Tom Bullock Burning Man 1997 Photo Essay

The Man at Night

Steady purple. Intermittent green. People gaze upon him like a Christmas tree.

Snakes emerge from the playa. That's Skip the artist in front. I spent several hours helping to coat this with mud. It burned with the Man.

The stage for the opera 'Daughters of Ishtar'. Mud over metal lath. The tower's steel skeleton grew orange hot in the fire but it never did fall.

he Sphere of Influence. They strap someone in the chair and a couple dozen bystanders roll it about slowly. Loud music and strobe lights add to the effect. Very cool.

Laughing Scorpion Puppet Theater. Just sitting in the middle of nowhere.

Spirit of Black Rock. Take a ride.

The Man. There he is.

The Man. The Man from below.

The Secret Chamber. Inside the secret room below the Man. The banner is by Carrie L’esperance.

Big Tent. Blowing in the wind.

The Man down to have his green lights installed. Note the cables and pulleys that rase his arms.

Me. I figured that if I was going to show other naked people that it was only fair to show myself too. I went about nude from Thursday through Sunday. I was used to it by Friday. Once you have seen your first 200 naked people the novelty is gone.
Several people have asked me if it was 'uncomfortable' to ride a bicycle nude. Strangely enough that is the only question I was asked. The answer is 'No'. I wore some light shoes that protected my feet from the sharp lumps on the peddles and the hot desert floor. My bottom did get a bit sore from sitting on the plastic saddle for four days. Apart from that and the hot sun I was not in the least bit uncomfortable at all and no I never pinched my testicles.

White wash. Just adding a new skin color.

Bubble Machine. Solar powered, computerized, makes bubbles.

Tesla coil. Makes sparks.

I posed for Spencer Tunick's mass nude photograph. Everyone in the picture got an 8x10 print. I am in the 8th row from the far end; tried to get a better spot but I was not going to elbow my way through 150 naked people to get there! Afterword someone yelled 'Jumping Jacks!'. So we did.

Painted lady. She also shaves heads.

The Cult of Callipygos. First they paint your butt then you sit on a sheet to make your butt print then you sign your butt print then they photograph your butt then they wash your butt with sponge and water spray then you spin for a prize and if you win you get it by feeling around in a big butt.

Signed by the artist

Temple of Atonement. This is what happens to people who sell their souls. They also get a free pen.

Painted people

Hamster Wheel. Out for a spin.

Water Truck! Bath time! Bless you mister water truck driver! T

Water Slide You get a good running start and dive.

Temporal Decomposition. A big sundial made of solid ice frozen in a big refrigerated mold built right there in the desert. The flame thrower has had it's way with it.

Fly Hot Springs. That's me in the foreground. I took a disposable camera to the springs and unfortunately this is the only picture that came out fairly well. I don't think it is good to leave cameras in the wet grass under the hot sun. You just had to have been there.