Art Vandals ANDROS STURGEON

C.C. Clark is a big Frida Kahlo fan. Her artinstallation, Casa Azul, located in center camp,is a walk-through that is a tribute to Kahlo andher work put together with the aid of otherartists.

“It took a year of planning and eightmonths of my life to do this piece,” she said,voice aquiver and hoarse, tears starting to rundown her cheeks. “That’s why I can’t believethis happened.”

In the sleepy hours of 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. onTuesday, someone wrote the words “Free it up”on one of the walls of her project. “I didn’tbring any touch-up paint because I didn’t thinkanyone would deface my art, and I doubt thatanyone will have terracotta brown paint on theplaya.”

C.C. is one of several artists that have hadtheir art defaced this year. Rico Thunder, chiefexecutive of Costco Soulmate Trading Outlet,awoke Wednesday to find the six-foot red-and-white Costco sign gone. This was after it hadbeen slashed in half by someone two daysearlier.

“The two incidents are unrelated,” saidThunder. “I think the sign was slashed by someironically impared person who thought this wassomething to do with corporate sponsorship.Someone over at Tent Repair Camp was niceenough to fix it. The person who stole the signrealized they made a mistake and returned it.We put them to work for us as an indenturedservant so they can understand the magic of thiswhole thing.”

Not everyone has been humble enough topay their debt. Jane and Izzy of Stoke andPoke’s Game-A-Lot found a couple at 2 a.m.Wednesday pulling the tires out of the groundto which their giant see-saw was chained.

“It’s obviously chained here for a reason,”said Izzy. “They pulled the tires out of theground and were riding the see-saw. When Icame out they mumbled an apology and wentoff. It’s going to take us a few hours to put it allback together.”

“We now have to have someone here inshifts,” said Jane “which is a bummer because itruins the experence of the person who has tostay here, and it ads an element of mistrust tothe citizens of Black Rock when we have towatch everyone.”

“It happens every year,” said RangerBeavis. “In a crowd like this, you will have 5percent who are assholes. This year it seems tobe more like 7.5 percent. We’ve had a few inci-dents of art vandalism this year. But it’s moremischievious than malicious. People get drunkand think they are being cute by being childishand goofing around. Usually the yahoos comeat the end of the week. But now they seem tobe staying longer. We don’t like that at all.”

Under the “Free it up” scrawl C.C. has puther own sign that says: “Thanks to the taggerwho wrote on my art and destroyed eightmonths of work. You don’t belong here and youmade me cry. The artist.”

“It’s too bad,” she said. “In a place like this,you think people would be more respectful ofother people’s things. Now I have to keep some-one here at all times to keep an eye on it. It’sjust one more thing that makes you feel less safeand less free.’’

Oh, MY! What istHATon

Your Head?You’ve got the retro flip,sweetie, but you ain’t gotnothin’ on the playa nuggets.

Thursday, 30 August 2001 • ARTS Edition #38 vol. X • Burning Man 2001 • Black Rock City Population: 18.395

The Seven

Ages of

Manphotos by WeeGeecradle

playstation

chapel

coliseum

temple of wisdom

maze

mauseleum

Artworks of the Seven Ages (from top left): The Cradle by Deidre Franceaux and Jann Nunn; ThePlayground - Cycleside Bike Carnival by Jericho Reese and the Bike Rodeo; The Chapel - ThePlastic Chapel by Finley Fryer, The Wedding Cake by William Lai; The Coliseum - The Arena byPeri Pfeninger; The Temple of Wisdom by Bernie; The Maze by Todd Dworman, Charles Trapolinand the Maze People; The Mausoleum - The Temple of Tears by David Best and Jack Haye.

A-Mazed JAMIE O’BEIRNE

This year’s Maze is so big that volunteerswere given small maps to use during construc-tion. It will kick your ass, too. Some folks get tothe raised platform and discover they missedhalf the maze, including the coolest rooms.

On Tuesday, out of frustration, someoneclimbed up an exit pole to the final platform.There was a serious bombardment of “boos” andcries of “cheater.” Burners were pissed. It wasan intense break in Burning Man etiquette, asbad as riding in a undecorated golf cart.

“There are several rooms, but I’m nottelling how many,” said art curator CharlesTrapolin, a.k.a. Dragonfly, who designed theexterior mural.

“It’s good to get lost,” said Mistress EvaDestruction of the Temple of Atonement, whocompleted the maze after circulating back to theentrance. “You discover more about yourselfwhen in that state of confusion. You meetguides when you most need them.”

