Cheat Sheet

Flaming Lotus Girls: Burning Man 2006 “cheat sheet”

In 2006, the Flaming Lotus Girls present Serpent Mother, an ancient skeletal spirit whose long wait for the unleashing of the life inside her egg is about to be rewarded. She has survived through the transmutation of fear into hope; now the Serpent-Mother invites Burning Man participants along on her journey.

As darkness envelops the landscape, the Serpent fully awakens to an ambient flame down the entire length of her body. The flaming spine can be seen from anywhere on the open playa and burns throughout the night.

Serpent Drawing

STRUCTURE

168' long skeleton snake body, arching up to 20’ and coiling around a10’egg.
65' x 50' installation footprint.
Made of steel, copper, glass, fire, and light.
A hydraulically-activated moving head
Structural rib pairs are suspended on bearings allowing them to be moved.
An interactive LED illumination system.

FIRE

Ambient flame effect down the entire length of her spine.
31 computer-and-participant controlled proofers
A hydraulically-activated moving head with forced air effect coming out of the fangs.
An egg with 35 foot multidimensional liquid fuel fire effect erupting out of its interior.

INTERACTIVITY

Serpent Mother is a highly kinetic participant controlled installation. The space that is created by the Serpent around her egg encourages participants to connect and interact with one another, turn inward for reflection or activate her fiery spirit. One can chose to make the serpent’s head and neck move or make the jaws open and close. An individual can initiate 10 different sequenced patterns for the 31 poofers, activate each poofer via buttons or proximity sensors, or operate buttons, which activate the liquid fuel bursts of the egg. The LEDs illuminating the body are also be interactive changing based on a participant’s heartbeat. The freestanding ribs of the serpent can be moved by the participants’ interaction with them.