Lodestar at Burning Man

LODESTAR
 
Lodestar is a futuristic, interactive, techno-organic flower made of a Lockheed Martin Loadstar military jet, and fabricated elements of blown glass, crystal, mirror, structural steel, and miles of roll cage tubing.  The height is 50’ tall and about 35’ wide depending which way one measures.  The weight appears to be infinite from the constant inflow and screeching  from cranes and hoists and booms whenever she needs something..  
 
Lodestar was conjured up in 2017 up by artist Randy Polumbo and Coachella generously agreed to support phase one. The project was well received, although human visitors could not enter the fuselage or climb to the dome on top for different reasons.  
 
Work to bring Lodestar to Burning Man includes:
 
Completion of the interior: 

           Steps, ladders, lighting, safety rails & cages
           “Daisy” configuration entry stairs from ground level
            Stainless steel woven mesh on top for safety. (top of open dome)
            Additional lighting
            Additional crystal ball and glass element placements
            Engineering to support human visitors
            Legal help with the same
            Loading, freight and hauling to Burning Man 2018 in August
            Loading freight and hauling back to Joshua Tree studio September
            Erection team at Burning man and disengage after.
            Cranes, booms, heavy equipment. Earth anchors and lines.

I have never done one of these before, but in this case, the costs are so significant, I can’t afford to absorb it, even though I have quite a decent day job and have been fortunate to just complete several large commissions.  The shipping, loading and permits  of the two larger pieces to Black Rock City and back is over $15,000 and 4 other trucks we are driving will take the rest.  Crane rentals are thousands a day, engineering, additional custom parts and hundreds of hours of fabrication indicate this project will cost at least 4x the cost of this fundraiser even if it hits its goal.   
 
I am grateful to live in a time when so many people, art lovers and regular folks alike are inspired by Monumental Strange Things.  I am excited to bring this project to Burning Man where 70,000 people will see it, and then to plant it on home soil in the desert, from whence it sprung.  Initially I thought about it as kind of a seed.  In each case a tremendous number of people will be able to enjoy and participate in something highly unusual that I hope will inspire them, augment or supercharge their powers of perception, and potentially catalyze positive change as well.  While I never have a closed reading or tell people what to do in my creations, I love that their energy is always focused in some manner.  Interactions between humans in these environments are perhaps the best part the moment that people create is perhaps the best art…..  Viewing the video tells the story of the large community, both paid and volunteer that was required to get this far and a little bit about the fruits born to date.
 
Ideally the funds will be raised by the end of August, when most of the biggest bills come due. 
 
There are volunteer / guide positions available at Burning Man and access opportunities and other goodies (drawings, macquettes) available if anyone is interested in that, especially as part of a significant donation or commitment to help.  I have some crew tickets to the event as well.

I am open to selling some of my drawings and memorabilia from the build if anyone is interested in collecting small watercolors or paintings, and numerous sketches.. 
 
Always good to finish with thank you, so thank you in advance for your help. Large or small, it means a lot to me.

Thanking especially these folks, places, and forces:
 
Joshua Tree:    For recharging my creative engine, and its supportive and colorful community and especially the stark and outrageously complex beauty of the desert landscape and light!
 
Coachella and Paul Clemente:            For getting this ball rolling and doing such cool stuff.  Still cannot believe all the incredible music and cool stuff packed into a couple days.
 
Burning Man: For various lights at the end of various tunnels, the outrageous beauty and inspiration of humans doing whatever they desire, in the middle of nowhere, and in a present, engaged, and activated fashion.
 
My Studio: In Brooklyn, in the Desert, without which I would be talking to my hand and doodling and making tiny things out of feathers and bug wings and bits of wire and pharmaceuticals. (special thanks to team leaders Jillian & Snaex, and lead fabricators Jon and Cody. 
 
My PEOPLE:     Plant and Studio teams, communities and friends who all roll up their sleeves and jump in at the perfect moment. Especially Markus Heer, one of my oldest friends, who dropped everything to climb around on the plane for weeks in March when we hit a few major bumps and had to take the whole thing apart. Too many people to mention, but you know who you are… The East coast gang, Mike, Adam, and the JT mafia, who turned up at my place unasked, to brainstorm and throw a friendly shoulder behind the ugliest moments.  Prescott, Matt, Harley
 
New York: For making it all possible, my friends, family, professional communities, everyone I have the honor of building remarkable places or things for!  I have been living in NYC mostly since I was 17 and someday when I grow up will proudly say I grew up here.  I should have said in round one the collective entity known as "Jisillian" or the combined care and hard work and wisdom of Giselle Cashin and Jillian Armbruster.
 
Thinking of writing a FAQ, lets see if there are any questions… or email me or call me.  Check out my Instagram please for other work @randypolumbo and more lodestar and other photos at www.polumbo.com
 
THANK YOU,  R

 All photos and video by me, and prints available of lots of things on my instagram, the Lodestar, Angler Grove!

(I am making a separate Fractured Atlas fundraiser to erect for an extended period the Lodestar in downtown Joshua Tree, if anyone feels their money is misapplied, or wants it back please let me know, but that is still happening, was just a dumb and confusing idea to combine to disparate but sequentially linked projects! ...Link coming soon)