Project / Program Summary
In 300 characters or less, summarize the project or program for which you are requesting funding. Please describe the physical presence and the interactivity.
To create a piece of central architecture for "The Battle for MAU MAU Island" (BMMI), a collaborative art-making event held on the water. Through open enrollment, teams form to create DIY boats, costumes, and personas within a loose narrative, engaging in a comically competitive 48 hour festival
Physical Description
How will the project or program manifest itself physically? What will it look like, sound like, etc? Include description of the artwork's size, materials, construction methods, lighting, sound, electronics, etc. If applying for support for a program, describe the specific activities included in the program.
(up to 3,000 characters of text)
Agartha is a floating island community space which be used annually for The Battle for Mau Mau Island event (described below and throughout this proposal). We propose to create a large atoll shaped floating dock congregating event participants in a centralized space. The dock, created collectively by a team of artists, will begin early 2016, and will debut at the Mau Mau event in July. This atoll is not only a communal gathering space, but is also a kinetic sculpture and performance arena.
She will be composed of six 7' by 24' foot sections arranged into an open heptagonal atoll. Aside from her unusual shape she will be constructed in the fashion of a conventional high quality marina dock, with pressure treated lumber, steel hardware and rotationally molded black nylon dock floats. She will be anchored such that the entire atoll will rotate on its fulcrum allowing it to self regulate its orientation in response to changing drag, wind and tide while also contributing to a sensation of constant movement that engages participants in the dynamic natural factors of the atoll's environment. In this way the Atoll becomes a participatory kinetic sculpture. The circular shape of the atoll is designed to create a temporary visual and physical enclosure as boats come and go organically, providing, the stage and amphitheater for the event. The open ring design also alludes to classical roman amphitheaters, setting a dramatic stage for the event's competitions.
Though a sculptural object in and of itself, the Agartha Atoll is most importantly a congregating place, specifically for a the annual flotilla event for The Battle for Mau Mau Island. The atoll provides a walking promenade for public congregation, a dock around which boats can come and go while also enclosing an area of water as a central protected pool. This enclosure also ensures that event debris is contained for removal. The bold shape gives the event a architectural and graphic identity.
Project Interactivity
How is your project interactive? Describe the audience's experience of the work and the interaction between the audience and the work. Please also describe how you will connect with and engage your audience.
(up to 3,000 characters of text)
The Agartha Atoll facilitates an entirely interactive experience to those who choose to participate. Participants interact with their teams in creating costumed personas, a group identity and building a DIY watercraft. These teams then congregate on and around the Agartha Atoll to engage with one another in set of friendly competitive "maritime challenges.". Over the last five years The Battle for Mau Mau Island has become a greatly beloved and anticipated New York City event with many loyal perennial participants as well as a constantly growing community of new people with an interest in urban waterways, boat building and a cultural of camaraderie through self expression. Participants are fully immersed in the experience of Mau Mau island, in a sense they live the event through role playing. The event has always strongly encouraged full participation, discouraging "spectators" and the disconnect that can arise when an event devolves into a participant/spectator dynamic. We seek to break that boundary and encourage everyone to fully immerse themselves. For passers-by on shore the atoll will appear as a mysterious floating island bringing new life and visual interest to the bay.
Collaboration
Is the project collaborative? In what ways? Who will help you create your art project? If relevant, also discuss briefly the roles of partners or volunteers.
(up to 3,000 characters of text)
Since its beginnings The Battle for Mau Mau Island has been organized by a small group of artists supported by a rotating community of collaborators. Building the Agartha Atoll, running the event and breaking it down will be the collaborative effort of a great number of people invited through an open call. We will also be working in collaboration with the "Rockaway Community Canoe Club" and the "Rockaway waterfront alliance" who will assist us in involving the local community of Far Rockaway. Beyond the infrastructure build and the running of the event, Mau Mau Island is defined by the theater of the event created collectively by all of its participants.
