Effigy Proposal
From Pyropopedia
Texas Tango
This is an excerpt of the original proposal submitted in... when was it? January? i cranked it out in 2 weeks after the submitter i was helping bowed out and decided to make his design a smaller personal project. Much has changed, but this gets you a solid idea of the roots. i'll try to get the original sketches uploaded...
• Submitter Bio: I am a 32-year-old recently laid-off burner with a desire to create and participate. I’ve participated in 6 Flipsides, 2 Burning Mans, and 2 Myschievias, with my main notable relevant experience as being a worker bee on the 2009 Fire of Fires Burning Man temple project. Additionally, I had been working toward becoming a project manager when I was laid off, so I have some familiarity with processes around planning and managing. Should this proposal be accepted, and as long as my funds and situation support my food and rent expenses, I do not plan to re-enter the workforce until after Flipside – thus affording me maximum opportunity to focus on this project. Should another proposal be selected, I intend to contribute as part of DaFT while seeking employment.
• Proposed Effigy Overview: (see fig. A) 2 figures, built similarly to BRC’s Man, leaning toward each other in dance, with arms raised in celebratory pose. They stand on a platform that is raised above the ground. The structure is flanked by a star-shaped derrick structure that is used to lift the effigy into place. This serves as an archway or frame, reminiscent of Prom photo booths.
o Dimensions: The effigy itself is 25’ tall (28’ including the platform/stage). If the derricks are included, total height is 32’. Width with derricks would be immense – 62’ across outside bases. Stage alone is approximately 32’ (this is a simple deck that covers anchoring structures and doubles as a stage for performance). Depth with derricks is 15’, or 11’ without. Note: since proposal, size has been reduced
o Structure: though large, it is not extremely massive. The effigy is a simple structural skeleton, with 2x2 crosspieces supporting plywood rings, over which black recycled wood is stripped. Ends of the recycled wood will be broken, not cut, adding to the gnarly post-apocalyptic feel. The derricks large and tall, but only what is structurally necessary to support as a lifting support to raise the effigy. The idea is to minimize reliance on heavy equipment rentals. Note: derricks will not lift anything
o Color and lighting: I would like to white-wash all skeleton/ring structure, and stain or paint black the recycled stringers. If internal lighting can be used (environmental concern – it could not be removed prior to burn), this effect would be enhanced. If the derricks are used, they would serve as support for several floodlights. Note: no white painting; black will be charred on instead of painted
o Community interactivity: the performance space would naturally serve as communal interaction. The derricks would each have 1-2 small decks on which to climb (which could also serve as “punch-bowl” or “photo booth” locations to tie in the theme). Smaller projects would be outsourced to the community – the corsage, boutonniere, and bowtie, for example. Note: adding manual-activation flamethrowers, stripper poles, bass bull, etc
• Inspiration: Burner Prom – quite simply, this brings the concepts of the event and the theme together in a human, graceful, and meaningful effigy. In its structure, we embrace our roots (the Big Burn) by constructing the figures similarly to The Man. But not bowing to the simple, symmetric skeleton of Black Rock. We have 2 figures (Prom is a notoriously a couple’s thing, and we’re not only about the Burning Men), leaning rhythmically toward each other, in a celebratory embrace of dance via a Tango pose over the functional stage and dance floor. To illustrate “Apocalypse,” we invoke a structure that is functional (construction systems/tools are built into the model), recycled (we’ll use dirty, grungy recycled materials for fascia and non-structural portions, and a grenade-shaped disco ball), and stylized (we have better things to worry about post-apocalypse than perfect edges).
• Project Management: I’ll establish a circle of leads to each manage a portion of the project independently, and I will supply the framework, deadlines, and milestones for each team.
Return to TexasTango.
