#bm2012

The temple at Burning man this year was the Temple of Juno. From the temple's website (http://templecrew.org/juno.html) "This year's temple is also known as 'The Temple of Juno'. The theme for this year's Burning Man event is 'Fertility 2.0'. Juno was a Roman goddess who had many roles and epithets; among those that she held were as a fertility deity and overseer of childbirth, a protectress of women and the community, and a preserver of marriages. "

The temple is one of the most spiritual places at Burning Man. You can feel the spirituality and depth as soon as you step in and it was very moving to read all the messages that people had written on the walls on the temple. Usually they write messages and remembrances for people that they have lost in their lives.

Loved this piece of art on the playa at Burning Man. It's called "Compound I". It's focusses on "I" as art.. an art piece featuring each and every one of us at Burning Man. Read more about this project at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cofone/compound-i-burning-man-2012

From the words of the author from their kickstarter page --

"Compound I/eye" challenges our sense of separate-ness from art, as it simultaneously presents the concept of eye as instrument of reflection and 'I' as object of reflection.

Up close, the sculpture reinforces a familiar sense of self by placing us at the center of each reflective lens. Stepping away, we see our image simultaneously contract and overlap with everyone else' onto the mosaic globe before us – nodes in a composite of shared reflection. 

Circling around "Compound I", its many reflected lights follow us… as if we are being watched. Looking into the shifting centers of the glistening lenses, we meet our own gaze. As we realize it is our sight and form that animates these pupils, our sense of separate-ness from the art is challenged.. 

Are we, the unrelated observer, watching from behind the seemingly impermeable membrane of our own eye? Are we watched by the seemingly animate Compound I? In front of the lens, or behind the eyes?

 We consider the strange totem of orbs before us.. once an object behind an artist's eye, now beheld by ours. As visual impressions pass through our eyes, a cascade of imagery unfolds; visual resonance, contagious and ripe, ignites the imagination, engendering new forms, perhaps to be brought back over the threshold to share on our side of the lens..to spark another mind's eye and echo the creative chain yet again.. behind the eyes, before the eyes.. 

One of the big art pieces this year at Burning Man was Wall Street. From the words of the artists - "Burn Wall Street is a large scale, outdoor art installation that is sprouting powerful conversations countrywide.  By bringing individuals from the Occupy and Tea Party movements together, this project asks participants to put their political identities aside in order to talk about common principles and goals for financial reform." Check out their website for more information - http://burnwallstreet.net/

This art piece changed a lot from the first days of burning man to the days before the burn. Initially it was all clean and proper buildings and by the end of the week, it was all covered in graffiti and spray paint messages and was being vandalized each day.

Black Rock city has it's fair share of coffee shops and eating establishments. One of the best coffee shops on the playa was next to where we camped (8:50 and J) - the Scarbuts Coffee shop. Every morning, we'd get our daily dose of caffeine from there. They served hot and cold coffee and with all the condiments..