Location
Where will the work be displayed? When will it occur? How and why was this location selected? Is there admission or another fee to the audience? If no exhibition venue is yet secured, how will you research and select a venue?
(up to 2,000 characters of text)
For the last five years The Battle for Mau Mau Island has been held in the water in various parts of Jamaica Bay in New York City. The locations are chosen each year based on physical requirements of the event including participant safety, accessibility, natural beauty and sometimes the event's narrative. We have always offered Mau Mau island as a free event, open to all. We do not sell tickets to the event however with the increased cost incurred by the construction of the Atoll we may introduce nominal fees for the docking of conventional boats and for overnight camping on the Atoll itself, Mau Mau has never been and never will be a for profit event.
We seek to engage New York's urban waterways as a new frontier for creative engagement in recognition of the increased scarcity of public creative spaces in favor of commercial development. More so than ever, space for creative people to come together and make art is being reduced due to soaring costs in rent and limited availability of performance venues. Agartha encourages the use of the water, something New York City is completely surrounded by, as a new venue for creative collaboration and performance. By moving beyond the framework of the built urban landscape, the inherently ephemeral nature of water provides the most appropriate environment for temporary improvised theater.
Audience
Who is your audience? Who will participate in the project’s interactive aspects? How will this audience benefit from the experience of the work?
(up to 2,000 characters of text)
We do not exactly have a targeted audience though the niche nature of the event tends to attract people with some specific interests, that said we have always been surprised and delighted at the diversity of participants. Mau Mau is purposefully challenging and demands a higher level of commitment and preparation than most events which forges greater connections between people and a more rewarding general experience. Essentially, Mau Mau is for anyone who reads the guidelines and says, "Yes I really want to do that!" which brings out a unique, adventurous sort of people. As a native New Yorker raised within a creative community, I have seen how much of a need there is for an event of this nature, a place for creative people to come together and collaborate. In general, New Yorkers rarely utilize the water, although it is all around the city. I want people who partake in this event to be inspired to consider the water for creative use.
Philosophical Statement
What is the fundamental purpose of your project or program, or your Mission Statement? What are the key concepts and ideas behind it?
(up to 2,000 characters)
Centrally our goal is to introduce people, especially creative and maker people to boat building and new york waterways while re-envisioning those waterways as a new frontier for creative expression. We also provide an environment for groups to engage in a playful "tribal experience" that is to live, create and compete together against other tribes. These tribes create group identities and costumes and engage in role playing which has a profoundly beneficial effect for people living in an increasingly disconnected and isolated reality. The event allows people to be part of a wild theatrical explosion of energy, a kind of cathartic experience. We challenge participants to actually build a boat, and get out of their comfort zone and learn something. We will increase the artistic requirements asked of participants each year to engineer an increasing focus on the art, nurturing development in the design and construction of DIY watercraft and the presence of the costumed participants.
Community Benefit
Outside of the direct interaction with the work, how will your project or program engage your community? Why is this work relevant and important to this community, specifically?
(Up to 2,000 characters)
Beyond the aforementioned Battle for Mau Mau Island extended community we are currently in dialogue with the non for profit "Rockaway Community Canoe Club" to take custody of the Atoll for the rest of the year to use it as a swim dock and center for their community education and awareness programs. The event will bring a much needed flurry of life to the economy and energy of Far Rockaway, an area that was badly damaged by tropical storm Sandy. The atoll as a sculptural object will be visible from the shore and appear as a mysterious island inspiring people to notice and engage in the water space. The event series contributes to an increased use and awareness of New York waterway, over time helping to revitalize Far Rockaway. The Atoll will be constructed with the consultation of a marine architect and built to a very high standard to ensure safety and so that it will endure for at least five years of use if not more.
Agartha is floating community space. Although her primary function is to provide a platform for the Mau Mau event we will except proposals for from people and organizations for other projects. In this sense we are creating a shared community resource.
Program Mission
How does this project further the mission of the Burning Man Arts Global Art Grants program?
