Radical art of Burning Man debuts at Chatsworth with striking giant sculptures free to visit

There's the murder of crows and a fighter jet turned flower, alongside a steel head standing 20ft tall.

These are vast grand sculptures from the Nevada Desert's Burning Man, brought to the UK for the first time to form part of an exhibition within the Derbyshire estate's 1,000-acre park.

Set against such a backdrop, said Chatsworth's director of development Sarah Owens, the country estate may seem a far cry from the dusty landscapes of the Nevada Desert.

But both charities share a culture around creation and community, she said, adding: "We’ve done bold and brave things before, and this felt like a new, bold, brave initiative.”

Burning Man, a community arts initiative, has been cancelled for the past two years, with Sotheby's stepping in to help and linking the charity with Chatsworth.

Here there is the space to house these vast sculptures, supporting Burning Man while bringing new audiences to Chatsworth. Most importantly, in the publicly accessible parkland it's free.

Yesterday, the first sculptures were revealed in situ, ahead of the opening of Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man, which runs from April 9 until October 1.

There will be 12 sculptures in all, with eight brought from the desert and four more to be built on site by visitors and community groups, mirroring the work of desert volunteers.

Chatsworth's Jonathan Fish said one of the sculptures, Lodestar, was too heavy to cross the estate's usual bridge, and had to be eased through gold-plated gates.

To see them in situ, he added, was astonishing.

He said: "These pieces, against such a backdrop, are just so visually striking.

"Obviously these are pieces of art, sculptures created by artists. But we very much hope, on a simplistic level, they just look amazing.

"It doesn't matter if you have an understanding or appreciation of art, they are great wonderful sculptures. What's not to enjoy about that?"

Sculptures

Among the sculptures is The Flybrary, a steel-crafted head housing a library, complete with reading nooks and bookshelves, while Wings of Glory, with a 35-ft wingspan, gallops slowly in place. A third piece, Murder, Inc, signifies a group of 100 crows, representing the unrepentant and uninhibited power of nature, with a night-time illumination.

Supported with funding from Arts Council England and Art Fund, the initiative between Chatsworth and Burning Man was brought together by Sotheby's who introduced them.

Contemporary art specialist Marina Ruiz Colomer said: “Art and culture have always had a transformative power over contemporary society.

"This passionate commitment to the positive power of creativity is perfectly encapsulated both by Burning Man and by the successive generations of forward-thinking Dukes and Duchesses of Devonshire."

Innovation

And Kim Cook, director of creative initiatives at Burning Man, added: “We’ve come to understand Chatsworth as a place to foster innovation, creativity, thoughtfulness and thinkers since its early days, something that is also central to our work and ethos at Burning Man.

"Our hope is that the art in the landscape will provoke joy, new ways of viewing, and be an invitation to make up your own story about meaning as you explore the beautiful expanse of Chatsworth.”

Chatsworth’s House, Garden and Farmyard reopens this Saturday, March 26. In the house, a new exhibition called ‘Living With Art We Love’ will be on display, featuring a selection of artworks chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, with many items from their private collection not usually seen in public.

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