Longtime Burning Man artist Dana Albany is working with San Francisco Boys & Girls Clubs and burner families to build a spacecraft that will travel to several local schools, art and science centers and eventually make its way to Black Rock City.
Burning Man Project teamed with Black Rock Arts Foundation, The Crucible, Exploratorium, Black Rock City, LLC, Maker Faire and Albany on the creation of the Youth Education Spacecraft (Y.E.S.) Project.
The spacecraft is 12’ in diameter and 8’ high. Burner families and children involved in San Francisco Boys & Girls Clubs created mosaics made from repurposed, found and salvaged and fastened them to the ship.
“This is an incredible opportunity for children from diverse backgrounds to build something out of the realm of their consciousness, beyond their wildest dreams,” Albany said.
The spacecraft is made to be explored, and the interior incorporates video and audio installations and voice modifiers for kids to experiment with.
“This is a great example of what can be done collaboratively with other mission-aligned non-profits,” said Project Board Member Harley DuBois. “It’s wonderful to see kids create art, and be so engaged with learning about so many diverse subjects at the same time. We’re excited to take the lead in helping to make this happen.”
In creating the spacecraft, kids will engage in metal and mosaic work, mold-making, glass fusion and glass blowing, photography, videography, sound-scape creation, robotics, solar technology, environmentalism, education on ancient civilizations to outer space, space travel and astronomy.
Ultimately, the spacecraft will blast off to be exhibited at The Crucible, Maker Faire, Exploratorium and ultimately the Burning Man event in Black Rock City, where children who participated in its creation will help serve as guides.