(up to 2,000 characters)
The Agartha Atoll facilitates a user experience that is highly interactive. The Atoll and the event create and foster an elaborate temporary community on the water. The event is open to the public through open enrollment, we encourage all people to challenge themselves to engage in this event. Audience is prompted to act by the competitions and challenges posed by the event and by the general energy and atmosphere that is collectively created.
The Atoll draws participants into an environment with which they would not ordinarily engage. Agartha is in and of its self a kinetic sculpture rotating on its fulcrum and orbiting its mooring providing the viewer with a constantly changing perspective of the natural environment throughout the course of the day. The audience and how they interact with the Agartha environment and one another is the art, they conceive it, create it and present it in the form of improvisational theater throughout the event.
This program funds highly interactive, community-driven works of art that prioritize community involvement in their development, execution and display. We fund art that is accessible to the public, civic in scope and prompts the viewer to act. We like art that can be experienced in more ways than visually – art that is touched, heard or experienced as well as viewed. We prioritize funding art that involves the audience in its conception, creation and presentation.
Originating from the Swimming Cities Projects, BMMI has brought out hundreds of creative individuals in the NYC community and its surrounds, encouraging individuals to work collectively to produce a single vision. The festival has sparked relationships and community that goes beyond the annual convening in the name of creative fellowship. The construction of Agartha will provide an important central space on the water for the festival, and many more in the years to come, utilizing New York waterways as a space for creative engagement. The circular shape of Agartha creates a “circle the wagons” symbolism, a way for spirited and creative people to consider NYC waterways a new frontier for creating art.
BMMI is an event that is only possible with the collaborative participation of hundreds of individuals who share the common interest of creating artwork together. Engaging in a participatory work of improvisational theatre and role-play helps build relationships in the spirit of adventurous camaraderie.
Agartha is literally a platform for people to create participatory experiences. Although the intention is to provide a platform for the festival and a place for people to congregate, we will provide the space as an open-ended place for people and organizations to propose future projects. In this sense we are creating a shared community resource available to interested parties to find space on water compatible with their vision
Planning
Please list dates and activities of the planning phase for the project.
(up to 500 characters)
On approximately March 15th we will hold an anchoring system design, build meeting with our engineer where we will fabricate our swivel anchor. On March 22, we will be finalizing framing, hardware and floatation designs with marine architect. These are the major meetings involving the physical construction, many others will be held for fundraising and event planning throughout the spring and summer.
Creation / Refurbishment
Please list dates and description of any creation or refurbishment activities for the project (this also includes gathering any necessary materials).
(up to 500 characters)
The construction of the Agartha atoll will be comprised of six major work periods listed in detail in the next field. All material collecting will take place shortly before or during those periods. The Atoll will be constructed from conventional dimensional lumber and dock floats, which we will purchase at a lumber yard and marine supply depot. Construction and installation will take place in three stages where in we will build and launch two docks at a time, detailed in the next field.
Installation
Please list the dates and activities of the installation phase of the project.
(up to 500 characters)
Mid March 2016: Build Anchor system End of March: Build and launch two prototype docks Beginning of May: Build second set of two docks, totaling 4 docks. Early June: Build final set of two docks to have the completion of all 6 docks. and launch Mid June: Complete all final work and host a small event to test out atoll and raise awareness of the project.
March 15, 16, build anchor system and bend and drill sheet metal for corner brackets and tie plates.
Exhibition
Please list the dates and activities of the exhibition phase of the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The Atoll will be fully activated and exhibited during the "Battle for Mau Mau Island" event July 22, 23, 24. Prior to that on June 16 Thursday, we will hold a smaller event for Mau Mau crew and team captains to beta test of the Atoll, take photos, celebrate its completion and generate enthusiasm for the upcoming major event.
Events
Please list the dates and activities of any one-time or ongoing events associated with the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The Agartha Atoll will be used for five annual events in July over the next five years along with other smaller yet to be determined events hosted either by BMMI or by the Rockaway Community Canoe Club.
