Desert Siteworks

Desert Siteworks was an event held on the Black Rock Desert for three years (1992-1994).[1][2][3] Participants built art and participated in self-directed performances.

History

In 1992, Desert Siteworks was conceived and directed by William Binzen. Desert Siteworks was held at Black Rock Springs with about 20 participants over the summer solstice.[3][4]

Binzen's "Desert House" was created for Desert Siteworks and in 1992[5] appeared at Burning Man on the Black Rock Desert playa as a gathering place, which predated Center Camp.[6]

In 1993, Binzen and Judy West co-produced the event at Trego Hot Springs, with about 100 participants.[7]

In mid-summer 1993, Pepe Ozan first built a Lingam at Desert Siteworks out of local clay at Trego. Ozan returned in August 1993 to build a larger one at Burning Man on the main playa and designed a ritual to go around the Lingam.[8]

In 1994, the event was held over the summer solstice[1][9] at Bordello Hot Springs, also known as Frog Pond at Garrett Ranch.[10] Included was Paul Windsor's sand drawing titled "Celtic Endless Knot".[11]

Impact

Some key organizers of Burning Man were also part of Desert Siteworks (John Law, Michael Mikel) and William Binzen was a friend of Larry Harvey. Hence, the two events saw much cross-pollination of ideas and participants. [12] Many of the principles developed at Desert Siteworks (such as Leave-No-Trace)[13] were adopted by Burning Man.[9][2]

In August 1994, at SOMAR Gallery in San Francisco, Adrienne Fuzee curated[14] a show called "Primal Edge" that featured works from Desert Siteworks and Burning Man. The event was billed as a "collaborative urban experience" that featured "art installations, music, dance, projections and participator events."[15]

In 2016, all of Binzen's Desert Siteworks sourcebooks, artist's notes and work prints became part of the historical archives at the Center for Art + Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art.[5]

References
  1. Doherty, Brian (July 2006). This Is Burning Man. Benbella Books. ISBN 978-1-932100-86-0. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  2. Zack, Jessica (2016-07-12). "Photographer turned Burning Man on to art". SF Gate. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  3. Larson, Vicki (2016-06-22). "Woodacre photographer captures Burning Man's 'missing chapter'". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  4. Kane, Jenny (2016-08-31). " "Emergent Amazement". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. C2. Retrieved 2018-10-17 – via Newspapers.com. icon of an open green padlock
  5. "William Binzen: Desert Siteworks, Collection CAE1503" (PDF). Nevada Museum of Art. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  6. Raenell, Katrina (2014-08-28). "Burning Man art: out of the dust, in to communities". Reno Gazette Journal. Retrieved 2018-10-17 – via Newspapers.com. William Binzen's "Desert House," created for the project Desert Siteworks, was the first structure-into-sculpture to be used as the central gathering place, prefiguring Center Camp. It was also the first architectonic sculpture besides the Man to be erected on the playa. icon of an open green padlock
  7. "Light Fantastic: the culture and craft of neon lighting and its remaining masters". Kodachrome Magazine. No. 3. 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  8. "Desert Siteworks at Trego Hotsprings in 1993". Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  9. Mathieu, Kevin (2013-03-28). "Desert Site Works". Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  10. Historical Quadrangle Maps, Quadrangle 3-11 (Map). Nevada Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  11. "Life & Culture Capturing the Artistic Experiment that Inspired Burning Man". Another Man. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  12. Olivier, Bonin (March 2009). "Dust & Illusions. Documentary on 30 Years of Burning Man history". William Binzen was extensively interviewed for the film, with cross-references from Burning Man organizations' co-founders.
  13. Burkes, Summer (2016-07-27). "Essential Burning Man History: William Binzen & John Law talk Desert Siteworks Fri. July 29". Burning Man. Retrieved 2018-10-25. "An Unintelligible Passionate Yearning Drove Them Out Into The Desert" by John Law ... The Cacophony custom of "leave no trace" and culture of encouraging extreme and intense, collaborative "real world" experience was a perfect complement to Binzen's ideas and the aesthetic sensibilities of the other DSW artists.
  14. "Remembering Adrienne Fuzee". 2014-06-14. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  15. "Postcard for Primal Edge, August 4-5, 1994, SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco". Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  • williambinzen.com - photos from the 1992-1994 events
  • Video: "Desert Siteworks in Black Rock Desert, Nevada", "1994 Site Installations, Ritual performances Director, William Binzen Coordinator, Judy West" (Note: The YouTube video was incorrectly dated by Judy West. The video footage is actually from Trego in 1993.)
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