Desert Daze: the mind-bending art you missed at Burning Man

Described as 'the greatest human experiment on the earth', there is no denying Burning Man is a festival of extremes. The costumes, the heat, the dust, the elaborate architecture, the bartering system, it all comes together in an OTT glitter bomb of millennial extravagance. 

It has amassed a cult following, with more than 70,000 'burners' making the pilgrimage to Black Rock City each year to throw their inhibitions to the desert-wind and dance with sand between their toes (and in many other bodily crevices where sand is not supposed to go). 

With the bulk of Instagram posts dedicated to feathers, sequins, teepees and flower crowns, you'd be forgiven for failing to notice the art dotted around the desert. Festival curator Christine Kristen is tasked with sourcing the most cutting edge art from all corners of the globe, including large scale sculptural installations, jaw-dropping architectural structures, text based light works and performance art. 

Otherworldly, bohemian and socially conscious, the artworks mirror the spirit and essence of the festival, often sending poignant messages to party goers and adding another layer of meaning to the experience. Because, what better time to have a truth-bomb seared into your consciousness than at am after an all-nigher, right?  

 Olivia Steele, What you are seeking is seeking you.

"By placing neon statements in contradictory spaces, I am to inspire a surprising internal dialogue with the individual. My art is less about what I see, it's more about what I invite you to see, think and feel." Olivia Steele.

 Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg, Magic.

 

 "When I build my large sculptures either at Burning Man, other festivals, or even at the Miami Basel SLS Hotel, I'm putting out a psychological message. I want to ease people's worries and send a message that they can be happy, loved and ok." Laura Kimpton

 Hybycozo, Heart of Gold. 

"Heart of Gold is series of geometric sculptures based on Leonardo da Vinci's drawings that play with your sense of perspective and warp your perception of the inner and outer dimensions of the self," Hybycozo. 

 Christopher Schardt, Firmament. 

"Firmament is a vast, overhead canopy of LEDs displays celestial, playful, psychedelic, majestic images while classical music emotionally supports an enveloping, comforting, communal environment below." Christopher Schardt

The Pier Group and Android Jones, Space Whale.

 

"Space Whale is a  monumental stained glass and steel sculpture of two humpback whales, mother diving down to the Earth's surface supported by her calf, evoking the dynamic bond between child and parent, our intrinsic need to preserve our planet and our shared dreams as we look upon the stars," Android Jones.