De-installation
Please list the dates and activities of the de-installation phase of the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The Atoll will be either refurbished for continued use, gifted permanently to the Rockaway community canoe club or dismantled in 2020.
Documentation / Administration
Please list the dates and description of any documentation or administrative activities associated with the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The event The Battle For Mau Mau island July 22, 23, 24, will be prolifically filmed and photographed using conventional photography as well as remote control boat cam and ariel photography. This material will be featured on the Mau Mau Island website.
Timeline Narrative
If helpful, please use this space to tell the story of the project beyond the stages listed above. For example, you may want to describe and list dates for past efforts, exhibition timeframes, or the long-term future of the piece.
(up to 2,000 characters)
The Agartha Atoll will be used for five annual events in July over the next five years. For the rest of the year Agartha will be used to stage smaller events, as yet to be determined, hosted either by BMMI or by the Rockaway Community Canoe Club. The 2016 Battle for Mau Mau Island is the sixth installment in a 11 year annual series ending 2020.
Funding Need
How will you use your funding from Burning Man? Are there particular elements or aspects of your project that you see this grant as funding? Is there an additional element that receiving this funding will allow you to incorporate?
(up to 1,000 characters)
The funding obtained through this Grant will be used specifically to build, launch and anchor the first 2 of a total 6 modular floating dock sections. Building these initial two docks greatly improves our ability to peruse continued funding. Two sections will cost an estimated $6,788. Chain and anchoring hardware will cost an estimated 2,250. The $1,000 difference will be covered by the members of the Mau Mau collective.
Fundraising Plan
How will you raise any remaining needed funding? Which other funding sources do you plan to approach or have you already secured?
(up to 1,500 characters)
To finance the remaining four dock sections, aproximatly $13,576 we will be fundraising firstly through an online art auction ( The MAU MAU Art Salon) as part of a crowd funding campaign starting March 31st. In addition we will be relying on private donations from Friends of Mau Mau Island who have pledged $4,300 so far. We will also be hosting two physical fundraising and awareness events where we will accept donations in the early and mid summer.
Relevant Accomplishments
Please list your relevant accomplishments. If applying as an arts collective, you may list highlights of the achievements of either your group as a whole or of the group's members. You may include past projects, your experience helping with similar projects not your own, corresponding websites or other resources.
(up to 1,000 characters)
As the central organizer of the Battle For Mau Mau Island I will discuss my own artistic accomplishments none of which could be possible with out the collaboration of a great crew, many of whom are still actively involved in the Mau Mau Island. After buying and living on an old wooden yacht in New York's Gowanus Canal in 2001, I, through friendship with artist "swoon" began working on the Swimming Cities project series, "Switchback sea" and "Serinisima." I then, as project manager with 16 other artists began the Swimming Cities of The Ocean of Blood. We traveled 500+ miles down the Ganges River, India on a complex interlocking fleet of stainless steel pontoon boats that we designed and built (video and info at http://www.orienmcneill.com/projects.html ). We learned a lot about boat building and navigation on these projects. After that in 2012 I ran an artist in residency program converting 17 abandoned boats into an art hotel in Far Rockaway called the boatel.
Professional Capacity
How will this project grow your capacity as an artist or as an organization or group?
(up to 1,000 characters)
As an individual artist I have worked predominantly on waterborne art and adventure projects (as described in the previous field) involving the building of sculptural boats and engaging urban waterways. This project has been the focus of my aquatic art endeavors for the last three years, the event series is integral my artistic career. This event also holds together and greatly enriches the artistic lives of a very talented group of artists and friends, The Swimming Cities Collective crew of the 2011 Ganges River Project. Furthermore it will give the BMMI event the stable infrastructural platform it needs to grow as a cultural institution, and along with it all of the hundreds of people that choose to involve themselves. This Atoll and this event foster community in a very real way.
In 300 characters or less, summarize the project or program for which you are requesting funding. Please describe the physical presence and the interactivity.
