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Every year, thousands of people head to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for the one-of-a-kind Burning Man festival. The week-long celebration of art, music, and community is famous for its otherworldly sculptures that turn the desert into a magical playground for grown-ups. One of the standout pieces from 2023 is Mariposa, a giant butterfly installation created by Christopher Schardt.
Each year, Burning Man embraces a new theme, and in 2023, it was “Animalia,” a celebration of the animal kingdom and our connection to it. In response to the theme, artist Christopher Schardt crafted a stunning 26 x 14 foot butterfly made from aluminum bars and adorned with 39,000 LEDs.
Mariposa not only looks beautiful, but it’s also interactive. Its enormous wings, attached with hinges, gracefully flap as visitors propel the motion by swinging on a porch swing beneath it. As music plays through the speakers, the LED lights are perfectly synchronized to the rhythm, creating a captivating audio-visual experience that mesmerizes everyone beneath the butterfly’s wings. Schardt reveals, “The four speakers surrounding the butterfly are disguised as giant flower pots with LED flowers growing out of them.”
The year 2023 proved especially challenging for “Burners,” as they faced harsh weather conditions brought on by Hurricane Hilary. Heavy rains transformed the normally dry, dusty desert into a muddy, treacherous terrain, testing the resilience and adaptability of festival-goers. Despite the tough conditions, the spirit of Burning Man endured, with some participants embracing the challenges as part of the communal experience that defines the event.
Schardt’s Mariposa installation helped those who remained at the festival find peace and connection. The artist writes on Instagram, “It's so meaningful to me to bring people joy, surprise them and make them feel blissful through my art.” Schardt adds a grateful message in another post, writing, “Thank you to all the Love Burners who came by to spend time with Mariposa, dancing, swinging, relaxing and even sleeping under her wings!”
Check out the Mariposa sculpture below and find more of the artist’s incredible work on Schardt’s website.
This giant butterfly installation—titled Mariposa—by Christopher Schardt brought people together under its giant, LED-covered wings.
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Its enormous wings, attached with hinges, gracefully flap as visitors propel the motion by swinging on a porch swing beneath it.
View this post on Instagram
As music plays through the speakers, the LED lights are perfectly synchronized to the rhythm.
View this post on Instagram
Christopher Schardt: Website | Instagram | YouTube
All images via Christopher Schardt.
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