The Burner effect, part one

Spanning 750 kilometres with up to 170 kilometres between stops, the Free Range Art Highway runs from Las Vegas to Reno, but sometimes it’s best to go against the grain and, by starting in Reno, the journey ends in downtown Las Vegas and the incredible murals of the Life is Beautiful movement. To get the feel for the Nevada art mood, the first thing to understand is the influence the Burning Man Festival has had on its population. It is huge. What started in 1991 as a week-long festival at the self-created Black Rock City in Black Rock Desert about 160 kilometres north-north-east of Reno is very much a part of the state’s art psyche. With Australia increasingly focused on arts festivals, it’s interesting to see how the Burner effect has translated into the psyche. Murals, for example, are given great respect, with the artists all locally well-known and appreciated. Likewise the sculptures are commissioned or purchased to bring a bit of the Burner vibe to the cityscape. Moreover, the climate is the only real concern, with the festival engendering such respect for the artworks that uninvited graffiti, tagging or vandalism are rare. >Erik Burke at work. Image: Supplied. Surrounded...