We don’t need no water…
London-based creative company Artichoke who produced the Lumiere Light Festival in Derry last year has announced a radical new arts project for the city. The company launched a Kickstarter campaign to help bring Burning Man’s Temple Builder David Best to Derry for a very special peace-making project in March 2015. David is famous for his elaborately carved soaring temples built at the annual Burning Man event in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada USA. The temporary edifices become places for contemplation and reflection before they are ceremonially burnt.
“We want to bring David and his team to Derry to work with local people to construct a new spiritual destination. With your support, Temple will be a temporary shared space that will bring everyone together in a truly astounding collaborative creation.”
As at Burning Man, the Derry “Temple” will be a beautiful and decorative work of art, with an original design of intricate fretwork, laser-cut from recycled plywood. The towering structure will be visible across the whole city. As teamwork is central to the David Best ethos, the Derry “Temple” will be built by members of the local community working together with Best and his crew. Once it is finished, visitors will be invited visit this elaborate temporary pavilion over several days. As at Burning Man, visitors will be able to use the “Temple” as a space for contemplation and remembrance, and to leave mementos, messages and photographs in its interior.