Saturday, September 27, 2008

Elemental Interactions - Earth

Don't miss the third 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 events, FIRE! and AIR!, were incredibly enjoyable evenings for all, full of captivating speakers and entertaining demonstrations, as well as opportunities to meet and connect with our members and donors. Join us for Elemental Interactions: EARTH!
Thursday,
October 2, at 6:30 pm
Burning Man/BRAF Headquarters
1900 3rd StreetSan Francisco, Ca 94158

And if you cannot attend, jjoin us on the webcast!
Click this link:
http://tinyurl.com/4j5kvq

Elemental Interactions: EARTH! will explore the qualities of the earth as inspiration for art and action.
The event will feature these exciting guests:

Hosted by Larry Harvey
In 1986, Larry organized the first Burning Man at a local beach, and the event was born. Larry is currently executive director of the Burning Man Project and the President of the Board of the Black Rock Arts Foundation. He also serves as chairman of Burning Man's senior staff and Black Rock City LLC, its executive committee, co-chairs the organization's Art Department, scripts and co-curates Burning Man's annual art theme, and collaborates with artists in creating aspects of the art theme and the design of Black Rock City.
Screen shot from Burning Man Earth

Artist and Burning Man Earth Developer, Andrew Johnstone, http://www.adjohnstone.com/ At Burning Man, we strive to 'leave no trace" upon the playa, but when it comes to leaving our historical record, we owe history an accurate record as possible of the event that has come to mean so much to us. Burning Man Earth will attempt to archive the event "in amber" by employing a banquet of various geo tagged media and information, from maps, photos and video, to exotics such as gigapan, gps tracks, 3d models, hi res aerial and even soundscapes. It can further be employed as a framework to a geo referenced social network and participant planning tool.

Kevin Drew and Shawn Rosenmoss, Compost Gurus from the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

Kevin Drew has been working in resource conservation and community organizing in SF for 3 decades. He helped start the Red Vic Movie House, Building Resources and the Presidio Recycling Center, managed HANC Recycling in Golden Gate Park and coordinated the deconstruction and salvage of 200,000 board feet of old growth lumber from Army buildings at Crissy Field in the Presidio. He is currently Residential and Special Projects Zero Waste Coordinator at San Francisco's Department of Environment.

Shawn Rosenmoss has a degree in engineering from LSU and has extensive background in circus arts, engineering, street performance and grant writing and making. She has displayed her peculiar brand of snarky attitude and waxes pedantic at numerous workplaces, cafes, schools and public spaces in San Francisco for 2 dozen years. Shawn is currently Manager of Grants and Fundraising at the EcoCenter at the San Francisco's Department of Environment.

The SF Department of the Environment is a major funder of BRAF's Scrapeden program.


Sculpture by Osha Neumann
Attorney and Artist, Osha Neumann
Osha Neumann is a sculptor, muralist, writer and a lawyer. In the 1960's, Osha was a key player in the New York's famous anarchist affinity group, 'Up Against the Wall Motherf**kers'. His memoir of this time of his life, 'Up Against the Wall otherf**ker' was published by Seven Story Press.Later he moved to San Francisco was inspired by the city's many murals. Osha painted murals practiced law in the East Bay for the next 30 years. He became well-known for his 'Lawyer in a Box' booth at Berkeley's weekly Ashby Flea Market, where he offers very cheap 30 minute consultations.He focused much of his legal work on advocating for the homeless, and through the representation of one of his clients, Jimbow the Hobo, he became acquainted with the many residents of the Albany Landfill, or 'The Bulb', where Jimbow lived for 8 years before he faced eviction. Over the years the Albany Landfill, essentially a dump, has become the home of many who cannot or choose not to live in traditional housing. The land has also transformed into a haven for artists, as well as into a venue for their artwork, who use found-object and reclaimed materials in their art. Since 1999, Osha has worked alongside the 'SNIFF' artists, a collective responsible for much of the art at the Bulb, in the creation of numerous sculptures using only materials he's found at the landfill. Osha has written numerous articles about the landfill, its art, and the continuing struggle to shape its future.


