Burning Man Announces 2017 Art Theme “Radical Ritual”

Radical Ritual
Radical Ritual
Photo: Burning Man

The theme for Burning Man‘s 30th annual gathering in Black Rock City, Nevada coming in 2017 has been announced: “Radical Ritual”. It invites attendees to create “interactive rites, ritual processions, elaborate images, shrines, icons, temples, and visions” and find a way to truly release themselves in the desert.

This theme comes with a beautifully thought-out idea written on the Burning Man Journal website:

“Beyond the dogmas, creeds, and metaphysical ideas of religion, there is immediate experience. It is from this primal world that living faith arises… Our theme will occupy the ambiguous ground that lies between reverence and ridicule, faith and belief, the absurd and the stunningly sublime. The human urge to make events, objects, actions, and personalities sacred is protean. It can fix on and inhabit anyone or anything. This year our art theme will release this spirit in the Black Rock Desert.”

In step with the theme, the 2017 event will not host the Burning Man in its normal place. Rather, a temple will be build that will commemorate the Golden Spike – the spike that is used to mark the exact position of the Burning Man, which is the first task done by Burning Man’s Department of Public Works. Their efforts this year will commemorate their actions that are, indeed, a ritual in itself.

With the theme now on the plate, we’re keeping an eye out for what’s coming next in terms of the 2017 event. Keep an eye out here for updates!