TED2018
Nora Atkinson: Why art thrives at Burning Man
Filmed:
Readability: 4.4
439,585 views
Craft curator Nora Atkinson takes us on a trip to Nevada's Black Rock Desert to see the beautifully designed and participatory art of Burning Man, revealing how she discovered there what's often missing from museums: curiosity and engagement. "What is art for in our contemporary world if not this?" she asks.
Nora Atkinson - Craft curator
Nora Atkinson is a craft curator, a humanist and a romantic -- as she says, "I can’t believe I get to do what I do for a living." Full bio
Nora Atkinson is a craft curator, a humanist and a romantic -- as she says, "I can’t believe I get to do what I do for a living." Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
It's like a dream.
0
911
1150
00:15
Imagine, in the empty desert,
1
3142
2381
00:17
you come upon a huge wheel
ringed in skeletons,
ringed in skeletons,
2
5547
3547
00:22
and someone invites you to come pull
a series of heavy ropes at its base,
a series of heavy ropes at its base,
3
10174
4604
00:26
so you walk to one side,
where a team is waiting,
where a team is waiting,
4
14802
2948
00:29
and you all throw your backs into it,
5
17774
1983
00:31
and you pull in turn,
6
19781
2257
00:34
and eventually, the wheel roars to life,
7
22062
2401
00:36
lights begin to flicker,
and the audience cheers,
and the audience cheers,
8
24487
4253
00:40
and you've just activated
Peter Hudson's "Charon,"
Peter Hudson's "Charon,"
9
28764
3049
00:43
one of the world's largest zoetropes.
10
31837
2460
00:47
This is the farthest thing
from marketable art.
from marketable art.
11
35944
3110
00:51
(Laughter)
12
39911
2224
00:54
It's huge, it's dangerous,
13
42159
2499
00:56
it takes a dozen people to run,
and it doesn't go with the sofa.
and it doesn't go with the sofa.
14
44682
3329
01:00
(Laughter)
15
48035
1001
01:01
It's beautifully crafted
and completely useless,
and completely useless,
16
49060
4173
01:05
and it's wonderful.
17
53257
1754
01:08
You're unlikely to see works like "Charon"
in the art-world headlines.
in the art-world headlines.
18
56480
3753
01:12
These days, the buying
and selling of artwork
and selling of artwork
19
60900
2390
01:15
often gets more attention
than the works themselves.
than the works themselves.
20
63314
2753
01:18
In the last year, a Jean-Michel Basquiat
sold for 110 million dollars,
sold for 110 million dollars,
21
66988
4730
01:23
the highest price ever achieved
for the work of an American artist,
for the work of an American artist,
22
71742
3858
01:27
and a painting by Leonardo da Vinci
sold for 450 million,
sold for 450 million,
23
75624
4140
01:31
setting a new auction record.
24
79788
1891
01:35
Still, these are big, important artists,
25
83223
3761
01:39
but still, when you look at these works
and you look at the headlines,
and you look at the headlines,
26
87008
3880
01:42
you have to ask yourself,
27
90912
2261
01:45
"Do I care about these
because they move me,
because they move me,
28
93197
3254
01:48
or do I care about them
because they're expensive
because they're expensive
29
96475
2630
01:51
and I think they're supposed to?"
30
99129
1644
01:53
In our contemporary world, it can be hard
to separate those two things.
to separate those two things.
31
101883
3841
01:59
But what if we tried?
32
107700
1381
02:02
What if we redefined art's value --
33
110232
2869
02:05
not by its price tag,
34
113125
1334
02:06
but by the emotional connection it creates
between the artist and the audience,
between the artist and the audience,
35
114483
4799
02:11
or the benefits it gives our society,
36
119306
2929
02:14
or the fulfillment it gives
the artists themselves?
the artists themselves?
37
122259
2866
02:19
This is Nevada's Black Rock Desert,
38
127951
2373
02:22
about as far as you can get
from the galleries of New York
from the galleries of New York
39
130348
3032
02:25
and London and Hong Kong.
40
133404
2231
02:27
And here, for just about
30 years, at Burning Man,
30 years, at Burning Man,
41
135659
3825
02:31
a movement has been forming
that does exactly that.
that does exactly that.
