WAFDust Podcast

2022 was the year that Afrofuturism arrived at Burning Man in the shape of  architect Antwane Lee's "The Solar Shrine" - a piece inspired by his interest in Egyptology, African history and community. Though conceived prior to the launch of Burning Man Organisation's R.I.D.E. initiative -  to attract more people of colour to the event,  the project was one of several created by Black artists attending the week long gathering for the first time.We caught up with Antwane to find out more about his first Playa burn.

In the world of Burning Man what should a museum represent? How should it entice the audience into experience the art, and how different will it be from other museums? One project that will answer some of these questions is the Museum of No Spectators. It started as a virtual project, and will be one of a few pieces from the virtual burn that will be built for Burning Man 2022.We chat with Absinthia, co-lead of the project to find out how the experience will offer participants a chance to take centre stage at the museum.

In WAFDust podcast #23 we chat with Kirsten Berg about  her third Burning Man honoraria award to create Drishti , which will be unveiled at the 2022 event.Her work has  graced the hallowed rooms of the Smithsonian, the National Museum of Singapore, the San Francisco Exploratorium and of course Black Rock Desert.Kirsten says her art is influenced by her yoga practice, and Drishti is the physical manifestation of a vision.

In WAFDust podcast #22 we chat with multi-disciplinary artist Luke Jerram, about "New Beginnings", the latest addition to our  exhibition at Ashton Court in Bristol. New Beginnings is the first in a series of coin sculptures to be made by Luke which are animated and completed by members of the public. Some sculptures will be temporary, whilst others, will be permanent, creating a slowly changing landmark in the landscape, a destination and focus for public discussion.The giant wooden seed sculpture is proving to be very popular, as members of the public are invited to make a wish, as they hammer coins into the piece.

In WAFDust podcast #21, we explore what it's like to be a newbie on the Playa, by chatting with Psychologist  Annabelle Redfern who went to Burning Man for the first time in 2019.Her clinical assessment is both a reminder of every Burners' first time, as well as a self-help guide for those planning to make the pilgrimage  whenever the event is next held.This is also a question that comes up often in our  Clubhouse chats. Don't miss our monthly dispatch by subscribing to WAFDust where ever you get your podcasts.

In WAFDust podcast #20 we finally install Trasparenza by Andrea Greenlees,  the penultimate piece in our inaugural exhibition at Ashton Court in Bristol. The process took two days, and a team of burners braved sun, wind and rain to place the acrylic monument next to the Rose Garden.Trasparenza was first built for Burning Man 2016 and joins "Bristol Boo" by Paige Tashner, "Zlatico" by Cjay Roughgarden, and "Ohm Boy" by Hugo Farmer. All the pieces will be on public display in Bristol for the next 12 months.Andrea talks about her inspiration for the piece, and hints about the trails and tribulations of creating and transporting big art for an event in America, while living here in the UK.

In WAFDust podcast #19 we gaze through the lens of photographer NK Guy, and check out his book the "Art of Burning Man, a project that took 16-years to complete.NK Guy chats about building relationships with artists, having a photograph featured at the Smithsonian, and how Burning Man made him a photographer.

In WAFDust podcast #18 we check-in on the Burner community in the Netherlands with Bart Grob, & Ilana Sandelowsky.They give us the lowdown on Burning Man Netherlands, the Art Jump grant programme used to fund artist's with transportation costs, and plans to showcase the science behind Burning Man art at Leiden 2022 - part of the European City of Culture.

In WAFDust podcast #17, Katie Eldridge is in conversation with Aaron Taylor Kuffner, creator of Gamelatron, sound producing kinetic sculptures.Aaron explains how he took inspiration from Indonesia’s Gamelan, a thousand-year-old sonic tradition, to compose unique digital sonic immersive experiences, that have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, and Burning Man amongst other places around the world.

In WAFDust podcast #16 we chat with Erin Douglas, creator of the Black Burner Project about her experiences as a person of colour at Burning Man.She explains the inspiration behind the project, how a visit to Black Rock City can change lives, and her determination to document the event in a way that shows it is a safe place for her community.

We Are From Dust was inspired by the amazing big art pieces exhibited by artists at Burning Man over the many years. In this episode we delve into the aims and aspirations of three artists to find out How Big Art Inspires and Changes Humanity, and hosted a panel discussion with Kate Raudenbush, Michael Christian and Aaron Taylor Kuffner. While it may sound a little 'tongue in cheek' we wanted to know whether size really matters?

We Are From Dust 2020 Year Review. Organisation lead Will Chase joins Yomi Ayeni to discuss We Are From Dust activities in 2020, the year of Covid-19. This annual review looks at the hopes, aspirations, successes, and hurdles they faced, and how they managed resources to stay afloat.Happy Festivities.

“We Are From Dreams” - How Big Art Inspires and Changes Humanity. This panel was recorded live at Art With Me 2020 in Tulum. Kate Raudenbush and Michael Christian discuss the inspiration for their work, the impact large scale installations have on people, and how they keep their respective dreams alive.The panel is moderated by Yomi Ayeni - Founder of We Are From Dust.

