The Burner

So what do you want to talk about?

Burning Man.

Alright, tell me about it. What's it all about?

It's like Mad Max meets Thunder Dome meets Bohemian Revolution meets Mission to Mars.

Okay (laughing)....and what exactly does that mean?

It's a participation in the ultimate social experiment that is so fantastic it's like taking your soul out of your body, turning it inside out and then shoving it back in your body.

Interesting. So what exactly does that mean?

It's expressing yourself in a way that breaks you out of your comfort zone. It's so hard to explain. During the day you'll ride your bike around the desert looking at art installations.

Art installations?

Yeah like sculptures and really unique pieces of art. It's art that comes from all over the world.

How big is Burning Man? How many people are we talking?

Gigantic. 50,000 participants in an area that is just over two miles wide.

Cool. So what's the scene?

You will find DJ's, local artists, painters, photographers. They'll build a pirate ship around a school bus and sail it around the desert.

Is it peaceful?

You feel a sense of peace but no, it is not peaceful. It's not a week of R&R. There is peace in the experience but it is not peaceful.

Tell me about the big Burning Man sculpture that's on fire. The one in all of the photographs.

It's the main emblem of Burning Man. The bullseye of the event. It's what the whole event is centered around. It represents unity.

How many years have you gone?

This will be my sixth year. I go with the same people every year. The same core group with a few newbies here and there. Overall the same cast of characters. You discover different personas of yourself that you don't see in the real world. Like someone who is really shy and reserved would get up there and be really brave and expressive.

So I'm envisioning lots of color.

Color is intense visuality. Burning Man is a world of superlatives. The brightest. The biggest. The hottest. The most expressive. The most creative. Probably one of the most superlative environments on the planet. It's a hedonistic experience.

How long will you continue to go?

As long as the event continues to move me.

And what do you contribute to the event?

I express myself through what I wear. We get to know our neighbors. We become a collective group that helps each other through the week. Most importantly, it's about engaging yourself with whatever you come across. A person. An art. The best way to participate is to just engage with everything.

Are lasting friendships made?

Oh yeah. When you make Burner friends, it's like......it's like having frat brothers. But that's a vulgar way to describe it. It's like being a part of something bigger than yourself.

How do you feel at the end of the week?

Exhausted. Revitalized. Thrilled. Depressed. And so dirty because you are covered head to toe in dust. But really, you just feel charged.

So how do you want to sum up this little interview?

Okay, being a Burner has been one of the most significant experiences of my life. Particularly because of the tens of thousands of people who go there. We all share something that can only been understood through the experience itself.

It's hard to talk about sometimes because people just don't get it. You have to just feel it to know it. You have to just experience it.