The Art of Burning (2016)

• 82%
• 2016

The Art of Burning (previously titled From Sand to Ashes) documents the art and artists at Burning Man, their process, achievements, and struggles. As the most distinguishing trait from other festivals, the artistic value has often been overshadowed by counter-culture, social aspects of Burning Man. This documentary shows the artists' individual journey and their creative process before and during the festival, from the budding concept and what brought them to create their piece to the realization of their project. Burning Man is an incubator for emerging artists and could be considered the largest outdoor museum in the world. It is also the largest venue for interactive art and showcases a variety of mediums including sculpture, mechanical, light, sound, and performance art. This documentary follows several artists closely throughout the film, and while delving into the enormous efforts the many artists undertake in order to bring their art to the middle of the desert, it also captures the interactions of participants with their art and with the art of others. From the creation of the city and its coming to life with the arrival of its participants, the eight days of celebration of art within the community, to the burning and vanishing of this ephemeral town, this movie documents in IMAX 3D the questioning and struggles all artists go through and aims at being an open window to a reflection on art.