BRC Art, Regionals

Meet the Builders of CORE: The Big Fire

By
6 comments

The work of the artists, more than 100 from around the world, has been completed. All 24 of the the projects in the Circle of Regional Effigies have been burned. While some of the members of these teams will return in the morning for Leave No Trace, their art has been featured as the centerpiece of a city-wide night of celebration.

Below are a set of the images from this night of conflagration and joy. We hope you enjoy them and remember that wherever your region is, it is a part of the Burning Man community.

As the participants arrive some feel the need to playfully express their sense of irony
As the participants arrive, some feel the need to playfully express their sense of irony

The central Black Rock Ranger post is easily visible with their new illuminated marker
The central Black Rock Ranger post is easily visible with their new illuminated marker

The fires start! The Dutch and Idaho pieces quickly are engulfed.
The fires start! The Dutch and Idaho pieces quickly are engulfed.
The Lithuanian CORE project lights the night
The Lithuanian CORE project lights the night
The Portland CORE burns with "a lot of fire"; exactly as lead "Deadletter" promised
The Portland CORE burns with “a lot of fire”; exactly as lead “Deadletter” promised
The Maui Source CORE piece hotly burns in the center as the fire spreads in the Indiana CORE
The Maui Source CORE piece hotly burns in the center as the fire spreads in the Indiana CORE
New York's CORE piece next to the East Bay project
New York’s CORE piece next to the East Bay project
"The Playa Queen" from Sacramento roars into the night
“The Playa Queen” from Sacramento roars into the night
The French CORE shadows the quickly burning New Orleans project
The French CORE shadows the quickly burning New Orleans project

"The Shark Car" haunts the background of the Houston CORE burn
“The Shark Car” haunts the background of the Houston CORE burn
The D.C. CORE burn stands over the quicker burning Idaho project
The D.C. CORE burn stands over the quicker burning Lithuania project
Flames tower from the Maui CORE burn
Flames tower from the Maui CORE burn
The art car "Abraxas" breaths in the smoke of the San Diego burn
The art car “Abraxas” breathes in the smoke of the San Diego burn
Burners Dita and Jeff watch the immolation of the Dutch CORE project
Burners Dita and Jeff watch the immolation of the Dutch CORE project
"Enlightenment", the China/Taiwan CORE project is a stark and powerful silhouette in the flames
“Enlightenment”, the China/Taiwan CORE project is a stark and powerful silhouette in the flames
The China/Taiwan CORE team lit by the light of their fire
The China/Taiwan CORE team lit by the light of their fire
The Vancouver CORE team at the edges of their burn
The Vancouver CORE team at the edges of their burn
Lily and her mother Sue share the experience of the New York CORE burn
Iris and her mother Sue share the experience of the New York CORE burn

 

About the author: portaplaya

Todd Gardiner, aka "portaplaya", is a professional photographer in Seattle and a long time documentor of Burning Man. After years of working with CameraGirl, he moved on to documenting the event for various other teams, such as the ARTery. Back in Seattle he was part of the regional arts group, Ignition Northwest, acting as a member of the art funding council. A perennial volunteer, he is a five-time Black Rock City Ranger, a past theme camp laborer, has done his time with DPW, and is currently a supervisor for Exodus Flagging; in addition to being a photographer every single year. Some say he is just an obsessive collector of official-looking laminates to wear to high school reunions. Either way he spent time working for others ever since his first year at Burning Man in 2001.