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The Australian Dreaming Is coming to Burning Man 2008, at the inaugural 'Australian Regional' - Theme Camp 2008 ART THEME: AMERICAN DREAM
This year Burning Man will stand atop an obelisk. This imposing monument, emblazoned with the images of flags, will represent the countries of the world. Ranging from Canada to Chad, from Brazil to Burundi, from Vatican City to the Republic of China, these emblems will shine brightly in the night, gleaming like illuminated gems that stud a giant jewel box. A double-helix, like a strand of DNA, will form a staircase. Twining around the axis of this tower, it will spiral through a series of viewing platforms. The topmost tier will stand directly underneath the Burning Man. Son, look, we might be in the desert, but we are still civilized people, and Anyone embarking on this path will encounter hundreds of fellow participants – many of whom come to Black Rock City from around the world. Indeed, in order to discover the flag of any particular county amid this welter of imagery, it will be necessary to inspect the flags of many other nations. Each of these may be imagined as a dream no less radiant or precious than the rest. Each country is a source of culture and identity; yet each may also be regarded as a glimmering illusion: a sovereign artifact, an arbitrary puzzle piece, an isolated fragment on a map.
You making haste on decay: not blameworthy; life is good, be it The 20th Century was, in many ways, the American century. At the close of World War II, the government of the United States created an enduring peace with its opponents that was almost without precedent. It embodied the ideals on which America was founded: democracy, equality, freedom and opportunity – a vision of unbounded hope for an improving future. It seemed natural for Americans to think their country was a master model for the world. This post-war period also produced an unprecedented prosperity. America now hovered at the apex of its worldly fortunes. Never before had wealth been so broadly distributed throughout society. For many people – though, most certainly, not all – this was the era of what came to be called the American dream. Home ownership, a well paid job, a college education, the prospect of security in one's old age: these blessings beckoned to a growing middle class.
The past does not repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes.
Today, Americans appear to live amid the tarnished squalor of a second Gilded Age. By nearly every measure, America has become a more unequal society. A mere one percent of the population now controls a third of the nation's wealth. Education, health care and home ownership – these now escape the reach of those who thought they were the middle class. Forty years of heedless mass-consumption have turned dreams into delusions. America's awash in debt. Embroiled in a wayward war, its citizens are told to shop. Many feel that the United States is now adrift. Its allies, once so numerous, begin to fall away and chart an independent course. Its citizens, more tellingly, have lost their faith in progress. Polls indicate they now believe their children can't expect a better future. They distrust the institutions of government, of finance, and the corrupting power of large corporations. And yet, the native traits of any culture are deep-rooted. Freedom, opportunity, inventiveness, the power to transform oneself: these values and a love of self-expression still endure. Perhaps, it's time Americans began to face themselves. Maybe, it's also time that they began to listen to other countries of the world. All of us are immigrants to Black Rock City. What can we dream America to be? As always, any work of art by anyone, regardless of our theme, is welcome at the Burning Man event. If you are planning to do fire art or wish to install a work of art on the open playa, please see our Art Guidelines for more information.
 WELCOME TO THE AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL NETWORK WEBSITE FOR BURNING MAN This website is a project of the Australian Region of the Burning Man Network. Its for those in Australia that:
The site will also provide an means for letting people know about various projects, either in collaboration with, or by the Australian Regional Network. The content of the site is at a very early stage of formation, and please be patient, as we put it together. It is built around a phpbb Bulletin Board web portal software package, which was migrated across from another project, of a festival nature. We are grateful to have been donated this, from Human Communities, as some of the information that came with it, might help further down the track in putting on a Regional Burn. Therefore, some of Australian Regional Web Site’s structure & content, at this stage, may not appear as orderly in structure, as we want, nor may all content be completely relevant to the approaches of the Burning Man Art Project & the Australian Region. Nevertheless, in time, we will sort this out, and develop the site to reflect the interests and needs of the participants of the Australian Regional Network, for Burning Man. So therefore, it is early days for this site, and much of the content is being filled out as you read. Please register and participate.
