GAIA is a sponsored project of Flux Foundation, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to engaging people in designing and building large-scale public art as a catalyst for education. As such contributions for the purposes of GAIA via Flux Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

READY? SET? 

GAIA 2021? and 2022!

1. Greek earth goddess: 2. Hypothesis: Living and non-living components of earth function as a single system.

The latest sculpture by Marco Cochrane with Julia Whitelaw, GAIA is inspired by and in honor of nurturing energy…mothering energy…love and connection: and the joy we feel when we act on the imperative to take care of each other and our planet.

But First… a Brief Recap: The Bliss Project…Burning Man 2020…Renegade 2021 and Everything In Between.

After The Bliss Project…

Well… we were tired  ; ) So we took a few years off…

Then, in December 2018 inspiration struck Julia and GAIA was born. We started with a life-size clay sculpture, completed the 15-foot clay and had plans to bring GAIA to Burning Man 2020 at 40 feet x 12 feet, constructed of stainless steel rod based on a “flower of life” pattern (54,000 welded connections) and covered in stainless steel mesh with LED lighting effects. In front of her, a circular deck, at its center, a fire pit.

Marco designed a new build system that would enable hundreds of volunteers to help build her as a community. We had the 40-foot long wooden armature built and fully occupying our studio and were perfecting the metal placement system/volunteer training guidelines when COVID-19 arrived. Suddenly, everything changed. The world stopped. The build, of course…stopped. 

When shelter- in- place laws lifted, we implemented COVID-19 protocols and got back to work, with a few people at a time. We made progress and now, as the world is opening up, so are we. While it may not be the hundreds of people we envisioned, we have been able to welcome new crew over the past few months and we are thrilled with the results!

When it seemed as if Burning Man 2021 might happen we considered our options. What if there is Burning Man… What if there is no Burning Man…To go or not to go? …It was a dilemma. We read compelling statements of intent from various theme camps and had many conversations with friends.

Ultimately, Marco’s sculptures…collaborations with his models…are manifestations of emotional expression…art as a way to put missing energy in the world…art as a catalyst to social change… to inspire action. Ultimately, our decision was guided our belief that right now, the world needs GAIA energy. We need to take care of each other and our planet. We are one family. We need to focus on policies and practices that support and enhance this reality. That was true before COVID-19 and it is even more apparent now. 

For this reason,  we applied for a permit from the Bureau of Land Management to bring her to the playa the week of August 29-September 6, 2021. Unfortunately, we recently learned there will be no permits issued this year.  We are currently determining whether there is still some way to bring her to the playa, or elsewhere, in 2021.  Of course we also plan to bring her to TTID in 2022!  Either way, now is the time to finish her and we need your help!

GAIA’S FORM

Julia’s vision for GAIA was inspired by the joy she and her children experienced those times when, as a young mother, she took them to the beach and watched as they ran, jumped, dug, built castles, buried each other in the sand, made new friends and by her own memories of being that child. The bliss of creating and enjoying a supportive, connected and nurturing home base from which to launch ourselves and explore our strengths. A reminder of the symbiotic nature of our relationships with each other and with Mother Nature.

On the playa, GAIA is that place we are always looking for; a gathering space with good energy – a center to return to where we will likely run into people we know who are drawn there too…

Marco’s Musing on GAIA

There is an energy that has been expressing life for billions of years in an endless variety; an unbroken chain.

For mammals, the female, the mother, creates a continuous physical and emotional connection between the generations, born through the body, and then a caring and giving of energy and time to nurture each life.

Mothers… aware, connected, teaching, pushing, feeding, knowing.

This is the energy of GAIA.

An energy all life depends on; something so powerful, it’s scary.

Especially if you are a man, because you come from it but you are not it. And therein lies the problem. We live in a world dominated by men who fear the power of women. Not all men, but that is the prevailing energy.

Most human systems – cultural, religious, economic – have been specifically designed to dominate and control women. Think about it. The very thing we all depend on is devalued and suppressed at every turn. 

