This is a very different type of fundraiser. 

My name is Melissa Barron, aka “Syn” on playa, and Crone of Arc most everywhere else. I am creating a timely, large-scale, 30-foot sculpture about female empowerment at Burning Man this year.

It’s named:

Tip of the Iceberg

The art installation will illustrate how fundamental knowledge about women’s biology has been purposely suppressed to control women and deny them pleasure.  Both men and women have been kept in the dark on this subject, and it is time to shine light on it in a dramatic way. 

Since it’s been hidden for so many centuries already, I’m choosing to keep information, renderings, and WIP updates about Tip of the Iceberg under wraps for a bit longer – until its official debut at Burning Man. The secrecy is not a gimmick, it’s integral to the overall message and impact of this particular topic. The sculpture will underscore how many of us still don’t know about its existence nor do many of us think we are worthy of its might.  

So I am asking you to donate, without having any visualizations of what we are constructing.  

Take a leap into the unknown – in true Burning Man fashion!

One Clue: this piece has a sense of urgency given all the recent setbacks for women’s body sovereignty – both in the United States and around the globe. It is inspired by girls & women since our multi-dimensional stories need to be told – especially now.

I need support from YOU, plus our wide and wonderful community, to make this meaningful piece come to life. So thank you for any level of donation you feel comfortable committing to and for sharing this atypical fundraising campaign with your circle of family & friends. And please use Indiegogo’s share tools to spread the word and help with fundraising – so we can focus on building art!

Curious?

If your curiosity is piqued and you can’t wait until Burning Man (fingers crossed, you can’t) – then please click on the “perks” to have access to project details by supporting our campaign. 

It’s a Surprise!

Tip of the Iceberg “Perks”

PERK 1:  Project Details. Donation: $25 (or more). You’ll receive a visual story board and 2-minute video about our project. Please don’t share this information on social media or publish it elsewhere.  Go ahead and share this important subject with your family and friends but ask them to respect our “permission based” posting request. Help us keep this project under wraps until Burning Man so its message is more impactful and hopefully instigates more conversation and action. The cat will be out of the bag once the event begins and, of course, then we’ll be widely sharing photos and details then so you will be welcome to post at that time.

PERK 2:  Necklace – smaller version.  Donation: $150. A limited-edition, 3D, 2″ x 2″ handcrafted pewter pendant of an important body part named: “Mini-me C.” The image of the pendant is blurred for now since – it’s a secret – but we’ll email you a rendering after you donate.

PERK 3:  Statement Necklace – larger version. Donation: $250.  A limited-edition, 3D, 3″ x 3″ handcrafted pewter pendant of an important body part named: “Big C Energy.” It’s definitely a statement piece & you’ll surely get asked “what are you wearing around your neck?” The image of the pendant is blurred for now since – it’s a secret – but we’ll email you a rendering after you donate.

Both necklaces created by jewelry artist Melissa “Syn” Barron – who has designed pendants for “Art for Trees” since 2016. Several were featured at the Smithsonian’s 2018 exhibition: “No Spectators, the Art of Burning Man.”  Delivery slated for early August 2023 so you will have it in time for the playa.

About Our Sister Initiative:  “Art for Trees”

This year, marks the 10th year that Art for Trees has planted trees to replenish the wood we burn at Burning Man. Since 2013, we’ve planted 110,000 trees. Our simple, consistent, and cumulative efforts have made a difference. “Radical Reciprocity” – giving back to nature what she gifts to our community in order for us to create art – is a natural extension of Burning Man’s “Leave No Trace” Principles since less extractive and more regenerative practices will support a sustainable gathering and healthier planet. 

Art for Trees “Perks”

PERK 3:  Rainbow “All-Seeing Leaf” Pendant. Donation: $300. Handcrafted in Los Angeles out of cast pewter and hand-colored with a rainbow ombré pattern, the 3″ by 2″ leaf motif etched “eye” is embedded with a cabochon glass galaxy “irises.”  Limited edition, inscribed on the back with the message: “Art for Trees – Burning Man 2022 Waking Dreams.” Created by jewelry artist Melissa “Syn” Barron and fabricator Tzipora Hoynik.  (20 available)

PERK 4: Art for Trees “All-Seeing Leaf” Pendant. Donation: $200. Handcrafted in Los Angeles out of cast pewter, the 3″ by 2″ leaf motif etched “eye” is embedded with a realistic cabochon glass iris inlay. Limited edition, inscribed on the back with the message: “Art for Trees – Burning Man 2022 Waking Dreams.”  (30 available)

PERK 5:  Art for Trees Pendant Collection from 2016, 2017, and 2019. Donation: $225. All three are pewter, designed and handcrafted by the same artists as the Leaf Eye Pendants. To give you an idea of scale, the heart-shaped leaf is 3″ x 2.5″ – inlays include New Zealand Paua shell and fine crystal druzy quartz heart-shaped stone. (10 available)

PERK 6:  Art for Trees “All-Seeing Leaf” Sticker.  Donation: $30. Two collectible four-color Leaf Eye art sticker with holographic glittered border effect. Created by large-scale muralist, mosaic, and mixed-media artist Bunnie Reiss @bunnieluvrocks

All donations go towards building “Tip of the Iceberg” with 5% of the total amount raised going towards our sister initiative “Art for Trees” in order to plant trees to replenish the wood we burn at Burning Man.

Both “Tip of the Iceberg” and “Art for Trees” will help amplify Burning Man Projects:  Environmental Sustainability Roadmap – to become carbon negative, sustainably manage waste, and be ecologically regenerative by 2030

How? You might ask.

“Want to Save the Planet? Empower Women”

According to Project Drawdown, “educating women and girls is the sixth most important action the world can take to mitigate climate change. Women and girls who are educated have more control to actively manage their reproductive health, realize higher wages & experience greater upward mobility, leading to overall economic growth.

Educated women & girls can then be more effective stewards of their land and water, and gain greater capacity to adapt to shocks of natural disasters and extreme weather events driven by climate change.” 

 – Erin Myers Madeira, The Nature Conservancy (March 6, 2018)