To create a piece of central architecture for "The Battle for MAU MAU Island" (BMMI), a collaborative art-making event held on the water. Through open enrollment, teams form to create DIY boats, costumes, and personas within a loose narrative, engaging in a comically competitive 48 hour festival
Physical Description
How will the project or program manifest itself physically? What will it look like, sound like, etc? Include description of the artwork's size, materials, construction methods, lighting, sound, electronics, etc. If applying for support for a program, describe the specific activities included in the program.
(up to 3,000 characters of text)
Agartha is a floating island community space which be used annually for The Battle for Mau Mau Island event (described below and throughout this proposal). We propose to create a large atoll shaped floating dock congregating event participants in a centralized space. The dock, created collectively by a team of artists, will begin early 2016, and will debut at the Mau Mau event in July. This atoll is not only a communal gathering space, but is also a kinetic sculpture and performance arena.
She will be composed of six 7' by 24' foot sections arranged into an open heptagonal atoll. Aside from her unusual shape she will be constructed in the fashion of a conventional high quality marina dock, with pressure treated lumber, steel hardware and rotationally molded black nylon dock floats. She will be anchored such that the entire atoll will rotate on its fulcrum allowing it to self regulate its orientation in response to changing drag, wind and tide while also contributing to a sensation of constant movement that engages participants in the dynamic natural factors of the atoll's environment. In this way the Atoll becomes a participatory kinetic sculpture. The circular shape of the atoll is designed to create a temporary visual and physical enclosure as boats come and go organically, providing, the stage and amphitheater for the event. The open ring design also alludes to classical roman amphitheaters, setting a dramatic stage for the event's competitions.
Though a sculptural object in and of itself, the Agartha Atoll is most importantly a congregating place, specifically for a the annual flotilla event for The Battle for Mau Mau Island. The atoll provides a walking promenade for public congregation, a dock around which boats can come and go while also enclosing an area of water as a central protected pool. This enclosure also ensures that event debris is contained for removal. The bold shape gives the event a architectural and graphic identity.
Project Interactivity
How is your project interactive? Describe the audience's experience of the work and the interaction between the audience and the work. Please also describe how you will connect with and engage your audience.
(up to 3,000 characters of text)
The Agartha Atoll facilitates an entirely interactive experience to those who choose to participate. Participants interact with their teams in creating costumed personas, a group identity and building a DIY watercraft. These teams then congregate on and around the Agartha Atoll to engage with one another in set of friendly competitive "maritime challenges.". Over the last five years The Battle for Mau Mau Island has become a greatly beloved and anticipated New York City event with many loyal perennial participants as well as a constantly growing community of new people with an interest in urban waterways, boat building and a cultural of camaraderie through self expression. Participants are fully immersed in the experience of Mau Mau island, in a sense they live the event through role playing. The event has always strongly encouraged full participation, discouraging "spectators" and the disconnect that can arise when an event devolves into a participant/spectator dynamic. We seek to break that boundary and encourage everyone to fully immerse themselves. For passers-by on shore the atoll will appear as a mysterious floating island bringing new life and visual interest to the bay.
Collaboration
Is the project collaborative? In what ways? Who will help you create your art project? If relevant, also discuss briefly the roles of partners or volunteers.
(up to 3,000 characters of text)
Since its beginnings The Battle for Mau Mau Island has been organized by a small group of artists supported by a rotating community of collaborators. Building the Agartha Atoll, running the event and breaking it down will be the collaborative effort of a great number of people invited through an open call. We will also be working in collaboration with the "Rockaway Community Canoe Club" and the "Rockaway waterfront alliance" who will assist us in involving the local community of Far Rockaway. Beyond the infrastructure build and the running of the event, Mau Mau Island is defined by the theater of the event created collectively by all of its participants.
Location
Where will the work be displayed? When will it occur? How and why was this location selected? Is there admission or another fee to the audience? If no exhibition venue is yet secured, how will you research and select a venue?