And the truth is, this energy, life, our planet as powerful as it is, is also fragile. It’s time to support the heroism of nurturers; to listen to the voices with a nurturing focus and tell that part of the human story. 

Our hope is that GAIA will inspire action in support of those policies that recognize we need to take care of each other and our planet….a thriving wage, universal healthcare, childcare, a green new deal…

WHAT’S DONE?

When everything shut down in March 2021, we had just completed building the wooden armature and had begun metal placement. We were still refining the system with crew leads Katy Boynton (Big Red), Al Stahler and Scott Ashkenaz (Smash): how to measure, cut, place and temporarily secure the metal to the armature, figuring out how best to train volunteers…and everything suddenly stopped. For a few months, no one came to the studio, except Marco who began building the face. Then, slowly, at the end of May, with the organizational support of Jenni Nelson, we started inviting crew back to the studio, a few people at a time, following strict protocols. By February 2021 we had completed the metal placement and exterior welding and grinding began. By the end of March 2021, we started to pull the wooden armature out and tackle the interior welding.  

Here is a video of Marco taking us on a walk around the studio showing GAIA’s current status: youtu.be/Dx4Y6FiHpNM. To follow our build in real-time subscribe to Marco’s YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/marcocochranesculpture.

WHAT’S NEXT?

What’s left you ask? We still have a lot of work to do before she is playa ready! It will be a challenge, but it’s nothing we haven’t done before! 

1. Complete the interior welding.

2. Electropolish each weld point.

3. Create and attach the hair.

4. Design and build the deck.

5. Design and build the firepit.

5. Marco will build the toes and hand using the pantograph (the enlargement tool from the 1600s used to build the sculptures of the Bliss Project).

6. Mesh placement on the exterior.

7. Test and prepare lighting system and design the lighting program.

Funds raised will go towards remaining materials, studio costs (which doubled due to COVID), transportation, engineering, insurance, and support of the installation crew on playa. Given there will be no Burning Man this year we will need funds to cover the costs of heavy equipment and other on playa conveniences previously provided by the org.

How Can You Help?

There are two ways you can help:

First – we need funds to support the build! We have raised 3/4 of the funds called for in our initial budget, and we need to raise at least the other quarter – not to mention our costs have significantly increased due to studio costs for the longer build. Specifically, our minimum budget funding gap is $50,000. (To cover all of the additional costs we have actually incurred to build GAIA due to COVID-related increases, we would need to raise an additional $146,000.) We have launched this Indiegogo page to help us close the gap and have great perks to offer as a show of our appreciation for your support. Please check them out and consider donating! We are fiscally sponsored, so donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Second – you can actively participate in supporting the nurturers in your life and advocating for policies/laws that amplify nurturing energy. If you have any thoughts on how to further expand on this concept, or you have an idea that you think will align with GAIA, please contact us. We’d love to hear from you!

Risks & Challenges

For 2021, the risks and challenges are that things will change and safety concerns due to COVID-19 will impact our plans. There is also a chance that we will not be able to bring her to the playa in 2021 due to the Bureau of Land Management’s rules for 2021.  Either way, our plan is to bring GAIA to Burning Man in 2022. Our other challenge is raising the necessary funds.

The Bottom Line

Art can illuminate the human condition and be a catalyst to social change …Our hope is to expand human consciousness and inspire men and women to take action to advocate for and take care of each other, our human family, thus allowing all of us to live fully and thrive! We are asking you to stand with us!

Thank you to everyone for the incredible support you have provided in the past, and to everyone who is considering supporting GAIA. There is just no way projects like this could happen without you!

Marco, Julia and the GAIA Crew

Please Join Us in Making GAIA a Reality, Donate Now, Spread the Word! #gaiatotheplaya2021

P.S. We have some great perks, stickers, t-shirts, sweatshirt, pendents, 2 or 4-inch mini-sculptures, experiences, a Plasma Popper!  Plus, our gratitude! Check it out!

P.P.S. Taking you back old school… here’s one more of Bliss Dance for the road! ; ) 

Photo by Barry Toranto