Regional Representatives To ensure that the community has as much dialogue as possible, we are looking for people that are interested in being Regional Representatives in their State. Firstly you must have been to Burning Man and give us a bit of an idea on how you would like to look after things in your area. Still looking for SA WA TAS NT If you are interested then please email your interest to Regional Reps
Website Moderators We are also looking for Moderators in the different sections of the website to Moderators WHAT TO BRING - WHEN GOING TO BURNING MAN
Traveling that extra distance from Australia means that packing is all the more difficult and to get an idea of what is the best place to purchase what you need check here. camping gear There is also comprehensive information on the main Burning Man web site, which we encourage you read.
EVENT
TIX
LOCATION ...The Playa, Black Rock City, Nevada
WEBSITE FEATURES
A place for shared community voice and resources such as Forums, FAQ and Support, Search the site, File Downloads, Memberlist, Become involved, Have a blog, Use Googlemaps, Chat real time to others involved in and going to the event, View the Image Gallery, Check Important Dates, Sell stuff, maintain your own Profile
OTHER WAYS OF ACCESSING THE SITE Grab it through your RSS Reader or through your Mobile
A SPECIAL PROJECT FEATURE 2007
~ THE FLAME TREE ~ IN CARDWELL, FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND
Images taken and provided by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito of:
Headless Point - Artist Retreat and Labor Camp - www.headlesspoint.com Two of Burning Man’s most famous artists, Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito were in Australia after their commission to build the huge flame tree at Cardwell’s Girringun Cultural Festival 13th -14th October 2007. The 10 metre high tree in Cardwell made of recycled copper sprays water by day, and shoots flames by night. With fossil fuels running out and the effects on climate change, the artwork is a permanent reminder of the need for more sustainable ways. The project came about through collaborations between the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation, Cardwell Shire Council and the US based non-profit, Black Rock Arts Foundation. Mann’s origins were in landscape architecture, but while his renown has come from his large-scale festival work, he is also in demand by corporations. Cusolito’s academic background is in art and design, leading to many public art installations. Both artists’ work reflects their abiding interest in humanity and the environment. In its natural environment, The flame tree, also known as royal poinciana or flamboyant, is a member of the bean family (Leguminosae) and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful tropical trees in the world. This aptly named tree produces striking flame-like scarlet and yellow flowers in spring before the leaves emerge. As the trees mature, they develop broad umbrella-shaped crowns, and are often planted for their shade-giving properties. The delicate, fern-like leaves are composed of small individual leaflets, which fold up at the onset of dusk. This tree produces brown, woody seed pods that reach lengths of up to 60 cm; they turn reddish-brown to almost black when ripe. The Cardwell Flame Tree features a 10 metre high tree made of recycled copper. In the day the tree sprays water. At night the tree shoots flames. The Cardwell Flame Tree is a reminder of change. THE CARDWELL FLAME TREE PROJECT: - Represents the logo of the Cardwell Shire Council between 19XX and 2007. - Sprays water to remind us of the change in Australia 's rainfall and climate. - Throws flames to remind us that fossil fuels are running out. - Uses recycled copper to remind us of the need for more sustainable ways. - Reminds us of the Caring for Country Conference, Cardwell, October, 2007. Girringun Culture Festival - The Great Australian Corroboree - Cardwell North Queensland www.greataustraliancorroboree.com.au The Flame Tree is an art and sustainability education project developed for the Caring for Country Conference and Festival on behalf of Girringun Aboriginal Corporation. www.uncook.com/flametree Special Thanks: to Joanne Keune, a Girringun Culture Festival organiser, for her vision and work in making The Flame Tree project the reality it has become. Joanne is from Townsville, Queensland, Australia. She has worked in the Arts administration field in Australia & San Francisco, California, USA, and has been to a number of Burning Mans since 1994 to the current day.
Image taken and provided by MJ Ryan Bennett
ELECTRO BURN “The Burning Man” Information Night !!! A big thanks to everybody for making the ELECTRO-BURN - collaborative fund-raising night - for the Australian Regional Burning Man theme camp project, the success to was. The night was a true example of the community working together, which will make this project a great success, and an incredible lifetime experience... We’ll keep you posted of the next upcoming event & more details on the Australian Theme camp as it evolves. Also, if you need some background on the night, just held, check out the Calendar posting.
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home.txt · Last modified: 2008/03/30 08:55 by admin
