Burning Man: Art on Fire: Revised and Updated Edition

by Jennifer Raiser, Scott London (Photographer), Sidney Erthal (Photographer)

Revel in the power of human creativity with this completely revised and expanded edition of Burning Art on Fire, illustrated with over 250 gorgeous color photos.   For one week a year, a remote desert lakebed in Nevada becomes Black Rock City, the home of Burning Man, where 80,000 participants create a temporary community devoted to expression and play. There is no money, no running water—and there are no constraints. Artists bring enormous sculptures for participants to climb. Outrageous Mutant Vehicles glide through an opulent mirage. This is a dreamscape of permission. For seven days and nights, the artistic movement of our time materializes—and then disappears without a trace.   Welcome to Burning Man. Welcome Home.  This authorized collection also   Over 150 new photographs and descriptions of individual pieces of Burning Man art from over two decades, including art from the 2022 Burning Man event Over 32 new pages featuring incredible sculptures and Mutant Vehicles A fully updated text, which considers Burning Man’s evolving significance in the art world, and how Burning Man is the art movement of our time A foreword from Burning Man CEO and Co-Founder Marian Goodell A new epilogue about the growing importance of Burning Man art beyond Black Rock City, including museum exhibits, public art, and over 100 regional Burning Man events worldwide A tribute to Burning Man Founder Larry Harvey, with highlights of his philosophical approach to art   This stunning visual tribute is perfect for Burners, artists, creative thinkers, and anyone who has ever imagined a visit to Burning Man, one of the most extraordinary places on earth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art

421 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2023

Reviews

[Andrew Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d heard of Burning Man, my only real take being that it’s a wild gathering where anything goes, and then they burn a large effigy of a man. Well, after working my way through this book I can confirm that I was on the right lines, but selling the whole thing short. Way short.

The week-long event takes place every year in the desert at Black Rock, north of Nevada. Attendees are asked to abide by the festival’s principals, which include a call to get involved, be self-reliant and, when it’s all over, to leave no trace that you were ever there. This book explores the background and the aims of Burning Man but the key element here is the art that’s been on display over the years. Much of it is huge, wildly imaginative and sometimes absurd. And more often than not the photographs show people climbing all over the pieces, as attendees are invited to ‘come and play’ with the exhibits.

For me this book achieved two things:

1. I was prompted to undertake further research into the festival as a result of what I saw and read here: in combination it exploded my perception that this is just a wild, uncontrolled party. Yes, shirts are optional, but at its heart it is highly organised and the ethos here is to explore, to discover, to experience and then to clean up and go home, leaving the desert as you found it.

2. I found sight of the art on display (the photographs are superb) mind boggling. The scale of much of it defies logic – how did they ever transport it out to this wildly remote place? I gained a new appreciation of how art can fire the imagination and stimulate creativity in those who see it and experience it.

My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group for supplying a e-copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mostly paged through this for the gorgeous gorgeous pictures of large-scale public art, and it reminded me how much I want to go to Burning Man one day (I go to art galleries in every city I visit; so, a pre-existing lover of art). The mythology of Burning Man, however, is more than a little suspect to me, a little too close to religion, and the text of the book hews close to this.

This, though, is a wonderful book, managing to encapsulate what is so unique and amazing about Black Rock City and Burning Man, and covering the mythos, history and aims. Highly recommended.

[Helen Marquis · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'd be forgiven for forgetting that there's more to Burning Man that a bunch of tech nerds playing weird steampunk / fairy / cultural appropriation cosplay and filling your social media with their smug faces. However, this book serves as a great reminder that there's some incredible art that fills the Playa each year in Black Rock City.
Beautifully photographed, with minimal gurning narcissists included, this is everything that Burning Man should be about - inspiration, reflection, creativity and beauty. It details the ethos of the festival, its humble beginnings on Baker Beach in SF, to the globe-spanning series of events that it has now morphed into, most notable of which is the annual pilgrimage to the desert for the Burners.
The stunning images are accompanied by select artist profiles, and details on how these huge pieces of art are created and transported to the Playa each year, which ones gets burned, what happens to those that don't, how they are funded, etc etc. It's a fascinating peek behind Oz's curtain, and an oft-unexpected reminder of just how culturally significant those few days in the desert are each year, and how for many they are the culmination of months / years of creative thought and construction.
Whether you're a seasoned Burner or a heat/dust-averse art enthusiast, there's plenty of amazing content here to enjoy. A beautiful coffee table book that you'll keep going back to revisit.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever dreamed of seeing the super cool art at Burning Man, but didn't want to brave the trip and/or the desert heat, here's your opportunity to check out the amazing installations without ever leaving your comfiest chair, or getting sand in your sneakers.
Here, thanks to over 150 stunning photos, you'll see an awesome collection of the best of Burning Man from over two decades.







This book really needs to be seen to be believed!

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for sharing.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to go to Burning Man! I am fascinated by Burning Man and I am determined to go there. I read this book because I wanted to know more. This book positions Burning Man as an art festival which it is but it is also so much more.

It is also a place of community and creativity and the book manages to capture that. It illustrates all of that with the photographs which are excellent and very dramatic. They provide an opportunity for all of us to interact with the artwork. Of course we are not there in the desert, but we can still enjoy the artwork and plan to be in the desert some time soon.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Tawney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A showcase of creativity – Big! Loud! Explosive! It’s very inspiring. Makes you want to dig around in the various bits and pieces around and put some together and it’s perfectly fine if it’s small and only for yourself. Actually this book is more than the photographs. Raiser is a veteran participant in Burning Man and explains a great deal about the gathering, its ethos and it’s participants. It led me to a better understanding of the event, but to be honest it’s the wonder of the constructions that is the main draw for me. Thanks to Becker & mayer! of the Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for a digital review copy.

[Katherina Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since my adult children visited Burning Man I have been interested in the "behind the scenes" festivities. This book has wonderful pictures and descriptions that span many years of Burning Man. I already know that I will be buying the actual book as a gift for my children. If you have ever had any interest in the Burning Man culture (and it is its own culture) you cannot fail to like this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC. This review is in my own words.

[Aminda Gailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures of beautiful art in the middle of nowhere. I’ve heard about burning man years ago, but I’ve never been. The time and effort that the artists put into this is amazing. I love the back stories as well.

Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visiting the Burning Man is on my bucket list and this book was a good way to learn more about this fascinating event.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful book, I would love to visit. We were lucky enough to have some of the sculptures come to Chatsworth, so we got to see the scale of them.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

[Aprelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had no idea about the impressive art at Burning Man. The photos in this book were incredible.

[ツツ]

Amazing photos. I used to really want to go to burning man but with the heat the sun the dust the crowd it’s likely sensory hell.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.