“Life is about decisions. Sometimes, wemake the same decisions and go in circles. Thathappens here,” said creator Charles Dworman,a.k.a. Maze Man. I wanted to give somethingback that was fun, interactive and devilish in alittle way,” he said.

Mandala BRIAN SHOTT

It starts with wires and confusion, but leadsto wisdom in perfect synchronicity. Artist JenneGiles’ “Mandala” holds this year’s ‘keyhole’ artspot, welcoming visitors with promises of aninward journey.

Giles skills as an artist and welder and herinterest in the soul’s quest for wisdom take formin “Mandala”. While traveling in Mexico andreading philosopher/psychologist Carl Jung,Giles came upon the Hindu concept of the man-dala, a circular design of concentric geometricforms symbolizing totality and wholeness.Thinking of Burning Man’s Seven Ages theme,she “started looking at systems of seven — theseven sins, the seven virtues, the seven stages ofenlightenment.” The mandala would allow herto produce a work of art to address the searchfor wisdom during five stages of life with whichshe felt most comfortable: birth, childhood, love,enlightenment and death. She omitted the othertwo Burning Man stages justice and struggle. “Iworked on the ones I understood.”

The result is an art piece composed of fiveintricate sculptures lining up perfectly andflanked on both sides by two winged creatures.An enclosed chair covered in wind chimes sitsfacing the sculptures, this is the viewer’s spot.

Interactive Art GIACOMO GASPERINI

Interactive art abounds on the playa,from simple exchanges to deep collaborativeopportunities.

Jim Corpi’si m m e r s i v e“Latex VacuumBed” is likebeing wrappedinside a giantwad of chewinggum. You lienaked in a largelatex bag,b r e a t h i n gthrough a smallhole as Jim turnson an old vacuum cleaner. Form-fittinglatex envelops you as you float and dance.A must experience. Operating evenings outof a mobile unit near Latex Camp on theEsplanade at 8:00.

Gifts: Small-Scale Art: ALLEGRA FORTUNATI

It has been said that you can judge thequality of a man’s love not by his grandgestures, but in the small things that hedoes. In many ways, gifts that participantsmake or bring are a gauge, and a more inti-mate expression of their love of the BurningMan community; they are of equal impor-tance to the large-scale installations out onthe playa. Each has their own special mean-ing, and The Artery, headquarters of theBurning Man Art Team, is determined tocapture that meaning for an archive they arecurrently establishing.

Already the Artery has collected arti-facts such as stickers, matchbooks, silk-screened panties, rings, lapel pins, medal-lions and Kidsville suckers, just to name afew. They are looking for is more of yourlove.

The Artery’s feeling is that gifts com-municate in ways that words cannot. Thelate Geman artist, Joseph Beuys, knew thisand created small works he called “multi-ples” which he thought of as parts of him-self that he gave to others, thereby stayingin touch.

By distributing gifts, participants tooare giving away a little of themselves toothers, creating a connection between indi-viduals and, ultimately, a community. And,by wearing, displaying, or just acceptingothers’ gifts, Burners are “staying in touch”with other community members, possiblyfor years to come. The gifts might be a cat-alyst for discussion or a way just to keep theimage of its creator (or an idea) in front ofthe viewer’s mind.

Share the joy of your gifts with thecommunity and bring some of that love toThe Artery.

Participants may take a couple ofexamples of their gifts to The Artery inCenter Camp (behind the Center Cafe) dailybetween 9:00 am and 7:00 pm. A formneeds to filled out about the gift, includingname of giver, a description of the gift andits meaning. The Artery staff will take thegifts as well as playa business/trading cards,photos, stickers, videos, recorded radiobroadcasts and many more Burning Manrelated artefacts and transport them back tothe Burning Man offices where they will becatalogued. Post-playa, they can be con-tacted to arrange archiving at tracin-gleaves@yahoo.com.

Jim Corpi Sucks Lulu into a LatexWorld

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Keep your trigger finger ready for theNaughty Cowgirl Ranch. Fifteen hot womenon hobby horses are rustling up new mem-bers, coralling hot boys for branding, andpulling gunpoint panty raids. They’re allwanted — you’ll see the posters. You could behog-tied and forced to lick Fireweed’s sheriffbadge pasties. Judge Jackson (the legendary

Edie Babe) was dry-gulched up country.

