Empyrean is your Burning Man Temple of 2020. Please support and share so we can build this temple for you and everyone who needs it!
EMPYREAN 2020
Empyrean is a temple of opportunity, inclusion, interactivity and experience of our transformative multiverse.
EMPYREAN ORIGINS
Empyrean represents the region just beyond our physical realm that is the highest center of wisdom, and the source of energy-consciousness. It’s at this highest point where one can interact with their own highest concept of the divine.
In ancient cosmologies, Empyrean is the realm of pure light that is believed to be the birthplace of fire. To the community, Empyrean offers the healing properties of its central, eternal flame: reflection, resolution, release and renewal.
THE ENERGY OF GEOMETRY
The eight-pointed star is a symbol brought forward from our early human understanding of the intelligent order that underlies our universe. From ancient alchemy, to contemporary theologies, the eight-pointed star has represented hope, abundance, transformation, direction, justice, balance of duality, and harmony between the profound and mundane. The simple geometry of the star creates a sacred foundation and activates the temple as a transformative healing portal for every Burner to experience in their own way.
EMPYREAN, THE CONSTRUCT OF EXPERIENCE
Desert points of Light
Deconstruct Transformation
Grounded in the Sky
Empyrean is the shape of an eight-pointed star, a beacon, a monumental construct of light and shadow orienting distant seekers, beckoning them in on their quest for energy. Approaching from the outer playa environs, the visitor encounters an octagonal palisade of monumental portal gates. Passing through a portal, the visitor is experientially compressed as they move into the temple grounds: the multiverse. Enveloped in this vastness, the visitor is confronted by an imposing, steeply ascending wedge, the blade of a star.
These 8 star blades, or canopies, make up the mass of Empyrean Architecture. Dressed in tessellation pattern lattice work, deconstructing from solid at their outer tip to open radiating patterns, they disgorge their energy skyward. Experienced from the interior, sunlight accentuates these celestial designs by day, bringing the light energy through Empyrean to bathe visitors with healing light, and by night, the soft interior lighting radiates the sacred designs outward to the sky.
With the blade of the star explored, the visitor is next drawn to billowing fabric saffron colored gates. Within the saffron, the visitor is again compressed into a new experience and transported into another multiverse. If the wanderer chose another path upon entry, they may find banks of flag poles. Any citizen can freely write on the EMPYREAN FLAGS and pulley them up, allowing their messages and prayers to be carried by the wind. An ephemeral opportunity for any citizen to interact and expand their temple experience***.
The final access portal is a narrow wedge shaped aperture created by the void of the main canopies as they ascend skyward. Through this portal, and with the linear journey complete, the circular nave is reached and the experience is now upwards as the eye is drawn overhead to an imposing 8 pointed star within a ring. The star represents transformative energy, the ring contains the portal. Suspended within the ring, vaulting to and from the heavens, is the central Empyrean Flame, the source of energy visible and felt from all points in the city.
Energy source found, here, beneath the flame is the central community gathering space, around which, and tucked within the comforting safety of the eight canopies, are eight different altars, providing sanctuary, writing surfaces and placement of offerings from seekers of any walk.
Leaving the center, one can choose from eight nearly identical exits, exiting to a new environment, a new perspective, a new universe.
The experience of Empyrean is a construct of radicalized ritual, designed by radical inclusion, crafted to allow each citizen to find their path of meaning through experiential art and Architecture and the metaphors and energy of Multiverse, Mythology and the power of universal sacred geometry.
****Pre event donors can receive an EMPYREAN FLAG on which they write their offerings, EMPYREAN crew will then bring these flags to Playa and hoist them up and then to be burned with EMPYREAN. This allows wandering Burners, and anyone else from around the world who can’t make the physical journey, to interact directly with EMPYREAN. The following video gives you a visual idea of how it works. See our list of perks for more info.
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Why do we need your support?
Funding EMPYREAN is an enormous undertaking which requires tremendous involvement and effort from lots of people. The Burning Man organization has selected our design to receive a $100,000 Honoraria grant, the balance of the funding, about $200,000, must be raised by the community, one donation at a time.
TO BUILD EMPYREAN WE DEPEND ON CONSIDERABLE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, AND THE DONATIONS OF OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS AND COMMUNITY. WITH YOUR KINDHEARTED AND CHARITABLE SUPPORT, we will bring Empyrean to life.
This is a call to you to help Renzo and Sylvia, Temple Guild members and all the dedicated volunteers to build EMPYREAN. Funds collected will be used for all aspects of the project, from renting a “build space” in the San Francisco area and or Reno for early construction, to purchasing nuts and bolts, to the Leave No Trace clean up after the burn …just the kitchen budget to feed ~75 worker bees is about $25,000! Fundraising is a big task and we need your help!!