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 February: WATER!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 Memberships at BRAF for details about joining our community.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Mangrove - more photos





Here are some more fabulous photos from the Mangrove installation.
The night photos are courtesy of Rob Simpson and the close up of Refoliation by Jessica Reeder and Jennifer Forbes is a photo from our very own pokiedot.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Music in the Mangrove





This Sunday Lenny Raymond from "Lenny Camp" sang songs, played the guitar and generally entertained a crowd in downtown Reno hanging out at the Mangrove.

It was a beautiful day along the Truckee River. This was the first gathering and we're hoping to get musicians and entertainers to perform on Sundays while the Mangrove is installed.

Contact me if you are an individual or group interested in performing on Sundays between 2-5. Thanks!

Maria Partridge
http://www.partridgedesign.net/
Studio 775.742.1602
Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) ~ Civic Art
http://www.blackrockarts.org/




Monday, September 15, 2008

The Mangrove Opening #2










Here are some great photos of the Mangrove Reception from Mark Hammon!

photos Mark Hammon
Thanks Mark for generourly sharing them with the blog.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

The Mangrove Opening











We had a great time at the Mangrove Opening.

First exhibited at Burning Man 2007, The Mangrove is an eclectic collection of artworks sculpted by different artist or artist collectives. Each work offers a different lesson, rendered with exquisite craft and detail, in how discarded materials can be reused to create beauty out of 'trash'.

The works now grace the bank of the Truckee River in downtown Reno, Nevada, on the corner of Sierra Street and Island Avenue. This lot is now transformed into an interactive art grove as of September 6, 2008, and remains on display, free to the public, until December 13, 2008.

BRAF extends our sincerest thanks to the The Freight House District, LLC, the City of Reno, United Rentals, Fernley Electric and Peppermill Hotel Casino Reno and the Sierra Arts Foundation for their support of this project.

photos affinity & MonkeyBoy

Fire at the Detroit Dream Project - Temple



Hello and Greetings, We are sad to tell you that someone set fire to the Detroit Dream Projects –Temple to the American Dream on September 2. The Temple is still standing but has sustained some damage.

Around 9pm that evening a guy was in the park and it appears he may have thrown an accelerant on the back post and set it on fire.

Some locals from the neighborhood saw what happened and quickly hosed the Temple down and from what I am told the neighbors let this guy know in no uncertain terms that he is not welcome back in the area!

We are all very appreciative and in debt to these Good Samaritans!

At this time we are determining what action needs to be taken to repair the damage and may need some assistance i.e. some good old fashioned community elbow grease and general support once a plan of action has been made.

We are obviously very disappointed by this unfortunate situation, but like the Phoenix from the Ashes we will regenerate and rebuild. Did you know our logo is the Phoenix rising over the city of Detroit?

And that is what we plan to do this coming Sunday, September 14, 2008 at the Temple site located at 17363 Redford Street, Detroit Michigan, next to the Motor City Blight Busters Head Quarters from 12 noon til after dark so we can get some fire performing in hopefully!

We will be hosting an informal workday and potluck fundraiser that day to help assist us in repairing the damage to the back post of the structure.

Won’t you come out?!

Your presence and support would be very appreciated! If you can come out to help or just enjoy the day with us at the site we would be very happy to have the company! Any help will be put to good use! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me (313.608.4580) or any member of SPARC through the website. Thank you on behalf of SPARC and the Detroit Dream Project!

Danielle Kaltz (~doxie)\

The Black Rock Arts Foundation would like to thank Doxie for all of her work in gathering both the local Burning Man Community and other local people who have been dedicated to making the Detroit Dream Project thrive, and SPARC and to the Motor City Blight Busters for all of their help and support in helping repair the Temple. I made a donation this morning and I hope you will too!

Financial Donations:


Please be sure to specify "Detroit Temple" in the COMMENTS area.

In-kind Donations:


All contributions (including equipment and monetary donations), may beconsidered tax deductible contributions and would be greatlyappreciated. Contribute to the Detroit Dream Project and help make alasting impact on the landscape and spirit of this community.

Monday, September 01, 2008

ScrapEden @ Burning Man 2008







Did you come by to visit us in our American Dream backyard. We created flags with words and arranged the words to create sentences, created and left a new word or took a word as a gift. The visual effect was a poetic combination of clotheslines, prayer flags and quilts, with a dash of magnetic poetry.