Project Announcement

                                            Thank you!!!

Your generosity and support were pivotal in bringing this project to life, and I can’t express enough how grateful I am for everything you contributed.

This project wasn’t just about creating art—it was about creating space, community, and connection. Thanks to you, we were able to give people a powerful experience that touched lives and left a lasting impact. Your donation made it possible to dream big and then make that dream a reality, even in the harshest of environments. I hope you take pride in knowing that you helped create something truly special.  Thank you again. We will be in touch over the next few months with info about the Merch gift for your donation if applicable. 

Always and forever Grateful, 

Erin Douglas

Black Burner Project Fonder & lead Artist Black! Asé

🌟 Exciting Announcement! 🌟

We're thrilled to unveil the new concept for Black! Asé at Burning Man 2024! 

The new iteration of Black! Asé will center around the culturally significant space of the barbershop, known in Black culture as more than just a place for haircuts but as a hub for safety. community, conversation, creativity, and connection. 

Embark on this journey of big impact with us — the power of creating safe spaces, healing and highlighting underrepresented voices and faces  through art and community.

                                                                                More Updates to come.

REAWAKENING:BLACK! Asé, the first large scale photographic installation, is set to journey back to Burning Man for a second time as the 2.0 rendition focuses on size, space, sound and light.

Imagine....

An odyssey transcending visual representation, inviting participants into the inner sanctum of the Black spirit. Designed to evoke introspection, healing, and celebration. Building upon the visuals of BLACK! Asé, our journey now ventures within— a profound exploration of self-discovery. Externally, the cube is adorned with 30 ft portraits, a testament to our visibility.

FELLOWSHIP: Yet, within its walls unfolds a sensory tapestry challenging perceptions and fostering interconnectedness. Mesh screens line internal walls, revealing a gallery of photographs enveloping a space filled with vibrant sounds of African music and intimate narratives of Black Burners. Monogrammatic lighting elevates the experience, playing with senses and deepening understanding. Our philosophy is rooted in the transformative power of storytelling — a disruption to challenge and dismantle barriers. The imagery represents living accounts meant to be experienced, heard and felt. A sacred space combines celebration of identity and communion through stories.

Crowdfunding Goal:

We seek to raise $40,000 (of the total $120,000 needed) through this crowdfunding campaign.

We are also interested in individuals, corporations, and foundations willing to contribute larger amounts (please contact Erin Douglas directly).

Black Burner Project is a 501(c)(3) organization. You will receive a tax receipt and your donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.

HELP US CREATE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE!

Black Burner Project

From inception, Black Burner Project’s raison d'être disrupts life on playa by challenging the core Burning Man principles of Immediacy and Radical Inclusion. The documentation of Black Burners (their existence, their experience, their stories) and deliberate exposure of this content were weaponized with grandiose and benevolent intent: to encourage a more diverse future. For six years, Black Burner Project has made a significant impact, primarily through photography and verbal storytelling. Our aim for BM24 is to present our vision through a large-scale interactive and immersive photographic installation.

Our Inspiration & Impact

Black Burner Project has a mission of transforming communities through the creation of radical diversity, art, and awareness of the uniqueness of Black and Brown Burners.

We see the project as shifting the paradigm of art experienced on playa by creating a space for residents to engage in the experiences of others. We are designing this space for maximum participation by playing with space, size, sound and sight. This is where Burners of Color can see themselves and know they are home.

The three large-scale portraits of Black Burners stand 30 ft tall on playa and mark their place in histories (past, present and future). They are meant to not only be seen, but touched, heard, documented and remembered.

Come climb...

The structure creates a multi-level adventure behind the walls of these beautiful portraits where scaffolding and an escalating ramp act as an internal exploration within, surrounded by the covered mesh walls adorned in portraits and photographs taken by Erin Douglas. A museum of sorts.

Explore & Reflect

The installation will offer captivating auditory and visual experiences. From dawn to dusk, Burners can gather away from the sun and wander the installation as ambient audio shares recorded content from “Stories From Black Burners” and other conversations. The intention behind every song that plays is to take gatherers on a journey. Evening invites a unique opportunity of light and sound. This experience encourages viewers to accept and welcome their own complexity, to reflect as they see themselves within each other. As one moves through the structure and ventures to each level, a look inside will ignite the senses and encourage reflection.

Interactivity

The installation offers a multisensory, immersive experience. As ambient audio unfolds narratives from Burners of Color and resonates with traditional African music, participants wander within the space surrounded by intentionally draped portraits of Black Burners.

An LED light design strategically placed creates a space that holistically includes viewers. The light experience, featuring violet light, encourages self-reflection, prompting participants to accept and welcome their own complexity as they see themselves within each other.

Throughout the week, the space comes alive with diverse events—an immersive healing ceremony, live storytelling night, safe space men's circle, and a live band church service. This interactive design transforms the installation into a retreat, where participants engage with audio stories, stargaze, explore the mesh photo exhibition, and gather in a space that resonates with the essence of the Black spirit.

Budget Details:

Total Fundraising Goal:$120k

• Zeffy Funding Goal: $40k (or more)

• Individual Large Donors: $40k (or more)

• Other Crowdfunding: $40k (or more)

What donations will help support:

• Materials:

  • Mesh Prints ($20k)

  • Scaffold Rental ($15k)

  • Metal Framing ($10k)

  • Wood ($10k)

  • Lighting ($10k)

  • Safety Gear & Electrical Hardware, Tools, Transportation ($10k)

  • Giant Prints (9) ($8k)

  • Decor

  • Sound/audio

  • Crew Support/Care (to support the build team during build week: camp supplies, food, water, other essentials)

• Other:

  • Project Insurance

  • Swag

  • Power & Electrical Source

  • Truck Rental

  • Fundraising Fees

  • Heavy Equipment Rental

  • Engineer & Specialty Services

  • Shipping

  • Taxes, Misc, The Unknown

We can't do this without you! Here's how you can help:

Donate: Please consider making a donation to support this project. Every amount matters. Thank You!

Share: Please share this campaign and project mission with your friends, family, company and on your social pages. Engage with us on social!blackburnerproject

Connect: Please connect us to anyone in your network who could be interested in supporting this project getting to Burning Man or partnering with us after for placement or events.

We can't thank you enough and can't wait to see you in the dust!

Erin Douglas

Black Burner Project

Founder and Lead Artist