// BURNING MAN 2015 //
// A Message for Ivysneeze //

As you know, The Temple is a hard place to go. Not just because everything at Burning Man is made exponentially more difficult in general, but because of the heavy emotions present. I want you to know that your message did make it into the Temple via the altar The Temple Crew sets out after they start prepping for the burn.

Due to the complications at my camp of which I was a camp lead as well as the heavy dust storms throughout and at the end of the week, I was unable to venture out of camp to get to the Temple as early as I had hoped. I would like to blame my failure on the week, on the weather, on the camp, but these failures are mine and not entirely because of outside elements. I found there was something holding me back, something keeping me from fully diving in and facing the emotions which you presented. Facing the reality of death and loss.

By doing this for you, it has helped me to learn about myself and how I need to open myself. I hope these photos give you a taste of my reflection and of the heaviness of this journey. Never before had I felt so obligated and yet so afraid of something. The dust was palpable this year and the magic still existed but this year was darker than I've felt in years past. Maybe it was the carnival theme, or maybe it was the weather, or maybe I'm becoming a jaded burner who is missing a slight amount of the magic I've found in years past. I hope to change this in myself as life is a beautiful, delicate, complicated thing and striving to live every day to the fullest is a noble cause in and of itself. I hope to grow to be that person.

I want you to know that I've never cried at a message from someone I did not know as much as I did with yours, and I thank you for that release and hope you accept my humble apology as I feel obliged to let you know I didn't serve to the best of my abilities. I was late and missed getting your message written on the walls. But I did deliver your message, and it was sent into the flames along with the heartbreak and loss of so many other traveling souls.

Either way, I hope this apology and project can help you to find the peace you were seeking.

Much love and dusty hugs
- Marquee

The Ashes of The Man

My journey began on Sunday morning around 8:30am. The ashes of The Man were still smoldering and a large crowd was there preparing breakfast, dancing and enjoying the tail end of the festivities surrounding the effigy.

Approaching The Temple

As I left the main circle surrounding The Man, I stopped to take in the moment. One of the first alone moments I had at the burn. And one of the most beautiful.

The Temple

When I arrived The Temple was already being prepped for the burn and the Temple Crew had roped off the perimeter. A Crew member told me I could place your message at the Altar which was just outside the perimeter fence.

The Altar

The Altar was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as The Temple itself. There were still burners in mourning and reflection when I arrived, and so in order to not seem imposing or exploitive with my photographs, I kept my distance when placing the prepared message.

The Message

Your message was placed on the shadowy side of the alter with The Temple in the back. I spent some time alone sitting in the dust reflecting with it and thinking of you. I cried and opened for the first time this burn.

This was the last photograph I took at this burn.

// BURNING MAN 2015 //// A Message for Ivysneeze //

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// BURNING MAN 2015 //
// A Message for Ivysneeze //