[Black Rock City, Nevada] Among my favorite sights and sensations of Burning Man 2008 was one of the showpiece art installations, the Basura Sagrada temple. Each year at Burning Man, a temple is constructed as a work of art and architecture and memorial, where the festival participants (or “citizens,” now numbering about 50,000) leave inscriptions and mementos of loved ones lost. The temple, as with all of the art on display in this vast desert, comes and vanishes in a week. This spectacle, like the Burning Man itself, goes down in a blaze of glory and solemnity at week’s end.

Hard to imagine that this construction of recycled tin cans, bottle caps, wood and cardboard and wire can move one to tears (NOT attractive or comfortable while wearing swim goggles and face mask to ward off sandstorms!). But that’s exactly what this place did – much more moving, in its odd way, than the Taj Mahal that I visited exactly a year ago in Agra, India. Perhaps it’s the rawness, the immediacy, the wonder of it coming and going within the week, the instant and furious creation of community and its planned immolation?

We stumble on the site on Tuesday evening while still under construction – cranes lifted workers high in the air, doggedly putting on the finishing touches. We hear sandstorms earlier in the week had delayed things; but by Thursday, a second daytime visit finds the place complete and in full swing. Swarming with “burners,” as festival-goers are called, the structure had within 48 hours been filled with tens of thousands of heartfelt (and a few silly) inscriptions in marker, pencil and pen, and many mementos of loss, love, recovery, regret, covering every banister, stairstep, even the flapping wind chimes.

A few shrines have cropped up; photos are duct-taped to the wall; the odd stuffed animal is here or there. You take it all in as you wander, just as you would Cinderella’s Castle or any attraction at DisneyLand, but this place has meaning.  What do you do? Collapse from the collective impact of 20,000 expressions of grief? Or marvel at the contributions, the beauty, the legacy of all these friends and family who are remembered?

I leave an inscription, then sort of speechless, pause to meditate in one of the vestibules (not sure if that’s the right word but let’s go with it). There I meet and chat with Sergio, an Argentine, maybe 40 years old, who has traveled here for the week, to be moved by this place, take it all in, leave something behind. We each have come thousands of miles, we briefly connect (I share observations about the three months I lived in Buenos Aires, among other things), then we say goodbye and trek off across the desert, and eventually, back to the real world. Ah, life. People come and go so quickly here.

I visit a third time, biking across the plain on Saturday with my travel companion Tom, to find the place a bit more crowded, with visitors as well as remembrance. Again the place is alive. Then the winds pick up. Visibility at times becomes difficult. Even up close, the elaborate and beautiful recycled wind chimes become hazy and start to vanish in the sandstorm, and at times they whip wildly and create a magical, frenetic, industrial sort of song. Though you are standing on solid wood, the place does give off the vibes of a mirage, and the sound of the wind whipping through the silence of the visitors is magnetic.

I leave two more inscriptions, “we love you and miss you,” for Maria and Jose. Why not? I make one last stop on the second floor balcony to look out on an awesome scene. Against logic, sand striking me and my digital camera from all directions, I take photos of some of these irresistible and unearthly scenes. In particular, the view of the Burning Man “faithful” arriving to experience this temple strikes me as wondrous – people, bikes, portions of the site installation come in and out of view with the storm. “Please let this one photo turn out!” I think – just seconds before the lens freezes in place. Dammit! Though shooting is sacrificed for the remainder of the trip, the photo (below) did turn out, and I was able to un-jam the camera once home. Little miracles out of a place of harshness and wonder!

I flew home Sunday, in time to watch the streaming webcast of the ceremonial burning of the temple. A tiny, low-res, choppy video provides a ghostly final image of a place that briefly moved thousands, one last flickering glimpse of my first Burning Man experience.

Why create such a thing? I close this post with the philosophy of the creators of the temple, from their website (linked below):

“We build art out of trash for many reasons. Our goal is to make something amazing and exotic out of materials deemed unworthy, the stuff we throw away everyday. And while it is obvious that making something beautiful out of refuse is a political act, the question we hope to answer with this project is whether it can also be a spiritual act. We believe that it can.

“Basura Sagrada is a temple constructed entirely from burnable trash, recycled materials, and the tossed-off detritus of American society. Meticulously detailed, the temple will be a precious space created from non-precious materials. By replacing the gold and marble surfaces of traditional temples with aluminum can adornments and cardboard spires, we hope to inspire others to see everyday trash as beautiful, to save everyday trash and use it—not because it is responsible or right or necessary to recycle (although that is certainly important), but because people are excited about the materials and medium.

“We believe that the material itself has an inherent value that can be unlocked in the right hands. We will attempt to unlock unprecedented levels of beauty, and do it on a scale that will blow people’s minds and function as a sufficient vessel for the hopes, dreams, memories, and losses of our community. We welcome intrepid visitors to this space to be a part of this grand experiment in trash alchemy.”

Thanks to the amazing creators of this structure for their hard work and vision! Meanwhile, if you had the good luck to visit this place and have an impression or experience you want to share, please do it in the comments section below – thanks!

Links:
My Flickr photo set – Basura Sagrada.
The Basura Sagrada official site.
The official Burning Man site.

[Note: the above is not my sentiment, thank God,
but if I were in this state and able, I'd do it too!]

