Burning Man art installation Bee Dance (Andrea Greenlees, Andy Tibbetts, and Josh Haywood) is a whimsical and inviting art installation in the form of two gigantic Dancing Bees, their legs entwined and their heads touching in a bee kiss. It celebrates one of the most fascinating examples of communication in the natural world — when forager bees return from their exploratory flights and perform the Bee Dance for the other bees, carrying out specific routines in order to communicate the distance and direction of pollen, nectar and water from the hive. Bee Dance is a strong climbable structure that Burners can clamber over and cling to, just as pollen clings to a bee. The Bees are bronze in colour, but on their dancing feet they wear gleaming copper ballet shoes with copper ribbons. The Bees are transformed into dancers.
The Temple is one of the most important places on the playa at Burning Man, and many find catharsis there. There is only one official ritual in the Temple, and that is to burn it. On Sunday night of the event, with thousands of participants as witnesses, the Temple is burned in silence. “The Temple of Direction” by Geordie Van Der Bosch is a linear space, capturing the elegance and austerity of the torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine in Japan, where the artist has previously lived. The linear lines form a passage that expands into a large hall, eliciting both a physical experience and a metaphorical journey. It’s a space that responds to the openness of the playa by creating a framework that encourages you to travel from end to end. This linear form reflects the passage of life with its beginning, middle, and end. Throughout the structure there are areas that reflect this journey: narrow & wide spaces, bright & dark spaces, and tunnels that create intimate physical settings. Meanwhile, a large central hall, an altar, and many shelves for offerings create the setting for a collective experience.
Nicki Adani’s “Taking Flight” emboldens visitors to be who they truly are, inspiring them to leave behind what is holding them back. A 10-foot tall feminine bird-like figure, welded from raw steel rods and tubes, her wings spread wide, takes flight from her perch upon a 10-foot tall spoked wheel, representing the circle of life. Viewers interact by making colorful ropes and weaving them into the wheel as a metaphor of releasing one’s past. Experiences already lived through can’t be erased, but they can speak their truths, and be let go. In the process, individuals can connect to their inner strength allowing them to spread their wings to fly free.
