It’s time for our annual reminder that Burning Man is a self-described art event. If you want to follow the action live, there’s a stream on YouTube. There’s always Instagram if you want to explore various rabbit holes. It’s nice to see on Yvonne Force Villareal’s Instagram that Hank Willis Thomas is there this year with an installation (above). For a more in-depth discussion of Burning Man’s art and artistic ambitions, Jillian Steinhauer has a long, smart and insightful essay on The New Republic’s website:
Indeed, the artworks of Burning Man don’t always make sense outside of the desert because, as much as they exist (or fail) on their own merits, they’re just as importantly only one facet of the demonstration of human creativity that is Burning Man. Art helps Burners tell a story about the kind of enlightened people they are and the kind of glorious place they’ve created. In many cases, that is the only story it can tell.