Sheriff Dave, ofSpaghetti WesternCamp, knows allabout mutating theWestern Myth. OnThursday, from 5 to7pm, they’re servingup a vegetarianspaghetti dinner tothe SpaghettiWestern sound-tracks of EnnioMorricone. Thesaloon opens afterdinner, and multipleTVs will be showingthe legendary, shot-in-Italy Westerns ofSergio Leone, star-ing “Squint”Eastwood as TheMan with No Name.

Want a serenade? Go to the AsianPrincess Ranch at 7:40 and Lover at sunset.Sit inside the white picket fence and let saucyprincess Jennifer give you a personal, heart-wrenching Karaoke performance. Patsy Clinewould approve, God rest her soul.

Numbering 60, BRC veterans The SpaceCowboys have joined forces with The SpaceLounge. Here lies the glamorous future of theW.W.West. Join them in full glam for a hightech hoedown, where E Pluribus Unimog willstart a stampede of visuals and gut rumblingsound. It goes off Friday after 10, out on theplaya past 2:00 and Oblivion.

The Wild Wild WestDEATHSTORK

What is the Wild West? It’s America’sOld Testament, a myth to twist with eachretelling. Over 100 years ago, when an immi-grant trail crossed the playa, life was far moreBlood Meridian than Bonanza.

The survival of those early immigrantswas far more perilousthan ours, but like BlackRock City residents, theywere a conquering crosssection of dreamers.Western Fetishistsabound on the playa,perpetrating their ownbizarre takes on the col-lective consciousness ofthe Wild, Wild West.

Dismal, Nevada, is ahardscrabbled, half-deadmining town at 7:15 andInfant. Fred Rinne, madorator for The ElectronicParlour Tricksters, saysDismal ain’t revisionisthistory, it’s a cantanker-ous acknowledgement ofthe West’s bloody past.Their sculptors andkinetesists have fash-ioned a 100 percent recycled, country-gothanti-Mecca of bones and brimstone. But goodnews: The Railway is finally coming toDismal. Join them for an Insolent Game ofReverence at 9:30pm Thursday, 1,500 feetfrom the Man towards 9:00.

You may have seen The Laughing Stockkicking up dust and causing havoc on theirmotorized horses. Allied with the Post Office,they’re out to bring lawlessness and wild westspirit back to the playa. Shoot ‘em up and youmight get a wooden nickel, redeemable for afree horsey ride. Scarla Molehair, BuckwheatWildberry, Hooters Shootin’ Annie and SkufRedburn also give rides for fan mail sent totheir teepee at 9:00 and Lover.

B U R N I N G M A N © 2 0 0 1

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything thatcounts can be counted. “

- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Vicki Olds, Pub-lisher ~ MichaelD u r g a v i c h ,

Operations Mgr. ~ Lil General, Ops/Admin ~ Edge,Decor & Webmaster ~ Blue Collar Bob, I. T. Guru& System Acquisitions ~ Ty Billings, CirculationMgr. ~ Terry Burchell, Graphic Designer/Mgr/Ops~ Cleo Winters, BRG Design/GGD Mgr. ~ G.G.D:Xeno, aka Stephen.R.Wells, and Dica ~ JaimieO’Beirne, ZONE Obtainium ~ Rick Jones, Minister

of Photography ~ s p a c e , MLAD Master ~shibumi, Editor-in-Chief ~ Managing andAssociate Editors: Kate Forster, Mitchell Martin,saffronlee ~ Larry Breed, Chief Copy Editor ~vaughn something, Lead Proofreader ~ DigitalImage Wranglers: Kob and Jonno ~ DavidBrenneman, I.T. Specialist Extraordinaire ~Cartoonist, Paul Madonna ~ BRG Photographers:Weegee, Pix Man, Jonno, Giacomo Gasperini ~Contributing Writers: Jaimie O’Beirne, Brian

Shott, Dewathstork Andros, Doris S. Madden,Brad Porter, Giacomo Gasperini, Karina O’Connor,Felix Zephyr, Richard Becker and Mr.Bad ~Matthew Sorrenti, I.T. Captain ~ Rubia, FreckledMuse ~ Contributing Editors: Tut, Belinda, Rubia,Tambourine Woman, gregoryp(tm) and saffronlee~ Shameless Dani, DisRep Captain ~ Rick Boy,General Factotem

Support & Contributions: Marian Goodell, DarrylVan Rhey, Larry Harvey •

The first sculpture, birth, holds aspinning,

metallic lotus flower. The second, childhood, hasa larger, whirling bicycle wheel. Love comesnext, in the form of a winged sphinx whoseheart is a motorcycle gas tank. Next, a “thirdeye” resembling a disco ball looks back at theviewer, representing enlightenment. Finally,death awaits at the end of the line — a flamingmetal chrysanthemum, a symbol of death inJapan.

