Creative Play and Hard Work – Burning Man 2012

I was going to write a piece today about the challenges I have been facing with failure. Then I saw a video from this year’s burning man and I am transformed. My son participates and works for this event each year. I am really proud of his dedication. I also know a little about how difficult it is, how musch tapas (discipline) it requires to pull off an event that is filled with so much artistry and fun. The first lesson is this: no ONE can do this. No single person does anything at this event. It takes a village to make the city. (“We built this city on Rock and Roll”). As you view the images in this video see how much cooperative play and work was required to build these amazing structures, dis-assemble them, cart them / truck them, reassemble them, enjoy them and then let them go. The second lesson I got was this: they built it to let it go. Every creation is unique to the event. Certainly good and enjoyable ideas are recreated from year to year, but nothing is exactly the same. The idea AND the creative piece itself is let go; not just released but burnt to the ground and the all traces removed. Except for the videos and photos and memories nothing remains. There are many other lessons and awakenings I came to watching this video and hearing the stories from people who have attended. The last one I want to mention now is the “WONDER” – the amazing and respect and awe I have for the artists who create everything from marshmallow clothing to carnival-like rides and experiences, from the notes and poems written on the structures to be destroyed by fire, to the engineering feats of the structures and their beauty. Buildings that appear as solid as a (non) bank, to those with tracery like cut paper art from asia, the lighting the mobiles, the pieces created to appear one way in the dusty day and another way in the darkest desert night. Watch this a couple of time for the costumes and for the sheer enjoyment of seeing how the human brain answers the questions “FUN???” with a resounding YES. ps While it all looks like fun and games there are a lot of people working hard, even there, to have the event feel and seem like effortless enjoyment. Thank you.