42
139508
3024
02:35
Since its early anarchist years,
Burning Man has grown up.
Burning Man has grown up.
43
143353
3596
02:38
Today, it's more of an experiment
in collective dreaming.
in collective dreaming.
44
146973
3094
02:42
It's a year-round community,
and every August, for a single week,
and every August, for a single week,
45
150943
4031
02:46
70,000 people power down their technology
and pilgrimage out into the desert
and pilgrimage out into the desert
46
154998
5433
02:52
to build an anti-consumerist society
47
160455
2090
02:54
outside the bounds
of their everyday lives.
of their everyday lives.
48
162569
2491
02:57
The conditions are brutal.
49
165505
1769
02:59
Strangers will hug you,
50
167813
1572
03:01
and every year, you will swear
it was better the last,
it was better the last,
51
169409
3743
03:05
but it's still ridiculous
and freeing and alive,
and freeing and alive,
52
173176
4159
03:09
and the art is one thing
that thrives here.
that thrives here.
53
177359
2499
03:14
So this is me
on the desert playa last year
on the desert playa last year
54
182888
3413
03:18
with my brother, obviously hard at work.
55
186325
2576
03:20
(Laughter)
56
188925
1158
03:22
I'd been studying the art
of Burning Man for several years,
of Burning Man for several years,
57
190107
2791
03:24
for an exhibition I curated
at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery,
at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery,
58
192922
4328
03:29
and what fascinates me the most
isn't the quality of the work here,
isn't the quality of the work here,
59
197274
4142
03:33
which is actually rather high,
60
201440
2382
03:35
it's why people come out here
into the desert again and again
into the desert again and again
61
203846
4076
03:39
to get their hands dirty and make
in our increasingly digital age.
in our increasingly digital age.
62
207946
5191
03:45
Because it seems like this gets
to something that's essentially human.
to something that's essentially human.
63
213161
3531
03:50
Really, the entire
encampment of Burning Man
encampment of Burning Man
64
218502
2358
03:52
could be thought of as one giant
interactive art installation
interactive art installation
65
220884
3332
03:56
driven by the participation
of everyone in it.
of everyone in it.
66
224240
2396
03:59
One thing that sets this work aside
from the commercial art world
from the commercial art world
67
227754
3463
04:03
is that anyone who makes work can show it.
68
231241
3048
04:06
These days, around 300 art installations
and countless artistic gestures
and countless artistic gestures
69
234313
4523
04:10
go to the playa.
70
238860
1286
04:12
None of them are sold there.
71
240170
2360
04:14
At the end of the week,
if the works aren't burned,
if the works aren't burned,
72
242554
2724
04:17
artists have to cart them
back out and store them.
back out and store them.
73
245302
3149
04:20
It's a tremendous labor of love.
74
248475
2301
04:24
Though there is certainly
a Burning Man aesthetic,
a Burning Man aesthetic,
75
252905
2409
04:27
pioneered by artists like
Kate Raudenbush and Michael Christian,
Kate Raudenbush and Michael Christian,
76
255338
3515
04:30
much of the distinctive
character of the work here
character of the work here
77
258877
2396
04:33
comes from the desert itself.
78
261297
2097
04:35
For a work to succeed,
79
263418
1524
04:36
it has to be portable enough
to make the journey,
to make the journey,
80
264966
2881
04:39
rugged enough to withstand
the wind and weather and participants,
the wind and weather and participants,
81
267871
4245
04:44
stimulating in daylight and darkness,
82
272140
2313
04:46
and engaging without interpretation.
83
274477
2053
04:50
Encounters with monumental
and intimate works here feel surreal.
and intimate works here feel surreal.
84
278641
4095
04:54
Scale has a tendency to fool the eyes.
85
282760
3088
04:57
What looked enormous in an artist's studio
could get lost on the playa,
could get lost on the playa,
86
285872
3847
05:01
but there are virtually no spatial limits,
87
289743
2645
05:04
so artists can dream
as big as they can build.
as big as they can build.
88
292412
2841
05:08
Some pieces bowl you over by their grace
89
296216
3189
05:11
and others by the sheer audacity
it took to bring them here.
it took to bring them here.
