Title:” Ring of Fire” for Burning Man 2011

Size: 25 H x 5 D x 7 W, 1/2 inch stainless steel tubing

Builder: Bryan Tedrek

Short Description of the Project:

Can a sculpture be more than a static object of public art resting on the ground, or can it actually serve as vehicle to drive income for non-profit organizations?  I believe it can and I discovered a way to implement this idea.

As a goldsmith and jewelry tool designer, what is small and intimate, expressed larger is compelling and metaphorical.  After five years of teaching jewelry at Burning Man, I conceived of an idea where thousands of people could contribute and be a part of something simple and elegant.

The “Ring of Fire” is a reimagining of the classic four prong engagement ring as a 25-ft sculpture—a  feat of contemporary computer aided jewelry fabrication, ripped from the screen and fabricated with stainless steel tubing.  It is a repeatable project—one I hope will become a Burning Man tradition.

More than a work of art, the Ring of Fire will act as a vehicle for driving income for non-profit organizations.  Ashes from the wood fire in the “stone” portion of the ring, the Man and the Temple will be sent to a lab and formed into diamonds known as “Playa Diamonds”.  Five chosen contemporary goldsmiths/educators will then fabricate wearable rings featuring these playa diamonds, creating one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry that speak of the Burning Man experience, and bear the artistic imprints of all those involved in the project. Finally, these history-rich rings will be auctioned off to fund non profit organizations.

Figures of CadCam Rings in jewelry scale:

Side View of CadCam Ring

Front View of CadCam Engagement Ring

The Full Project

The Full Project

Part 1.  Fabricating the Sculpture

As in the above image, the bottom portion of the ring will sink into the playa, replicating an engagement ring in a ring box.   However there will not be a skin covering the wire frame, as the image suggests.

Propane piped into the “stone” will turn the Ring into a beacon during the night.  Visitors to the Ring of Fire will be able to interact with the fire delivery, changing the nature of the flame.

The sculpture may be disassembled and reassembled for future fund-raising events on the playa.

Part 2.  Making the Diamonds

Carbon collected from the Man, the Temple and the pyre topping the Ring will be sent to the company “LifeGem” and turned into five, 1/2 carat diamonds.

The link below explains the process for making the diamonds.  LifeGem has assured me that the carbon from the Man, Temple and pyre will be sufficient to create yellow Canary diamonds with visible inclusions.

http://www.lifegem.com/secondary/LGProcess2006.aspx

Part 3.  The Jewelry Designers

Five contemporary jewelry goldsmith/educators have been selected to make unique rings from recycled metal and the “playa diamonds”.  It is important to the repeatability of the project that these artists are also teachers who pass their knowledge on to others.

Example of a raw diamond used in jewelry by Todd Reed.

Budget: The total cost of the project is unknown at this time but is estimated to be $85,000. The budget will include construction, materials, transportation, installation, videography, photography, expenses for the on-site crew, an assistant, home site installation at ArtSpace Maynard, MA, travel and expenses incurred with administration costs for traveling show of the completed rings.

Part 4:  Documentation

Each step of the project will be documented through video and still photography.  Both a DVD and a hardcover book will be made available

Part 5.  The Performance.

On one evening at Burning Man, Pyrospin will give a fire performance in front of the flaming Ring of Fire.

After Playa

Part A.  Carbon shipped to Life Gem

Part B:  The Refiner and Ganoksin

Hoover and Strong will be the metals refiner and precious metals source for the project.  Donated metal scrap from the 65,000 members of the largest virtual jewelry forum on Ganoksin.com will be sent to Hoover and Strong.  Extra income from the metal will be refined and the proceeds equally divided amongst the five chosen non-profits.

Part C:  The Designers

Each jewelry designer will receive the metal of their choice to fabricate a unique ring.

The designers will be:

Cynthia Eid

James Binnion

Ronda Coryell

Charles Lewton Brain

Michael Boyd

Part B:  The Non-Profit Recipients

Each completed diamond ring will be sent to a non-profit organization to be auctioned off for fund-raising purposes. The organizations for 2011 are:

SNAG (The Society of North American Goldsmiths)

BWB (Burners Without Borders)

CERF (Craft Emergency Relief Fund)

The Fuller Museum, Brockton, MA

Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA