Catacomb of Veils- Burning Man 2016, Part 2 of 4: The Inspiration

Recall Part 1: The Project

Catacomb of Veils will be the largest art piece at Burning Man 2016 and one of the largest burned sculptures in the history of the event. Everyone participating in the creation of Catacomb is all-volunteer with a commitment to the transformative power of temporary art. – SOURCE

Part 2 of 4: THE INSPIRATION

As I mentioned in Part 1: The Project–Catacomb of Veils speaks to my passion for the creative process- from the inspiration, to the idea, to the planning, to the development, to the implementation, to the product to the celebration to the release.

Graham Wallas, in The Art of Thought, outlined the 4 stages the creative process:

Preparation: the problem is investigated in all directions as the thinker readies the mental soil for the sowing of the seeds.
Incubation: no direct effort is exerted upon the problem at hand.
Illumination: connections between the seemingly unconnected.
Verification: testing the validity of the idea and reducing the idea itself to an exact form. [SOURCE]

And personally, research and inspiration (inspiration preceding and evolving out of research) are integral parts of each stage. Inspiration is about ALLOWING the tangents. Going along for the ride with eyes open wide. Catacomb of Veils takes inspiration from the landscape itself. And it inspires our own further research, helps us make connections, pulls out the past, brings us to the present, facilitates contemplation of the future, holds space to grieve, immerses us in magic and allows us to let go through temporary nature.

For example, let’s take a look at the word Catacombs.

What are they? Will investigating them enrich our understanding of the creative process of the Catacomb of Veils project? Enrich our connection to it? Where does your mind go as you get inspired by this project?

Catacombs of Paris: