Radical Self-expression
A Call to Express Our Innermost Selves
While it’s absolutely true that Burners change the world through self-expression, Radical Self-expression brings into play another definition of radical — expressing that which is innate within ourselves.
Art No Matter What
Thanks to a small group of generous donors, we were able to give close to $1 million in Honoraria art grants to 62 artists from eight countries and 14 US states, allowing them to build their art anywhere on the planet.
“It helped me out a lot. It was the first art grant that I’d ever received and it really helped to facilitate us to start working on ‘The Solar Shrine’ for Black Rock City as well as local events and Regional Burns. The community really came together. We had some challenges… but we stayed focused and stayed committed.”
~ Antwane Lee, 2021 Honoraria artist, “The Solar Shrine Project”
“This slow build—which is unlike any other Burning Man build I’ve ever experienced — has offered us a therapeutic process to focus on, and specifically the time for me to go deep into exploring the materials I’m working with. Receiving the grant money allowed us to hold onto our space and to purchase wood, the cost of which had risen dramatically.”
– Julia Nelson-Gal, 2021 Honoraria artist, “Unbound”
World-hopping at Virtual Burn
During Burn Week 2021, tens of thousands of Burners from around the globe connected across six wildly creative and independently produced Virtual Burn Worlds to play in the digital dust.
“In the online world, Radical Self-expression is made possible for a whole bunch of amazing and brilliant artists who have been working in online mediums and technologies that haven’t had a forum in our usual dusty but wonderful, away world.”
– Steven Raspa (Burning Man LIVE podcast, Episode 37)
“What a whirlwind of a week at SparkleVerse!! I danced A LOT — at the Ecstatic Dance Camp, did bachata at a Camp Languages, twerking at Camp Co-Reality, went on a guided dance journey… splashed around in my bath at the hot tub party, and debated philosophy at Camp Corporation Chaos… Felt like I had a retreat without leaving the house and my heart was full by the end!”
~ Iona McNeil, SparkleVerse participant and co-creator