“It’s got a kind of Buddhist meets MexicoCity feel to it,” Giles says.

From the wind-chime chamber, the viewercan see the spinning wheels of the other struc-tures. The effect is mesmerizing, especially atnight, when black light and fire bring the wholepiece to life.

There’s an element of “natural chaos” tothe piece, Giles says, especially with the hun-dreds of wind chimes. “It’s set up for accident —a natural accident. It’s a natural symphony.”

“There are different aspects of self,” shesays, “but there is a core.” With “Mandala,”“you’re looking metaphorically at the stages ofthe development of self.”

Giles started welding in high school, andstudied art history and theory at Rice. She firstheard of Burning Man when she was working onart cars in Houston a few years ago. She is thefirst woman to hold the keyhole art spot on theplaya.

“It’s a challenge to make something that

The maze, located directly behindThe Man, is filled with artwork and

messages. They don’t reveal any maze secrets,but do they keep away that queasy sense ofentrapment only a 7,000 foot, life-sized mazewill induce. “For fast acting relief, try slowingdown,” one message reads. Another piece, awork about forgiveness, has pictures of contem-porary figures ranging from Timothy McVeighto Jerry Springer to Ralph Nader.

“Different parts of the maze have differentpersonalities,” Maze Man said. “I made itthrough last year inebriated and blindfolded,”said Garret Dworman, Mazeman’s youngerbrother. “I intend to do it again this year.”

Black Madonnas/Spinning Angels GIACOMO GASPERINI

Graceful arching wings catch the wind and spin, vividly sparking in the sun. The BlackMadonnas, situated just before the Cradle, mark the first step in your journey through the SevenAges. Four giant figures evoke a goddess cult traceable to that of Isis, surviving for centuries inFrance, Italy, Switzerland and the Romani (Gypsy) culture.

Annie Hallatt first created art for the playa in 1994, when Larry Harvey asked her to makegiant puppets of “urban totem images” (rat, racoon, pigeon, cockroach.). The next year she built 10-foot solar-powered, fluid-spouting breasts. She later designed puppets for each of Pepe Ozan’soperas.

This is Annie’s first wind-powered sculpture. Dedicated to the late Mimi Farina, whose lastwords were “spin until the sky twirls open,” it includes ancillary turntables where participants mayspin themselves. A ceremony Friday at 7:30pm will feature medieval chant, throat singing and pup-pets.

A-Mazed

Manda la

Seniors on the Playa DORIS S. MADDEN

As you wander around, do you everwonder why people over 50 (you’re a seniorat 50 because then you can join AARP - asksomeone else what AARP stands for :o)come to Burning Man? Is it the same reasonpeople younger than 50 come? Here is whatthis reporter found.

One pair of seniors (ages 69 and 78)came out of curiosity - it’s a new adventureto be explored. They loved the artful cos-tuming. The woman is from Luxembourgand is used to European art festivals wherenudity is more acceptedthan in the UnitedStates. They plan on seeing the mudwrestling, the Requiem and other musicalprograms here besides their favorite “peoplewatching”. Their children think them braveto come, and want them to enjoy life to thefullest. They looked like they were.

Mac is a golfer who doesn’t feel theplaya is where he could do his best driving,but he came to observe in anticipation ofbringing his grandchildren in the future. Heis from Forestville, California, which hasmuch different weather and scenery. In acolorful sarong, he definitely is a participant.

Ed was drawn here by his children andis enjoying it for the second time. He hasn’tsuccumbed to the dress of the playa (he likesto travel light since he flew from Ohio to SanFrancisco and picked up a motor home). Itold him where to get some costumes andwith some encouragement, perhaps he willloosen up a little and try something.Although, a tee shirt and shorts is sort of acostume at Burning Man :o). He loves art forart’s sake. He doesn’t think of himself as asenior (and he really doesn’t look like one).

John came from Mill Valley, Californiawith his childrens’ approval, although theydidn’t think he would like the drinking anddrugging. He looked fine when I interviewedhim (he’s very handsome) in his white caf-tan-like costume. He hadn’t been here verylong and was not yet over the cultureshock,but I’m sure he is going to fit in just fine. Hesaid it was no big deal!

