One of the highlights, art-wise, of this year's Burning Man was the three-story, LED-filled, climbable man-made tree called the Tree of Ténéré, which provided shade during the dust-filled days and glowing, colorful light at night. It was the first playa installation for co-creators Zachary Smith and Patrick Deegan, who collaborated with artists Alex Green, Mark Slee, and Shlomo Zippel to build a stunning piece of technological wonder.
The inspiration comes from a real tree, which was knocked down about 50 years, that stood alone in the middle of the Sahara Desert and was thought to be the most isolated tree in the world.
Now, some branches from the tree will be getting lit up on the patio at The Midway this weekend as part of a benefit event to help the team cover their final costs from Burning Man. It's a party being hosted by the Burning Man camp Mystopia, featuring DJs Mark O'Brien (Polyglamorous), Ethical Drugs (Electroluxx), Traaven (Glamcocks), Captn Jay (Airpusher Collective), Jessica Stanell (ICARUS), and Mystopia residents including Bradley P & DJ Brian. It's called Forest Creatures (and Mystopia party fans should know that implies a costume), and the fun goes from 4 p.m. to midnight (or later). Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door.
Rumor has it, partygoers will get to control the LEDs on the branches they bring but, sadly, the whole tree is a bit big for this patio.
"When I set out to build Tree of Ténéré... I never could have imagined the incredible team and hundreds of volunteers and donors that would play a part in making it a reality," says Smith on the project website. "I'm humbled by the talent and generosity of this community, and grateful for your support."
Below, some more shots of the tree from Burning Man.