90
299429
3555
05:18
Burning Man's irreverent humor
comes out in pieces
comes out in pieces
91
306490
2873
05:21
like Rebekah Waites' "Church Trap,"
92
309387
2309
05:23
a tiny country chapel set precariously
on a wooden beam, like a mousetrap,
on a wooden beam, like a mousetrap,
93
311720
4356
05:28
that lured participants in
to find religion --
to find religion --
94
316100
2477
05:31
it was built and burned in 2013 ...
95
319593
2769
05:37
while other works,
like Christopher Schardt's "Firmament,"
like Christopher Schardt's "Firmament,"
96
325370
2745
05:40
aim for the sublime.
97
328139
1656
05:41
Here, under a canopy of dancing lights
set to classical music,
set to classical music,
98
329819
4102
05:45
participants could escape
the thumping rave beats
the thumping rave beats
99
333945
2478
05:48
and chaos all around.
100
336447
1706
05:53
At night, the city swarms
with mutant vehicles,
with mutant vehicles,
101
341042
3080
05:56
the only cars allowed to roam the playa.
102
344146
2301
05:59
And if necessity
is the mother of invention,
is the mother of invention,
103
347955
2167
06:02
here, absurdity is its father.
104
350146
1984
06:04
(Laughter)
105
352154
1015
06:05
They zigzag from artwork to artwork
106
353193
2299
06:07
like some bizarre, random
public transportation system,
public transportation system,
107
355516
3428
06:10
pulsing with light and sound.
108
358968
1976
06:13
When artists stop worrying
about critics and collectors
about critics and collectors
109
361814
3130
06:16
and start making work for themselves,
110
364968
2177
06:19
these are the kinds
of marvelous toys they create.
of marvelous toys they create.
111
367169
2980
06:23
And what's amazing is that, by and large,
when people first come to Burning Man,
when people first come to Burning Man,
112
371542
3985
06:27
they don't know how to make this stuff.
113
375551
1904
06:30
It's the active collaborative
maker community there
maker community there
114
378237
2681
06:32
that makes this possible.
115
380942
1620
06:35
Collectives like Five Ton Crane
come together to share skills
come together to share skills
116
383376
3674
06:39
and take on complex projects
a single artist would never even attempt,
a single artist would never even attempt,
117
387074
4217
06:43
from a Gothic rocket ship that appears
ready to take off at any moment
ready to take off at any moment
118
391315
4388
06:47
to a fairytale home inside a giant boot
119
395727
2943
06:50
complete with shelves
full of artist-made books,
full of artist-made books,
120
398694
2699
06:53
a black burnt pie in the oven
121
401417
2054
06:55
and a climbable beanstalk.
122
403495
1802
06:59
Skilled or unskilled, all are welcome.
123
407893
2996
07:02
In fact, part of the charm
and the innovation of the work here
and the innovation of the work here
124
410913
3654
07:06
is that so many makers
aren't artists at all,
aren't artists at all,
125
414591
2809
07:09
but scientists or engineers
126
417424
2452
07:11
or welders or garbage collectors,
127
419900
2763
07:14
and their works cross
disciplinary boundaries,
disciplinary boundaries,
128
422687
2968
07:17
from a grove of origami mushrooms
129
425679
2056
07:19
that developed
out of the design for a yurt
out of the design for a yurt
130
427759
2787
07:22
to a tree that responds
to the voices and biorhythms
to the voices and biorhythms
131
430570
3192
07:25
of all those around it
132
433786
1411
07:27
through 175,000 LEDs
embedded in its leaves.
embedded in its leaves.
133
435221
4476
07:32
In museums, a typical visitor spends
less than 30 seconds with a work of art,
less than 30 seconds with a work of art,
134
440521
5658
07:38
and I often watch people wander
from label to label,
from label to label,
135
446203
3277
07:41
searching for information,
136
449504
1462
07:42
as though the entire story
of a work of art
of a work of art
137
450990
2216
07:45
could be contained
in that one 80-word text.
in that one 80-word text.
138
453230
4099
07:49
But in the desert,
there are no gatekeepers
there are no gatekeepers
139
457353
3127
07:52
and no placards explaining the art,
just natural curiosity.
just natural curiosity.
