Designed and built as a commission for Burning Seed, Australia’s largest Burning Man event, this temple had a tumultuous journey on its way back to the stars. Slated to be the spiritual centerpiece of a 3500 person week-long gathering the Astrolabe's fate was not to be realised in its entirety. Due to extreme flooding of the site the event was canceled. True to the self-reliant nature of Burners we banded together, utilised community resources, found a field and a threw a party!
Suddenly forklifts, boom lifts and cranes were no longer in the plan. Focusing on building community, being resourceful with what we had and producing experiential art we rented a portaloo, camped in a paddock and pulled the 11 metre center pole up with a ute.
Four days of workshops, music and 90 km/h wind gusts followed destroying nearly every structure on the site - except the Astrolabe! But by the time burn night came around we were ready to go. Weakened and pre-loaded with both solid and liquid fuels according to the burn plan we let the show commence which centered around 6 custom designed and built liquid fed flamethrowers. It was quite the sight!