In WAFDust Podcast #12 From Dream To Reality we visit the Art With Me Festival in Tulum, Mexico as it prepares to open on 11:11:2020. We chat to the organisers about producing the event during the global lockdown, and keeping to its core values of creativity in large art installations, entertainment, culinary arts and wellness. With a few days to launch, we catch up with Kate Raudenbush Art With Me's 2020 featured artist.

Crossing Continents is a series of talks with artists and collaborators who have not only travelled to Black Rock City, but have set up regional outposts in their respective countries.Our first guest is Finnish Regional Contact, Anssi Laurila, part of a team who have injected a cultural slant to everything they've exhibited at Burning Man, ranging from folklore, education, and even a traditional sauna. Anssi talks about the fruitful world of concepting projects in Helsinki, being inspired by the International Space Station, and how the collaborative nature of the Burning scene helped birth his first art project.

In WAFDust Podcast #10, we head to Bristol in England for a chat with Kathryn Chiswell Jones, Manager of ArtSpace LifeSpace, a charity set up to provide access, space, logistics and support to the creative community.With so many art spaces under threat, ArtSpace LifeSpace manages several iconic buildings in the South West, including Ashton Court Mansion, a historic estate dating back to Domesday itself, and soon to be home of a new art park by We Are From Dust.

In WAFDust Podcast #9, Michael Mikel aka Danger Ranger, drops in on Yomi Ayeni's BMIR radio show. Danger Ranger is a founding member of Burning Man, and a much respected cacophonist. He's a historian with a keen interest in technology and social communities. In this chat, he talks about origins of the Suicide Club, and how the search for a safe place to burn a huge wooden effigy led a bunch of merry pranksters to Black Rock Desert.

In WAFDust Podcast #8, Yomi Ayeni is joined by Sophia Swire, and Jonathan Clark to talk about their new documentary "Burning Man - Art on Fire".While both are veteran Burners, neither had experienced being part of a desert art project, especially not one as big as Temple of Galaxia. The duo talk the demands of making a film on a bootstrapped budget, tracking down elusive contributors, protecting camera equipment, and winning the trust of fellow Burners, and how these difficulties helped shape one of the best Burning Man documentaries to date.

In WAFDust Podcast #7, Yomi Ayeni is in conversation with journalist Brian Doherty, author of "This Is Burning Man".Brian talks about the early years in the desert, his experiences at the pivotal 1996 burn, and some of the fundamental reasons why the event had no choice but to evolve. We look at the juxtaposition and impact of hosting Burning Man art outside the desert, and the role and mission of We Are From Dust.

In WAFDust Podcast #6 – “Art as Activism” Katie Eldridge talks to Marco Cochrane & Julia Cortell. Marco is best town for his series of monumental sculptures, all of which debuted at Burning Man - beginning in 2009 with Bliss Dance. Julia is an Attorney & mediator and is the co-creator of Bliss Project. They have been partners in life and art for more than a decade, and have dedicated these works and more, to asking the question: What would life be like if women were safe?

In WAFDust Podcast #5 - “The Mayan Fusion”, Yomi Ayeni chats with Pablo Gonzalez Vargas about the crossover between Mayan culture, sacred geometry, and gifting. Pablo gives an insight into the science behind Ilumina, his 2017 Burning Man installation, how group meditation is used to trigger the light show, and connect with the earth's coherence.

In WAFDust Podcast #4 - “Natural Highs”, Katie Eldridge chats with Benjamin Langholz, an artist with a keen fascination for creating emotional experiences through his large format installations. Langholz discusses his path from working in the tech industry to world travel, self discovery and the art of Japanese bondage, Kinbaku. Benjamin is currently creating several new projects at his new studio in Berlin.

In our third podcast, Yomi Ayeni talks to Arthur Mamouu Mani, architect, artist, and lecturer about building the 2019 Temple of Galaxia at Burning Man, sustainability, and the science of art.He gives the lowdown on Catharsis - the game changing modular art structure he planned for Burning Man 2020, which may now manifest in the virtual multiverse, and how he came to the conclusion that beauty can be generated, as opposed to created.

In our second podcast, Katie Eldridge chats with Rob Fyfe about transforming Point San Pablo Harbor from a rundown junkyard into a beautiful destination that now attracts hundreds of visitors every week. Rob talks about his first encounter with big art at Burning Man, how he came to appreciate the creativity and passion at the core of the Burner community, and how a chance encounter at the Artumnal Gathering led to hosting We Are From Dust's inaugural exhibition.

Welcome to WAFDust the official We Are From Dust podcast. A few years ago, a team of us decided that interactive and participatory art was a pillar in our community, so we created a non-profit to showcase the transformative power of participatory art in public places and spaces.In this our first podcast Paige Tashner, creator of Purr Pods, talks about her life as an artist, how creating a mobile cupcake for Burning Man led to winning two Honoraria Awards, her love of cats, the skill exchange associated with creating art in the burner community, and her work with We Are From Dust.