Get a Sneak Peek of Burning Man 2019’s Incredible Art and Architecture

 

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Labor Day weekend is approaching and that can mean only one thing—Burning Man is here. Black Rock City, a temporary oasis in the desert, has already been built as Burners pour in for a week of community and culture. In the leadup to the event, a group of dedicated volunteers helped build the temporary city that 70,000 participants will call home until September 2.

Each year the theme of the festival changes, inspiring Burners to create their extravagant camps and art installations. The 2019 Burning Man theme is Metamorphoses. It's apt given the transformative nature of the festival and Burning Man's code of ethics that many dedicated Burners apply to their lives year-round.

“This year’s theme is a celebration of change, and an exploration of uncertainty,” reads a statement from Burning Man. “As such it invites a consideration of time; not its circular nature, or its attendant ritual, but in this case the relentless flight of time’s arrow, and an embrace of the elusive now.”

As part of Burning Man's ethos is to bring people together for an experience that will inspire change and lift the human spirit, we look forward to seeing the grand designs that will come out of Black Rock City as imagery begins to come out online. Of particular interest is Geordie Van Der Bosch's Temple of Direction, which is the focal point for rest and relaxation prior to its ritual burning on Sunday night. The simple design is based on traditional Japanese tori gates and is a big change after architect Arthur Mamou-Mani's complex, spiraling temple Galaxia in 2018.

The other high point of the event is The Man, the large wooden effigy that gives name to the festival. This year, Burning Man favorite HYBYCOZO helped design the piece. This is a huge honor for the duo, who made a name for themselves with their spherical, laser-cut geometric installations in year's past. Their selection to build the base of the effigy came after a long process where multiple artists submitted designs. Since this is the first year that Burning Man founder Larry Harvey, who passed in April 2018, has not been involved in The Man's design, its reveal has been highly anticipated.

While most material comes out after the conclusion of Burning Man, as participants are asked to live in the moment and stay offline, there are still a few glimpses of what's in store. As we wait for more, we're able to have a sneak preview of the incredible art and architecture from Black Rock City thanks to some photographs that were placed online prior to the opening of the festival and a few sneaky participants who have decided to break social media silence. Consider this an appetizer for what's to come!

Burning Man 2019 is here and a group of volunteers gathered to erect the temporary Black Rock City.

 

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Glimpses of Burning Man are already appearing online, including looks at The Temple and The Man.

 

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Both will go up in flames during ritual burnings over the weekend.

 

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Here's a preview of more art and architecture from Burning Man 2019, whose theme is Metamorphoses.

 

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Burning Man: Website | Facebook | Instagram

Related Articles:

25+ Stunning Photos From Burning Man 2018 Give a Glimpse of Its Wild Creativity

First Glimpse of the Otherworldly Art of Burning Man 2018

Smithsonian Art Curator Explains How Burning Man Is the Art World’s Utopia

Surreal Dream-Like Photos of ‘Burning Man’ Capture the Carefree Essence of the Festival

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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