These pictures document the Citizens’ experiences with art, culture and love at the Burning Man 2010 (Black Rock, Nevada). 1 Citizens enjoy the art installations (Big Art’s Infinitarium), the BM sculpture in the distance. 2 Amanda Rose awaits a balloon ride. "It’s like coming to the end of the rainbow and finding the pot of gold!" 3 At a dusty party, Lindsey Vecchione enjoys the music with friends. “Every second something takes my breath away.” 4 Sparkling Princess with arrow creates a surrealistic image. "We are not the average citizen...together create our own city.” 5 Last day, all traces disappear.
At the time of my visit to the Burning Man Project 2010 (Black Rock City, Nevada, USA), America was going through polarizing arguments on immigration and war and economic crisis were creating hate and fear. It is within this context, that I ventured to a participatory community formed by individuals (Citizens or Burners) who come from around the globe to express their individual identities, sense of selves, desire to be included from their own creativity, in essence the creators of "an alternative to the default world."
The Citizens co-exist in a community supported by an economic structure where nothing is for sale. You consume only what you need. You share. You are concerned about your neighbor and environment. You exist in a small living space, at subsistence levels, yet surrounded by abundant expressions of love, art and nature. The return "home" and "to what’s important" and "the sense of freedom" were recurring descriptions of Burners about the experience. They refer to freedom of expression, breaking of social blocks, responsibility for environment and rejection of materialism.
"Burning Man" is an experiment, free of religious ties, bureaucratic borders, political barriers, conspicuous consumerism. All are welcome. It is a world in which we are each different, but interdependent, in which we need much less than what we have to survive with dignity. Black Rock offered a refuge, an awakening in which we can educate, dance, create and be happy without losing sight of what really matters, life in freedom with others.