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currently in fabrication for Burning Man 2026!
"the weight of light" is a frozen moment of celestial reckoning transformed into a arc between the shadows of how we power our world and the brilliance of how we might transform it.
Emerging from the dust, a monumental lightning bolt commands the power of electricity. By day, the structure is a prismatic crystal. Its facets, crafted from upcycled dichroic panels, fracture light into a spectrum of iridescence. By night, participants can charge the bolt to create a massive, vertical lightning strike and boom of thunder.
Surrounding this central pillar are 8 lightning shards that form a 50-foot sacred circle. Each enshrines an interactive world that illuminates the "weight of light" -- the nature of fossil-fuel based electricity production, its environmental impact, and our power to transform it.Â
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You can donate to the weight of light project here, just leave a note with your donation that you'd like it to be earmarked for the weight of light Burning Man art project.
Philosophy
"the weight of light" posits that the electrical energy is a glorious phenomenon worthy of so much praise, yet it's weight- the toll on the environment- is ignored. This piece explores the environmental cost of energy consumption, particularly on climate change, and our collective power to transform electrical production to more sustainable systems.
The glory of electricity is visually conveyed through the presence of a massive and absolutely spectacular lightning bolt striking the earth, and interactive lightning bolt charges. The impact of fossil-fuel based electrical energy and our collective power to transform it is communicated via the 8 interactive micro-artwork-containing shards around the piece.
Art to us is to explore tough social and environmental issues with a lens of hope and optimism.
sustainabilty
sustainabilty
🌿created in a 100 percent solar powered studio!
🌿80% of materials are upcycled- including all dichroic panels
🌿interactive shards will be 3D printed in bioplastics
🌿installation will run on 100% solar power
interactivity
interactivity
âš¡work together to charge a lightning bolt strike
âš¡interact with buttons, switches and levers on eight lighting shards
âš¡dive into the world of young Ari, who is born into a world of fossil fuel embeddedness and struggles to find the power to transform it
above: interactive shards
project progress
project progress
Prototypes!Â
Prototypes!Â
We have been modelling and testing 3d prints of the lightning bolt since December 2025- it took many, many iterations to get those facets just right! After final model was compelted, we created a 3' prototype to test the angles, color reflections, and build-ability. We also took this time to develop the narrative and 3d models for the lightning shards- these contain over 50 different models that we are currently 3d printing and painting!
Project Progress!
Project Progress!
July 25 2026: We have completed the structural engineering for the lightning bolt- including 4' earth anchors! We finished welding the very complex steel frame, have CNC'd all of the upcycled dichroic panels for the lighnting bolt, and are currently assembling the second half of the lightning bolt panels. We have built all of the shard boxes that will contain the micro-worlds, and have finished about 70% of the 3d printing. We have wired all of the electronics for the LEDs and interactive shard compenents, and completed some very complex coding for the LEDs, which will sync with a custom soundtrack that runs on a narrative journey from earth, to wind, fire, rain, and space!
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