As someone who decided only 3 days before the event to attend Burning Man 2008, I feel wholly unqualified to offer advice to future first-timers. So, here you go:

1. So you’re an art groupie or fan of oddball vacations in desolate locations. Great. If you think you can handle the daytime heat, nighttime chill, and most of all, sandstorms, proceed … with caution.
2. Take care to read EVERY bit of advice on the first-timers guide available on the Burning Man site. The 2008 version, at least, is here.
3. Don’t overpack. I stressed about it too much in the several days preceding and in the end, didn’t use half the clothes or costumes I took with. Think one or two outfits for potential nighttime chill (though we had very mild evenings -never cold) and really, not much for daytime. Like, a sarong or two could last you most of the week – seriously. And at least four camps had costume shops that passed out wacky clothes for free (which you WILL want – don’t show up in GAP khakis and white tees or you will feel totally out of place). And they accepted drop-offs when done.
4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
5. Sunscreen.
6. While the program for the week had hundreds of workshops, lectures, and other group activities, don’t fret about not having time for all you want to do. You won’t. And half the activities I tried to sample never came off (instructor didn’t show, mutant bus never appeared to take us on an art tour). No biggie. You go with the flow and head for Plan B. Improvising is totally fun here.
7. Be social. Say hi to people for no reason. Ask them how they are doing, what’s the highlight, etc. I’ve never seen a place with friendlier people.
8. Do what you can to obtain a bike. Black Rock City has grown so big. My friend Tom went last year without a bike and said the constant trekking was a chore. This year we attempted to buy used bikes in Reno but were a bit too late to the game; by mid-day Monday all were gone. Check around to see if you can reserve in advance. Around 4 oclock we checked out Wal-Mart, which had a decent $99 mountain bike. We got 2 24-inchers, took the wheels off, and crammed them in the back of the compact rental car. Knowing we’d probably not want to haul them back out, we made friends with people who drove a large Ryder rental truck who were happy to take them off our hands. Not a bad investment for about $20 a day, easy transportation. (If I lived within driving distance I might take my bike, but keep in mind, the dessert will chew it up. May want to consider buying a cheapie.) The Kiwanis in Reno, we heard, also take donations at the end of the week, but you have to haul it to Reno when done.
9. We let our trash pile up and despite eating all the food, ended up with more to take home than we brought in. Not sure how this happened, but, they do allow you to burn paper trash on site at BRC, and they have a recycling center that accepts clean aluminum cans. This would have made for a less cluttered car on the way out (though in the end, it wasn’t a big deal to toss it in the Dumpster of the one of the many discount motels that refused us accommodation in Reno late Saturday night!)
10. Think about getting involved with a regional group before attending. If nothing else you can chat with people online or on the phone to get more advice; and who knows, you may be able to share a ride or even join up with a large tent camp. For an additional fee paid to the camp, you may get sleeping accommodations, couches to lounge on, water shipped in, food prepared throughout the day, cleanup afterward. You’ll probably have to pitch in but this is part of the fun. I may consider this in a future visit. Camps can be large and communal – 50 people or more – or they can be small and private. The photo above was from a realistic and fun Louisiana bayou shack that some former New Orleaners created; they had rugs, couches, a sturdy wooden structure (on 3 sides anyway), a porch, and a slamming screen door. Sweet! (Thanks again guys for inviting us in for a beer and some chat.)
11. Think about gifting. If you are handy, you might make cheap bead bracelets or necklaces or buttons or temporary tattoos to share with people. Something with the Burning Man logo is extra cool. (It looks a little like an X with a diamond for the head – you can find it on the top of the BM home page and probably elsewhere.) People gave me magnets, small paintings, a necklace, sunglasses, a page from a completed novel with instructions about where to download the rest. The advice is not to give out crap that you yourself would not want to receive – things that can be used on the playa and contribute to the community spirit seemed to be most welcomed.
12. There are many other ways of giving also. People read tarot cards, predicted fortunes, offered up free advice, performed marriage and divorce ceremonies (permanent and temporary), sang or played instruments or danced, and cooked meals and dispensed free drinks. To LOTS of people. We were offered crepes, coffee, margaritas, beers, bacon and bloody marys, sirloin steak dinners. The generosity is truly impressive. You can also volunteer to sell coffee or ice (the only 2 things sold here) or patrol the playa for pickup of litter (aka MOOP – Matter Out Of Place). Give back!
13. Cameras: This is the best and worst of photo ops. Great content everywhere you look. But, also dust like you wouldn’t believe. Some people put gaffe tape over every crack or opening of their camera they could think of; others tried to tape a plastic bag over everything but the lens. I don’t know how the pros survive this environment but saw some people shooting with some major gear. I had one cheap digital camera jam on me during the final stretch of the trip (obliterating use of that camera), and my nice camera, I was skittish about using after that. (Just shipped it off for a MAJOR cleanup today.) People had disposable underwater cameras, you might consider that. Some people found cases that coulid make a small digital almost airtight. Do some research to protect your gear, but do plan to take pictures of some sort! (Note: video requires filling out paperwork promising not to use it for commercial gain. See this page for more info.)
14. Burning Man is all about the lights at night. If you have a bike or a vehicle, light it up to the max. Same for your person. Something called EL wire was all the rage, and you can peruse that, and other light effects, at this link. Shop before you get there.

That’s it for now. If you have other suggestions, just use the comments section below. I have to moderate but would love to see other first-timers contribute here!