We have three tiers for fundraising:
First Tier: $75,000
Pre construction start expense, including legal, design, administration, bulk purchase of lumber and related
Second Tier: $75,000
Food purchase, balance of construction materials, transportation costs
Third Tier: $75,000
Heavy equipment, generators, refrigerator truck, dumpster rentals
This will be the 21st incarnation of The Temple. It has become a treasured civic component of Black Rock City and our communities around the world. It provides a safe place for all to embrace and let go of trauma, loss and pain that is an inevitable part of human existence. Its meaning and purpose are ultimately beyond what any person or group can define. All are welcome to participate, bring offerings, celebrate, create unions, offer mementos of loved ones, write messages, cry and meditate.
On the final day of Burning Man, the temple is burned; a symbolic gesture to bring closure and healing.We believe that The Temple has had and will continue to have a profound impact on the community of people that it serves, and we are honored to work on a project that has this effect. We build the temple for all people – we build the temple for you.
PLEASE DONATE TODAY!!
Rewards
Empyrean Sticker
Your contribution is what makes this temple possible! We’ll send you an Empyrean Sticker designed especially for our generous donors.
Empyrean Poster
To appreciate your support, we will send you a 11×17 Empyrean poster on glossy paper so you will have the view of Empyrean from your home, office, or anywhere of your choice. Also, we will include a sticker for you!
Empyrean T-Shirt
Thank you for your contribution! We’ll send you an Empyrean Limited Edition T-Shirt as our sincere thank you! Sticker will be included too. Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL.
Empyrean Water Bottle
Thank you for backing us! The Empyrean water bottle with logo can satisfy your thirst anytime! Stay hydrated, peeps! Sticker included.
Limited Edition of Empyrean Flags **ON THE TEMPLE**
Don’t miss your chance to get your own custom flag placed on the temple itself. Once you contribute to this level, we will mail you one flag, and you can write your offerings on it! When you are happy with what you have, mail it back to us, and we will take them and hoist them up on playa!
Empyrean Hoodie
Thank you for backing us! We will send you an Empyrean hoodie and a sticker! It will keep you warm and bring back the warm and fuzzy feelings on playa! Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL.
You can change your pledge amount and reward selection at any time, and if you’d like to choose multiple rewards, we can accommodate you by creating a new reward tier with a combination of rewards for you. Just let us know! All backers will receive a survey to collect and confirm the choice of your rewards and your addresses after this project ends. Feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or questions! THANK YOU!
About The Artists
Laurence “Renzo” Verbeck is a Colorado based professional Architect, Sculptor and Builder with 30 years experiance in these fields and has successfully delivered modest to large scale Architecture projects through the years. Renzo also has a large body of sculpture work and On-Playa construction experience gained in 2019 as a leader with the beautiful Temple of Direction.
www.verbeckdesign.com | www.verbecksculpture.com
“The creation of art, whether a large building like EMPYREAN or molding a handful of clay, is a deeply fulfilling process; It’s a lifelong calling without a name or voice. Creating art with a group of like-effected / driven volunteers changes, enriches and grows the creative experience for each participant tremendously. The energy, drive and cooperative creative spirit that envelopes collaborative creation, like Temple Build, inspired me to strive submit a temple design for 2020 and lead people to the height of their individual and group potential.” – Renzo
Sylvia Adrienne Lisse has worked on large-scale, interactive art teams since 2013. She’s created her own interactive art, and has worked on art projects for Burning Man, BM Regional events, Oregon Eclipse Symbiosis Festival, What The Festival, and for Sonic Bloom. Recent 2019 projects include: “Serenity,” an Honoraria project with the Flaming Lotus Girls as a Seamstress and Welder, and, as an on-playa Build Lead with the Temple of Direction. Sylvia also volunteers as an Arterian with the Burning Man Artery.
Between art projects, Sylvia works as a Travel Radiologic Technologist specializing in trauma and surgical imaging at medical centers around the US.
“Building big art at Burning Man has taught me dynamic leadership skills, it has trained me to find creative solutions to overcome obstacles, and it has shown me the healing powers of working with a team to bring creative ideas to life.
The Temple is a subtle and humble beacon that radiates at an indescribable magnitude. It offers a safe, neutral place that can facilitate powerful healing. During my first burn in 2008 I went into the Temple, its transcendent energy helped me heal the paralyzing grief I had been carrying from the loss of my twin brother. That auspicious release allowed me to live life with a greater sense of love. For that life-changing gift, I am deeply grateful.
I aim to create interactive heART, art from within the heart, that serves to help others find their own healing. The Temple is heART at its most powerful form. I’m inspired to build a Temple to give back and help facilitate healing for others, one Burner at a time.” – Sylvia
Want to join us?
We welcome all in contributing to build Empyrean Temple.
We are looking to fill a variety of volunteer positions both on and off playa.