Experiencing Burning Man in Virtual Reality
The Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery's latest exhibition, "No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man", is a facility-wide show featuring sculptures, art, photographs, videos, costumes, and jewelry created for the infamous Burning Man festival, which takes place every year in the Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada. Museum visitors and festival fans wanting a first-hand experience of the gathering need not travel to the Silver State: The virtual reality (VR) Android Jones Deep Playa Experience, by artist Android Jones and his immersive media company, Vision Agency, allows users to "walk" straight onto the desert and "see" what the hype is all about.
Situated on the first floor of the gallery, the two open honeycomb chambers made of aluminum and wood measure approximately 8 feet in height, and provide a defined space for visitors to turn and walk in while interacting with the digital experience.
How did the project come about?
I’ve been going to Burning Man every year since 2003, and the last three or four years we’ve brought 60-foot dome art galleries. The last two years we had a 24-minute, 360-degree show in the dome.
What components of the temporary Burning Man city did you include in the virtual architecture?
Out of respect for the intellectual property of different artists, only a few pieces are direct one-to-one Burning Man pieces, most of which I’ve worked on, such as the Space Whale. I was also part of the team that made Abraxas, the golden dragon art car. A lot of the pieces are homages to things I’ve seen.
What happens after "No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man?" Will the experience be available on other platforms for more people to see?
We are having conversations right now. This is the first time Burning Man organizers have given permission for anyone to make a Burning Man VR experience, so it will be based on [the organizers'] reactions and how people feel about it.
"No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man" is on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery until Jan. 21, 2019.
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