greater glory of the rats.

Sphere of Influence

by: Max Bunshaft
year: 1997

A 14′ geodesic sphere complete with lights, multi-tech sound system and indoctrination video. A chair is suspended in the center of the sphere. Participants will be strapped into this seat and equipped with a head-set television while the sphere is rolled around.

Sta-Puft Lady

by: Tim Kaulen
year: 1997

A huge inflated woman made of billboard advertisements is anchored to the playa floor; she bobs threateningly and gazes at us with her supermodel face, created from cigarette ads.

Temporal Decomposition

by: Jim Mason
year: 1997

This installation is inspired by the forms and concerns of Egyptian solar temples — geometrically complex arrangements of obelisks and spheres that trace celestial phenomena and embody the rhythms and cycles of the sun. For the ancient Egyptians, the sun was the awesome and mysterious answer to the question of fertility on this planet. Artist Jim Mason will construct a large-scale ice sundial; its center formed from a 10 ft. diameter sphere of ice surrounded by 12 ft. tall ice obelisks. This giant sphere, itself a massive clock, will in turn enclose watches, clocks and other modern timepieces frozen within it. Melting, it will evoke the deep and mysterious courses of geologic time. Look for this transient monument in the plaza formed at the conjunction of our two principle boulevards at Central Camp. With the addition of 50 gallons of snowcone syrup, Temporal Decomposition will also offer cherry-flavored ice refreshment. Lick and Enjoy!

Time No Time

by: Aprille Glover
year: 1997

1 circle, 9 triangles, 9 squares and 7 pentagons within a circle of stone, water and fish bones. Aprille Glover utilizes sacred geometry, European, American Indian, and Chinese symbolism to relate the compass points to an enlightened state of mind.

Tower of Sharon

by: Michael Taluc
year: 1997

This thirty foot high tower of wood and fabric functions as a lamp. The monochromatic color of the piece and the flowing nature of the fabric create a symbiotic, serene work.

Trojan Duck Lounge

by: Robert Burke
year: 1997

An enormous canvas-backed duck. Lounge in the world’s largest decoy!

The Trojan Horse

by: Bill Walker and crew
year: 1997

Out of the belly of this classic symbol of war and deceit comes not enemy soldiers but the band Beyond Race who perform as the gigantic wooden horse burns.

Twenty-Foot Man

by: John Henault and Josh Mong
year: 1997

This steel musical entity plays an 8-foot guitar, and has xylophone toes, chattering jaws, blinking eyes and siren ears.

Under the Burning Bra, Nipples Flow; Lady Dies

by: Annie Hallatt
year: 1997

This enormous silver bra is a solar fountain dedicated to Princess Diana, who died during the event. By day, water was pumped out of the nipples, powered by a solar panel. On the night of the burn, the water system was replaced by Roman candles and burlap. The fuses were lit in the bra strap, and the flames travelled in a spiral up the breasts to Roman candles in the nipples.

Water Woman

by: Ray Cirino
year: 1997

A stylized wooden goddess rises from the waters of Fly Hot Springs.