Components of Whirl of Art
Cables connect its off-center pole to (and activates) the sculptures, each 6 to 10 feet
tall and 6 to15 feet wide, atop 9 foot high 8’x8’ pedestals.
As the project is being built, you can follow the progress for each component on their own pages:
- "TerRa Luna" - the earth concealed within an opening seed as the fountain of creation reaches up to the sun-moon
- "Alma de Familia" - a Spanish mission with ringing bells displaying unique cultural art pieces
- "Flow"- a cloud of colorful bats flying through the sky (design updated 01/27/2025)
Or follow the link for
How did this all begin?
The history of the project's development traces back to a fascination with an Eastern European children's toy that harnessed gravity and centrifugal force, utilizing a simple pull-based mechanism activated by a moving ball beneath the toy.
Initially, the concept centered around crafting a life-sized replica of this toy, envisioning a grand-scale rendition. However, upon contemplation, the idea of a giant pendulum appeared potentially hazardous, even for an event like Burning Man. A breakthrough emerged when exploring alternatives, leading to the idea of employing a merry-go-round to replicate a similar pulling effect while ensuring safety and active engagement of participants.
Discussions with friends further fueled the evolution of the idea. Remarkably, each individual presented a unique design of the art piece with a moving component. This diversity sparked a realization: instead of settling for a single interpretation, why not incorporate a few of these creative visions? Given the possibility of operating multiple art pieces using the same merry-go-round mechanism, the project expanded to involve artists and builders across five cities in Texas.
This collaboration has ignited a whirlwind of creativity, resulting in the development of several mesmerizing and diverse art installations. Each piece promises to bring a unique flavor, showcasing the collective creativity of the collaborative effort. This combined project now offers a distinctive opportunity to showcase Texas from various perspectives.
Do you want to know more about people behind the project? Click here -->