“If winds are the spirit of the sky’s ocean, the clouds are the texture. Their is easily the most uninhibited dominion of the earth. Nothing in physical shape is too fantastic for them. They can be round as apples or as fine as string, as dense as a jungle, as wispy as a whiff of down, as mild as puddle water or as potent as the belch of a volcano. Some are thunderous anvils formed by violent up drafts from the warm earth. Some are ragged coattails of storms that have passed. Some are stagnant blankets of warm air resting on cold. I have seen clouds in the dawn that looked like a pink Sultan with his pale harem maidens and a yellow slob of eunuch lolling impotent in the background.”

– Guy Murchie (Song of the Sky)

We’re pleased to announce the second event in our new lecture series, Elemental Interactions. In appreciation of our members and donors, we’ve designed these informal evenings to explore topics of art, science and civic participation. Enjoy demos, talks and performances at the eclectic Burning Man headquarters! Our first event, FIRE!, was an incredibly enjoyable evening for all, full of captivating speakers and entertaining demonstrations, as well as opportunities to meet and connect with our members and donors.

Elemental Interactions: AIR! will be at 6:30pm on Thursday, June 12, 2008 and will explore the the nature and qualities of air. The event will feature these exciting guests:

Kinetic sculptor, David Boyers www.boyersculpture.com

David’s work has been exhibited in public settings throughout Nevada and at last year’s Burning Man event. His creative process is one of experimentation and discovery, working with many moving pieces and complex sculptural elements to create an artwork that comes to life in the desert winds.

A Nevada resident and desert explorer , David draws inspiration from the textures and colors of weathered, aged metals, and often uses found metal scraps in the construction of his works.

David Boyers with his sculpture, Bonsai

MacArthur Fellow Ned Kahn nedkahn.com

An artist from Northern California, Kahn replicates the forms and forces of nature. Happening across his work can be a stupefying experience since typically invisible or unobservable forces are felt as immediate, bodily experiences, as natural effects, which are only later discovered to have been artificially constructed. The planet’s complex, random and aleatory perturbations become manifested visually, tactilely and acoustically in his work. At times he re-creates environmental conditions in controlled settings, and at other times, he lets nature animate his works. Across the breadth of his work, the artist expertly choreographs natural phenomena. Kahn combines science, art and technology to integrate natural, human, and artificial systems, and his specific works emphasise natural elements, such as water, fire, wind and sand; how these behave independently, and how they interact.

Ned Kahn’s Technorama Facade at the Swiss Science Center, Winterthur, Switzerland

Black Rock City Airport aviator, Lissa Shoun, A.K.A. Tiger Tiger, who will tell us about the operations, history and community of people who make up BRC International Airport.

Sitting on the perimeter of Black Rock City, the Black Rock City International Airport remains to be one of the most intriguing communities to rise from the desert. Flying at nearly 4,000 feet above sea level, with thin, hot air, 50 mile an hour winds, and the danger of dust storms ever present, it is a challenging landing for even seasoned pilots. As the number of flights in increase each year an amazing and dedicated group of volunteers keep the city and airport safe, while nurturing one of the most eclectic interesting extended families in Black Rock City. The beating heart at the center is Airport Manager, Lissa Shoun, AKA Tiger Tiger. A pilot who has flown into Black Rock City since 1996, Tiger Tiger has been managing the airport since 1997 with the help from a core team of dedicated volunteers. Lissa will tell us about the history and operations of one of the worlds most unusual airports.

Read more about BRC International Airport in  Air & Space Magazine’s August 2007 article. or visit Burning Man’s page about the airport.

Black Rock City Airport 2006, photo credit Foam

Demonstrations and exhibits by Wizzard (a.k.a. Bob Marzewski) wizzard.com

Wizzard (a.k.a. Bob Marzewski) is a 10 year burner and 9 year playa artist. Prior to moving to Silicon Valley in 1994, Bob was taught physics and other sciences for 15 in Australia, Michigan and Colorado. As a teacher, he adopted a unique, engaging program in which his students learned to perform scripted shows that included exciting, flashy chemistry & physics demonstrations that they would then perform for local 1st-6th grade students. He called these shows the “Mr. Wizard Shows”, in honor of the Don Herbert TV shows that inspired Bob as a child, and Mr Wizard soon became his nickname. As an entrepreneur during the dot com days, he registered

wizzard.com (wizard.com having already been taken),  formalizing the nickname (and spelling) to the point where most of his acquaintances soon knew Bob only as Wizzard.

Wizzard’s Burning Man projects include Wizzard da Vinci (2000), Wizzard Oasis (2000-2003), …a place to stand… (2003), Pagoda of Infinite Reflection (2004), and Intelligent Design (2006), and THE END (2008).

Wizzard

BRAF members and donors come for free! We want to meet you again and show our appreciation for your support. Stay tuned for our next Elemental Interaction in September:  EARTH.

Feel free to spread the word as anyone is welcome to attend– a donation of $10.00 is suggested for non-members. If you know anyone who wants to become a BRAF member, this is a great opportunity to make this event the first of many enjoyable benefits. Please ask them to contact info @blackrockarts.org, call (415) 626-1248, or visit www.blackrockarts.org/participate for details about joining our community.