The 2015 Carnival of Mirrors theme was fully embodied in the Midway surrounding the Man, with its interactive carny booths created by 33 Regional groups and artists from around the world. All sorts of shenanigans took place as participants engaged with clowns, hucksters, shamans, doktors, professors, snake oil salesmen, kings of fun, mystics, fortunetellers, palmreaders, and harlequins.
One could compose and play music on a mysterious altar, win cotton candy at a ring toss game, get healed at a medicine show, build a drum, get exploited by corporate overlords, journey into the mind of the Man, create a mask, or become infinite. One could spin Fortuna’s wheel, consult with an Oracle, talk to an Oracultang, play pinball, get your chakra shocked, play an ice fishing game, spin a wheel of misfortune, marvel at freaks and oddities, and test your love, among other attractions.
The Mystical Midway by Barron Scott Levkoff; photo by Dan Adams
One entered the Midway through four charming gateways created by Hugh D’Andrade; two grand stages hosted performers of all stripes, and after dark, fire spinners lit up the stages with their artistry. The whole grand and glorious sideshow was anchored by, of course, the Man itself, standing on a crazy red maze into which were tucked intriguing art treasures — if you could find them! Among other oddities, a gigantic skeleton was seen engaging with playful visitors day and night.
After five days of intense activity, our Midway vanished. Left behind was the Man and the Maze, which of course went up in smoke after a spectacular pyrotechnic display.
Please enjoy this gallery of photographs.
Procession to the Midway Grand Opening; photo by Barry Staley
Riding the Narwhal to the Grand Opening of the Midway; Photo by LadyBee
Midway Grand Opening; photo by Barry Staley
Mask Factory, Ty Eckley and Gerry Valdez; Photo by Dan Adams
Dr. Thelonious D.RUM Medicinal Thump Thump Magical Healing Excursion, Stan Secrest/Dani Adomitis; photo by Stan Secrest
Journey into the Mind of the Man by Stefan Spins and KJ Boheme, New York; photo by LadyBee
New York Klowns; photo by LadyBee
Mystical Midway, Barron Scott Levkoff, photo by Dan Adams
Mythic Mirrors and Catalyst Cards, Audetee Sophia; photo by Mark Hammon
Sunken City Sideshow, NOLA; photo by Marc Merlin
Venus Lift -Mega Mikoshi, Japan; photo by Mark Hammon
Venus LIft-Mega Mikoshi, Japan; photo by Barry Staley
Sacramento Sparkade; photo by Mark Hammon
Sask Playa Odditorium, Saskatchewan/Shanghai/Argentina/North Bay, CA; photo by Kelly Walton
Macabre Penny Arcade, Baltimore; photo by Mark Hammon
FoxCarn and the Betel Store, Taiwan/China; photo by Dan Adams
FoxCarn and the Betel Store, Taiwan/China; Photo by LadyBee
Pinball Machine, Wisconsin; photo by Brian Shubat
Wooden Nickel Carnival by Ilya Pieper; photo by Dan Adams
Wheel of Self Reflection by StuArt Chapman; photo by LadyBee
The DisCOmbobulator, Colorado; photo by Nolan Puryear
Dr. Hyas Balze Boardwalk Soul Exchange, San Diego; photo by Mark Hammon
Dr. Hyas Balze Boardwalk Soul Exchange, San Diego; photo by Mark Hammon
Philly Phreak Show; photo by Joe Mikuliak
Carnal Connections. Reno; photo by Lynda Traves
Carnal Connections, Reno; photo by Mark Hammon
Wonderlust Arcade, San Diego; photo by Mark Hammon
Infinite Community by Matt Elson, LA; photo by Matt Elson
Doktor Malvoye’s Travelling Stationary Clinic and Puppet Theatre by Malvoye the Mentalist
Baltic Altar, Lithuania/Latvia/Estonia; photo by Photo by S.N.Jacobson/LensCap
Christine Kristen (a.k.a LadyBee) is Burning Man’s Archivist, Art Collection Manager and Photo Gallery editor. She was Burning Man's art curator from 1999 to 2008, where she dealt with all things visual and aesthetic, including managing the art and the art grant program, photo-editing the Image Gallery, writing art content for the Burning Man website, working with the ARTery, managing the archives, and lecturing and writing about the art of Burning Man. She is the co-author of "The Jewelry of Burning Man", with Karen Christians and George Post, and the curator of the exhibition "PlayaMade: Jewelry of Burning Man", which debuted at the Fuller Craft Museum near Boston in 2017. It opens at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Seattle in January 2020. She has an MFA in sculpture from the Art Institute of Chicago.
5 Comments on “Photo Gallery: the Carnival of Mirrors Midway”
Bravo to all involved in the Midway. It was a huge improvement over the Souk. Significantly more interaction, day and night. It made the Man a place to visit over and over. Loved it, every bit of it. Here’s hoping that we continue to build on the idea of the interactive Man base for years to come.
It was such an honor and privilege to have been part of (I thinK) the best man base interactive experience ever, despite the pesky dust storms.
To the best of my understanding, my Bannerline Project (my set of 32 hand painted banners around the man) retains the world record for the largest contiguous Sideshow Bannerline, at more than 320 linear feet or 1,210 square feet.
Best theme yet! Wish I’d seen everything. Half of it all. A third. Ok, more than 10
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Bravo to all involved in the Midway. It was a huge improvement over the Souk. Significantly more interaction, day and night. It made the Man a place to visit over and over. Loved it, every bit of it. Here’s hoping that we continue to build on the idea of the interactive Man base for years to come.
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It was such an honor and privilege to have been part of (I thinK) the best man base interactive experience ever, despite the pesky dust storms.
To the best of my understanding, my Bannerline Project (my set of 32 hand painted banners around the man) retains the world record for the largest contiguous Sideshow Bannerline, at more than 320 linear feet or 1,210 square feet.
And no, the banners were not burned.
Killbuck
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I had a great time making ‘You are Who?’ for all of you!
I’m looking forward to many more projects in the upcoming years.
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Thank you Kimba!!!!!
You rocked it sister!!!!
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