Clint is here for the third time and saidit is just as crazy as the last two times. He’sfrom Utah and came in an RV because it ismore comfortable. He’s been people watch-ing and particularly loves the Art cars, plusthe many imaginative campsites. He’s vol-unteering this year. Both his peers and chil-dren approve of his coming to BM.

Jeremy is here for the first time,brought by his children. He really likes theambiance here, noting it is not pretentiouslike much of the rest of the world outside theplaya. He is 64, loving it, and wants to comeback until he’s 90.

Bob is 77 and it’s his first time to theBurn with his friend, Marv. He had no ideawhat to expect - his children know he’s here,but his wife thinks he’s fishing. His childrenfelt that since he missed Woodstock, heshould experience this. He is a bit over-whelmed,y et looking forward to returningnext year. He likes desert country with itsbeautiful mornings and sunsets. He partici-pated in a wedding yesterday as a brides-made, a little different than his off playa life.

Marvin thinks it’s great that everyone’sshoes are the same color. He’s here for thesecond time and finds the atmosphere veryhealing. Both of his children will be heretoday. One of his favorite things at BurningMan is the huge rock on the playa - theenormously heavy stepping pyramid. Don’tget too near his bike because he has a fart-ing chicken which rides on the back and itmight scare you. He is in possession of agreen card, a passport, and is waiting to seethe naked lady on the trampoline who doesback flips.

Now you know why some oldies (sorry,seniors) come to Black Rock City.

Sweet Playa SurprisesSummer School

Burning Man is a unique opportunity.For some it’s an opportunity to entertain oramuse; for others it is a chance to sharesomething important with thousands of peo-ple. For John Winters, a university professorfrom Los Gatos, California, Burning Man is aperfect oppurtunity to teach. “Traditionalinstitutional learning monopolizes the con-cept of learning,” he says, “What better placeto launch some of the innovative new ideasof the Medicine Planet Center than atBurning Man?”

Medicine Planet Center, located at 7:30and Infant, is an innovative theme camp thatexplores a new concept in education thatinvolves regular people teaching subjectsthey are passionate about to any and all whowish to learn. There are currently 34 differ-ent classes being taught by 14 differentinstructors from 10-5 each day, with theclasses ranging in size from 3-14 people.You can learn: how to juggle; mix up abatch of your own Burning Man Balm withclinical herbalist Lynda Emashowski; orlearn the basics and the history of theUkulele from enthusiast Josh Klein. Otherclasses available include papermaking, Poispinning, Geometry, Ethnobotany, andPhotography.

You do not have to register if you wishto attend a class, simply read the BurningMan Events Guide for class listings andshow up at the camp itself. Anyone wishingto start their own class (previous teachingexperience not required) can contact JohnWinters at the Medicine Planet Center.Winters offers this final thought about thetheme camp: “When you teach something toothers...your class becomes a gift that can bepassed on indefinitely.”

Freckles Body art by Mother Nature herself: Life

in Black Rock City coaxes freckles out ofeven the most porcelain playazens.

Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight isthe agent, and there is plenty of it on theplaya (Freckles will not form on skin thathas not been exposed to the sun). Melanin-producing cells in those who have frecklegenes -- mostly redheads and blonds -- getexcited by the ultraviolet attention.

Love and protect your skin! Thosemelanin kisses are often accompanied by adamaging sunburn.

can relate both the destructive and creative ele-ments of women,” she says. Both sexes havemasculine and feminine aspects to their selves.Even welding, long considered a masculineendeavor, can enable a creative expression forwomen and men alike. “I’m weaving with themetal. When you heat it up, it goes whereveryou want it to go.”

Giles welded last year’s “Ribcage/Birdcage,”a 17-foot metal ribcage designed with PhilipBonham. “Ribcage/Birdcage” invited Burners toswing inside the towering chest cavity like abird. She says her pieces always hold a “secret”inside. The secret of “Ribcage” was that “youare the heart of Burning Man.” Viewers of“Mandala” will have to find its secrets for them-selves.

On the other end of the scale are proj-ects waiting for the right collaborators totake them to another level. Laser geniusescast beams across the Coliseum marking outa wide array of virtual rooms. A space isborn—how will it come to life? The only limitis your imagination. On the Promenade, infront of The Man.

“Try not. Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’. “Yoda