Burning Man, the art and culture happening held each September on Nevada’s Black Rock desert, hosts some of the wildest vehicles you’ll ever see. Don’t miss this fantastic photo essay by contributors Pam Marcus and Mark Amos.
The Art Cars of Burning Man 2013
by Mark Amos and Pam Marcus
The Burning Man festival is held annually in the desolate Black Rock desert of northern Nevada and now hosts over 60,000 participants. Today’s Burning Man is a far cry from the first “burn” on Baker Beach, San Francisco, in 1986 hosted by Larry Harvey that attracted a couple of dozen friends. It’s a leave-no-trace event dedicated to community, art, self-expression and radical self-reliance.
Hundreds of art projects dot the ancient alkali lakebed, some of them in the form of art cars. These vehicles are an important part of Burning Man (http://burningman.com) and have been for years. In addition to being movable art, they also provide transportation for participants—often with an indeterminate destination. Some of the larger ones have elaborate sound systems and light shows and provide moving dance clubs that attract dancers wherever they stop.
This Bunny Car provided transport of an injured participant back to our camp. The owner, now named “Lifesaver”, has been bringing this car to the playa for a few years. -MA
This year’s Burning Man theme was Cargo Cult. This car and a good many of the art installations echoed the theme. -PM
While it didn’t fly, it looks like it could attract the gods of wartime goods -MA
Many of the art cars are registered for daytime and nighttime operation, and they look amazingly different under different lighting conditions. -PM
This Chevylac art car was motoring past our camp and Pam’s quick shutter finger snapped it. -PM
Some of the art cars were tiny – here’s an example of a cooler-car pushing a seating platform. -MA
I think this cushy car was based on a radioactive Old’s chassis. -MA
Beautiful during the day or night, Tiki Island was a huge art car created by the Playa Surfers. -MA
This car just looked like a wire frame surrounding a golf cart during the day, but at night it lit up the crowds with its roving eyes. -PM
This car provided seating around the outside for drinkers (but only when parked.) -MA
What can I cay – it’s a lizard car. -PM
A cute little pufferfish car motoring across the playa. -MA
This looks a bit like Henry Ford’s Quadricycle—a steampunk-flavored electric art car. -MA
Now that the shuttles have retired, they’re available for use as models for art cars. -PM
This is one of my favorites—a beautiful little snail car. -MA
A steampunk oriented art car from space. -PM
A lovely horse-powered horseless carriage. -PM
Shown here before offloading from its trailer, the KokoMotive Second Frumming pays homage to both the steampunk movement and the Cargo Cult theme. Love the gogo cage on the back. -MA
Technically not an art car, this Alien Spacecraft was an art installation near “The Man” – the main hatch, above the stairs opened for a view of the alien interior. -MA
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It’s hard to pick a favorite – those are awesome!
I really enjoy these cars because they come from the perspective of the non-traditional enthusiast, the non-enthusiast, and even the anti-enthusiast.
My son attends “Burning Man” every year. I had no idea what it was about. He said I’d love it, I can see why. Reminds me of the “zoo” at the NHRA drag races in Brainierd, Minn.