More Burning Man art is coming to the Biggest Little City. Our contributor Bob Conrad of ThisisReno spoke with two of the artists contributing to the new Playa Art Park, which recently held it’s opening reception.
A drill is going through thin stainless steel to build a sculpture called Imago. The artist is Kirsten Berg, who lives part of the year in Southeast Asia but comes to Reno each year for Burning Man.
She’s putting the final touches on her piece, a larger-than-life metal structure with what appear to be butterfly wings. She says her work is inspired by Buddhist temples in Thailand.
“My mind’s eye kept slicing away sections of the roof, making these interconnected sort of peaking and truffing butterfly wings.”
Berg is one of a handful of artists who are transforming a vacant lot in downtown Reno. The lot was home to two motels that were demolished by the city, using its blight funds.
Another artist is Joe C. Rock, who is painting a gigantic mural on the side of a building bordering the Playa Park. He says his mural is influenced by photos from Burning Man.
Rock is painting giant figures that are kissing next to mountain landscapes.
“It could be Burning Man, or it could be just Reno in general, you know with marriage and divorce.”
He’s been working on the mural for weeks. His piece helps set the backdrop for the park.
The park is part of the Gateway Project, a coalition of non-profits and businesses, which received a grant from Burning Man to fund the project.
