Written by: Farah Vitale

The Gateway Project has succeeded bringing Burning Man art to Reno.

Reno City Council members have agreed to move eight Burning Man sculptures into downtown Reno. The sculptures will take the spots of the recently demolished Golden West Motor Lodge and Heart O’ Town Motel. The Gateway Project initiated the Playa Art Park to help decrease blight and connect UNR to downtown Reno.

The GateWay Project is a coalition of nonprofits, local businesses and volunteers raising funds to bring new sculptures from the Black Rock Desert (the “playa”) to northern Nevada for temporary display. The Playa Art Park would consist of pieces from Burning Man 2016. The Gateway Project has already had success bringing Gary Gunderson’s “Pentamonium” into downtown Reno at the site of the Lear Theatre.

The Gateway Project is halfway to their goal of $30,000 for 2016. They are expecting the city to approve a $5,000 grant in October. The number of sculptures will be determined by the amount of money raised by the project. The Gateway Project wants to create a new Playa Park in a new location each year focusing on Reno areas that are overlooked.

Reno’s art scene is growing with the help of Artown (*hyperlink Artown? JL) and local artists, but bringing the Burning Man sculptures is sure to impress non-locals. The San Francisco-based arts nonprofit (*which non-profit is this? JL) has also contributed $4,000 to the Playa Art Park.

The art that is scheduled to arrive is:

The Backdrop – A commissioned mural

By: Joe C. Rock

 

 

Imago – Blue mirror-steel butterflies standing  17 ft high.

By: Kirsten Berg

 

Electric Dandelions – Three 23-27 ft tall dandelion sculptures that double as fireworks at night.

By:  Abram Santa Cruz and Liquid PXL

 

 

Electric Renaissance –  A wooden car sculpture as a tribute to Cadillac Ranch.

by Bodo Jülicher, Keith Muscutt,  Andrzej Sztur, Jakub Sztur

 

 

Star Way – A 15 ft. tall star thrown to earth with two of its points sticking into the earth.

By: Deborah Davies

 

Good Luck Horseshoe – Made locally, the Biggest Little Horseshoe on the Playa wishes the citizens “Good Luck” on their journeys on the playa and in life.

By: Mike Gray

 

The Gateway Project will hold the Grand Opening of the Playa Art Park on November 10th.

 

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