Burning Flipside Art News

Austin, Texas -- At Burning Flipside, our effigies vary a great deal each year. With Texas's seemingly endless drought, we are faced with the issue of how to plan for the future and what to do if we cannot burn as was almost the case this year. The Combustion Chamber has created the following survey to gather community feedback on what is important about effigies.

Click to give Effigy feedback... Thank you for your time!

Pyropolis, TX (by Patrick Foye, Web Content Team) - Relaxing inside Candyland around dusk, I noticed a cloaked figure walking the street in the coming darkness. A small object crept behind, edging its way to their shuffling feet. They turned and with that came a burst of yellow flame. "Whoa!" and a jump was all they could muster. Rightfully so: No one expects Poofy, a small remote controlled vehicle, to produce a big flame, illuminating excited faces in the night.

Austin, Texas (by Dick Towers, Web Content Team) -- When I first started helping with Ouroboros, the Flipside CORE project, it seemed like there was enough momentum from DaFT members that we would be half way done with the build in the first week. I then realized that an effigy of this size is more complex than the little model on display in the warehouse. It's taken the work of many more volunteers to get this far and will still need the community's help to succeed.

Editor's Note: My North Texas reporter, Mumbles P., finally caught up with Simple Civilian just before Flipside. Here is his report, with information on how you can help Simple's next project. --Kit

Addison and Pyropolis, TX (by Mumbles Prometheus, Web Content Team) -- The walls of the apartment were draped with what looked like drop cloths, splattered in a chaotic array of colors and patterns. The aesthetic was somewhere between Jackson Pollock and the tagged up side of a building. On the stub of wall above the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room was a printed out banner that read in large letters "Civilian Safety Zone."

Austin, TX (by Dick Towers, Web Content Team) -- Burning Man 2011 will be home to a massive art project made up of 23 "small" effigies encircling the Man in a giant ring. The “Circle Of Regional Effigies” (also known as CORE) is comprised of wooden sculptures built by different regional burn crews from places all around North America and even one from Ireland! On Thursday night they are all simultaneously set ablaze in what has been described as the largest intentionally set fire outside of war.

Richland Hills, Texas (Mumbles Prometheus, Web Content Team) -- This one was going to be completely different from the last one; that much was immediately clear. I pulled my small car up along the curb along a quiet backstreet not far from where highways 280 and 121 cross, a bit north-east of Fort Worth. Matt, my photographer, rode shotgun while his camera bag sat in back.

Pyropolis, Texas (by Krahnik Blis, Art Area Facilitator, & Sharrianna Arkell, Parks Dept Lead) -- The Parks Department released a last minute call for art to be placed along the river walk, where several spaces are still available. They are also looking for theme camps to participate in their Open Camp Tours, musicians and others to perform on their three stages, and are hosting some exciting events this year.

McKinney, Texas (by Mumbles Prometheus, Web Content Team) -- "It's too early in the day for this kind of inanity," I muttered to myself as I stood squinting in the harsh mid-day Texas sun. In front of me, like something out of a tortured childhood fever dream, loomed a Tyrannosaurus Rex. We were way out north of town in McKinney, next to a cemetery. We'd been sent out here to interview an artist, that much was incontestable, but beyond that I couldn't be sure what to expect. I had a suspicion there'd been some misfiring in the communication between my editor, the artist, and myself in the run up to the assignment. But I couldn't confirm or deny anything at this point.

Austin, Texas -- Have you been interested in learning to do some metal work? Do you like making interactive cacophony sculpture art? Then Texas Art Garden has a workshop for you! This Saturday from 11am to 3pm join talented artist Paije and learn to make a "musical/sound" instrument from scrap metal. Participants will be encouraged to bring their creations to this year's Burning Flipside! Visit the event listing on our calendar for more information or register today. This class is limited to just 9 students!

Austin, Texas (by crispy burner, Web Content Team) -- It was a good day in early April for me to visit the "Tub of a Car" art vehicle project of Kaleb, Sarah and Jim M. for the final time. At this point in the project, over $3000 and months of time have been invested to produce this one-of-a-kind art tub car. So much work has been accomplished since my last article, during which time the project received a grant from Texas Art Garden.