“Shrumen Lumen” by FoldHaus Collective (Photo by Rene Smith via Smithsonian American Art Museum)
Used to be that experiencing the mind-bending experimental art of Burning Man involved flying to a scorching desert in Nevada, praying that you didn’t get caught in a windstorm or bugstorm and that your college buddy’s totally legit Shroom Guy was, in fact, legit. No longer!
On Thursday, the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery announced the first ever major exhibition of the large-scale art installations that are erected—and typically set on fire—at the eclectic gathering. Opening next Spring, “No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man” will highlight the “maker culture” of the annual event with room-sized installations, immersive costumes, jewelry, and other participatory works.
Some of the works to be displayed have been featured at previous Burning Mans (Men?), while others were commissioned specifically for the installation. There will also be archival documents and photos, drawn from the Nevada Museum of Art’s Burning Man archive, that trace the origins and growth of the festival.
“This exhibition transports the art of Burning Man to a museum setting, so that audiences who cannot visit Black Rock City can encounter the cutting-edge work being created at this transformative annual event,” Stephanie Stebich, The Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery, said in a statement.
The Renwick drew huge lines when it reopened after renovation in late fall 2015 with its WONDER exhibit, though the wait time for visitors is nothing near what Burning Man folks experience entering and leaving the festival.
“Through this ambitious exhibition, more people will have a chance to engage with Burning Man’s ethos, which has given rise to a thriving year-round culture spurred by a growing global community of participants,” added Marian Goodell, CEO of Burning Man Project, the festival’s nonprofit arm. “We’re looking forward to this excellent opportunity to showcase the elements of Burning Man that are helping change the world around us for the better.”
The exhibition opens in March 30th of 2018 and runs straight through next summer, ending on September 16th (With a bonfire? TBD).
