123soho Feature of the Week 090105

All Photos by Chin Chih Yang

*Ron Anderson
*Aureo Antunes
*Anna Bocek
*Juan Franco
*Romaya Puchman

*Harris Gulko
*Lesley Kring
*JoJo Razor
*Scott Andrew Spencer
*Manuela Valenti

*Shiou-Ping Liao
*Ruben Nusz
*Olga Sugden
*Carol & Imran Mian-Starr
*Mark Planisek

*Masaaki Sato
*Sheila Leonella Minano
*Marco Jasso
*Diego Manuel Rodriguez
*Masaaki Noda

*Younghee Choi Martin
*Agustin Bilbao
*Marie-Laure Souq
*Pinggot V Zulueta
*Jean-Luc Bohin

*Andrij Korchynsky
*Sonja Kobrehel
*Jong Pairez
*Marijana Zebeljan
*Johnson dollner

The Burning Man: Fire and Art in the Desert
by Gabe Kirchheimer/gabekphoto.com

The annual Burning Man festival in Nevada 's Black Rock Desert is perhaps the world's most surrealistic outdoor event. Begun in 1986 as a small gathering on a Bay Area beach, Burning Man now attracts 35,000 artists and participants, who converge each August to create the massive temporary encampment known as Black Rock City , a precise geometric formation which from the air resembles a futuristic civilization on another planet. Lasting only one week, the event's primary directive, "Leave no trace," remarkably ensures that the vast site, an ancient and featureless dry lakebed, is quickly returned to its pristine state.

Numerous art installations and structures of every description populate the perfectly flat expanse known as the playa, and each year a different theme dictates the main attractions which are seen and visited by thousands daily. (“The Floating World” was the theme of BM 2002, “Beyond Belief” set the metaphysical tone of BM 2003, “Vault of Heaven” inspired the celestial theme of BM 2004 and “Psyche” promises to inform the art of BM 2005.) The relentless desert sun occasionally gives way to severe dust storms which envelop everything in an impenetrable cloud of fine powder, mandating that attendees be fully prepared at all times with dust masks, goggles and water. Burning Man tickets specify that participants “voluntarily assume the risk of serious injury or death," and scores of BRC residents are typically treated each day for dehydration.

At the center of Black Rock City is the Man, a 75-foot high wood and neon figure on a large platform, which is burned with great ceremony and fireworks on the final Saturday night as thousands of onlookers displaying an almost religious zeal surround the raging inferno, known as the Burn. Many other large and small artworks are also incinerated in the weeklong community experiment, and nightly, flames emanate from iron sculptures and flamethrowers mounted on bizarre Mad Max -type vehicles, or perhaps the nostrils of a 120-foot-long mobile dragon.

Burning Man really comes alive in the cool of the night, as thousands on bicycles cruise the promenades and avenues, and numerous sound systems and laser projections fill the air with music and the sky with mesmerizing patterns. High technology is apparent at every turn, as illuminated kinetic devices spin in every direction and homemade aircraft hover overhead. In contrast to the evening's party atmosphere, architecturally sublime structures, like David Best's annual temples, offer spiritual solace and an opportunity for quiet contemplation.

The popularity of Burning Man has seen attendance rise steadily each year, and only a limited number of tickets are sold. Participants must bring all their food, copious amounts of water and other necessities for a week in the desert, as nothing but café beverages and ice (for coolers) is sold. Even barter is discouraged in favor of a "gift economy," which seems to ensure that everyone gets the help they need to survive the harsh conditions. The Burning Man paradigm, formulated by founder Larry Harvey, has spread to regional BM events around the US and beyond, and Harvey frequently lectures at cultural institutions and universities in America and abroad.

The art of Burning Man was recently granted increased recognition with the appearance of “The Art and Culture of Burning Man,” an article by Daniel Pinchbeck in the November 2003 issue of Artforum , and articles in Art in America and UK's Art Review are slated to review Burning Man 2005. As the cultural influence of the event continues to expand, Burning Man is clearly hot by any standard.

Gabe Kirchheimer (gabekphoto.com) has photographed Burning Man since 1998, and the pictures have appeared in Rolling Stone , Artforum , Design House Korea , Domus, 34 , The New York Times and other publications.

We are currently gearing up for "The Best of 123Soho 2006" art show and thank you for your participation in the 2005 exhibit.

Thank you for your participation in “The Best of 123Soho 2005” contest. We are currently gearing up for the 2006 exhibit, scheduled to start on Jan. 1, 2006 . If you would like to participate, here are the requirements:

You need to have at least 5 images on your Home page.
Your contact information must be updated!
We will accept any Media.
Any work submitted between January 1st , 2005 and Dec. 31st , 2005 will be considered.

The list of participating categories includes: Individual Artists, Feature Artists, and Free Posting.

"The Best of 123Soho 2005" Art Show
The 30 winners

Ron Anderson
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00865

Aureo Antunes
http://www.123soho.com/artists/featured/f_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00821

Anna Bocek . http://www.123soho.com/artists/featured/f_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00659&category=P

Juan Franco
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00903

Romaya Puchman
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00912

Harris Gulko
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00884&category=P

Lesley Kring
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00752

JoJo Razor
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00913
Scott Andrew Spencer
http://www.123soho.com/artists/featured/f_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00144

Manuela Valenti
http://www.123soho.com/artists/individual/i_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00919&category=P

Shiou-Ping Liao
http://www.123soho.com/artists/featured/f_artist_index_artist.phtml?artnum=artidv00095&initial=L