The Solar Shrine is a large-scale Afrofuturistic art installation for Burning Man 2020 that is inspired by the architecture and art of the Ancient Egyptian and Nubian cultures. It's a holistic space of healing, spirituality, and wonder designed to help connect people of all cultures in the present to their pasts and futures together. The Solar Shrine is positioned precisely so as the Sun rises in the East, it illuminates the solar discs on the tower and the solar barque inside the shrine, connecting us with the cosmos and the energy of our Earth. This is a sacred space, a refuge, a place for sharing art, music, healing, and ideas. It is a space for people of all cultures and backgrounds to commune and express their histories, experiences, and visions of what lies ahead.
The Solar Shrine is comprised of three large structures: the gateway, the main shrine, and the fuel storage enclosure at rear. The gateway is the portal to the main shrine. The shrine itself is two stories, with an enclosed staircase leading to the upper deck. Housed on the ground level of the shrine is a solar barque, a vessel to transport our spirits through the sky during the day and through realms of the underworld at night. The gateway will light up the night sky with four giant poofers, letting off flames high into the air, welcoming travelers to the refuge of the shrine. The third structure is a shorter monument, housing the fuel needed.