140
460504
4675
07:57
You see a work on the horizon,
and you ride towards it.
and you ride towards it.
141
465203
3809
08:01
When you arrive, you walk all around it,
142
469036
2556
08:03
you touch it, you test it.
143
471616
2356
08:05
Is it sturdy enough to climb on?
Will I be impaled by it?
Will I be impaled by it?
144
473996
3834
08:09
(Laughter)
145
477854
2033
08:11
Art becomes a place
for extended interaction,
for extended interaction,
146
479911
2762
08:14
and although the display
might be short-lived,
might be short-lived,
147
482697
2649
08:17
the experience stays with you.
148
485370
2112
08:21
Nowhere is that truer at Burning Man
than at the Temple.
than at the Temple.
149
489641
3883
08:25
In 2000, David Best and Jack Haye
built the first Temple,
built the first Temple,
150
493548
3785
08:29
and after a member of their team
was killed tragically in an accident
was killed tragically in an accident
151
497357
3447
08:32
shortly before the event,
152
500828
2136
08:34
the building became a makeshift memorial.
153
502988
2277
08:38
By itself, it's a magnificent
piece of architecture,
piece of architecture,
154
506458
4156
08:42
but the structure is only a shell
until it disappears
until it disappears
155
510638
2968
08:45
under a think blanket of messages.
156
513630
2341
08:48
"I miss you."
157
516790
1539
08:50
"Please forgive me."
158
518353
1150
08:52
"Even a broken crayon still colors."
159
520345
2421
08:55
Intimate testaments to the most
universal of human experiences,
universal of human experiences,
160
523701
4149
08:59
the experience of loss.
161
527874
1825
09:03
The collective emotion in this place
is overpowering and indescribable,
is overpowering and indescribable,
162
531312
5856
09:09
before it's set afire
on the last night of the event.
on the last night of the event.
163
537192
3507
09:17
Every year, something compels people
from all different walks of life,
from all different walks of life,
164
545025
5861
09:22
from all over the world,
165
550910
1925
09:24
to go out into the desert and make art
166
552859
3048
09:27
when there is no money in it.
167
555931
1745
09:30
The work's not always refined,
168
558997
2114
09:33
it's not always viable,
169
561135
1461
09:34
it's not even always good,
170
562620
2449
09:37
but it's authentic and optimistic
in a way we rarely see anywhere else.
in a way we rarely see anywhere else.
171
565093
4825
09:43
In these cynical times,
172
571537
2515
09:46
it's comforting to know that we're still
capable of great feats of imagination,
capable of great feats of imagination,
173
574076
5809
09:51
and that when we search for connection,
174
579909
2666
09:54
we come together and build
cathedrals in the dust.
cathedrals in the dust.
175
582599
3143
09:58
Forget the price tags.
176
586958
1889
10:00
Forget the big names.
177
588871
1942
10:02
What is art for in our contemporary
world if not this?
world if not this?
178
590837
3621
10:08
Thank you.
179
596081
1151
10:09
(Applause)
180
597256
7000
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nora Atkinson - Craft curatorNora Atkinson is a craft curator, a humanist and a romantic -- as she says, "I can’t believe I get to do what I do for a living."
Why you should listen
Nora Atkinson is the Lloyd Herman Curator of Craft Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum Washington, D.C. As she writes, "I was born and raised in the Northwest, and I find my perspective heavily influenced by its laid-back, pioneering spirit. After earning my MA from the University of Washington, I intended to curate art, but fell into the unusual specialty of craft, which appeals to me as a way of living differently in the modern world that tells us something about being human; I continue to be fascinated by the place of the handmade in our increasingly digital age.
"In 2014, after eight years at Bellevue Arts Museum, I moved to DC to join the Renwick Gallery. I attended my first Burning Man in 2017 as research for my exhibition 'No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man,' which explores the event as a creative laboratory and one of the most important cultural movements of our time. As a curator, I tell stories through objects, and I want to teach people to approach the world with curious eyes and find the magic around them. My work is as much about inspiring people as transmitting knowledge."
Nora Atkinson | Speaker | TED.com