(up to 2,000 characters of text)
For the last five years The Battle for Mau Mau Island has been held in the water in various parts of Jamaica Bay in New York City. The locations are chosen each year based on physical requirements of the event including participant safety, accessibility, natural beauty and sometimes the event's narrative. We have always offered Mau Mau island as a free event, open to all. We do not sell tickets to the event however with the increased cost incurred by the construction of the Atoll we may introduce nominal fees for the docking of conventional boats and for overnight camping on the Atoll itself, Mau Mau has never been and never will be a for profit event.
We seek to engage New York's urban waterways as a new frontier for creative engagement in recognition of the increased scarcity of public creative spaces in favor of commercial development. More so than ever, space for creative people to come together and make art is being reduced due to soaring costs in rent and limited availability of performance venues. Agartha encourages the use of the water, something New York City is completely surrounded by, as a new venue for creative collaboration and performance. By moving beyond the framework of the built urban landscape, the inherently ephemeral nature of water provides the most appropriate environment for temporary improvised theater.
Audience
Who is your audience? Who will participate in the project’s interactive aspects? How will this audience benefit from the experience of the work?
(up to 2,000 characters of text)
We do not exactly have a targeted audience though the niche nature of the event tends to attract people with some specific interests, that said we have always been surprised and delighted at the diversity of participants. Mau Mau is purposefully challenging and demands a higher level of commitment and preparation than most events which forges greater connections between people and a more rewarding general experience. Essentially, Mau Mau is for anyone who reads the guidelines and says, "Yes I really want to do that!" which brings out a unique, adventurous sort of people. As a native New Yorker raised within a creative community, I have seen how much of a need there is for an event of this nature, a place for creative people to come together and collaborate. In general, New Yorkers rarely utilize the water, although it is all around the city. I want people who partake in this event to be inspired to consider the water for creative use.
Philosophical Statement
What is the fundamental purpose of your project or program, or your Mission Statement? What are the key concepts and ideas behind it?
(up to 2,000 characters)
Centrally our goal is to introduce people, especially creative and maker people to boat building and new york waterways while re-envisioning those waterways as a new frontier for creative expression. We also provide an environment for groups to engage in a playful "tribal experience" that is to live, create and compete together against other tribes. These tribes create group identities and costumes and engage in role playing which has a profoundly beneficial effect for people living in an increasingly disconnected and isolated reality. The event allows people to be part of a wild theatrical explosion of energy, a kind of cathartic experience. We challenge participants to actually build a boat, and get out of their comfort zone and learn something. We will increase the artistic requirements asked of participants each year to engineer an increasing focus on the art, nurturing development in the design and construction of DIY watercraft and the presence of the costumed participants.
Community Benefit
Outside of the direct interaction with the work, how will your project or program engage your community? Why is this work relevant and important to this community, specifically?
(Up to 2,000 characters)
Beyond the aforementioned Battle for Mau Mau Island extended community we are currently in dialogue with the non for profit "Rockaway Community Canoe Club" to take custody of the Atoll for the rest of the year to use it as a swim dock and center for their community education and awareness programs. The event will bring a much needed flurry of life to the economy and energy of Far Rockaway, an area that was badly damaged by tropical storm Sandy. The atoll as a sculptural object will be visible from the shore and appear as a mysterious island inspiring people to notice and engage in the water space. The event series contributes to an increased use and awareness of New York waterway, over time helping to revitalize Far Rockaway. The Atoll will be constructed with the consultation of a marine architect and built to a very high standard to ensure safety and so that it will endure for at least five years of use if not more.
Agartha is floating community space. Although her primary function is to provide a platform for the Mau Mau event we will except proposals for from people and organizations for other projects. In this sense we are creating a shared community resource.
Program Mission
How does this project further the mission of the Burning Man Arts Global Art Grants program?
(up to 2,000 characters)
The Agartha Atoll facilitates a user experience that is highly interactive. The Atoll and the event create and foster an elaborate temporary community on the water. The event is open to the public through open enrollment, we encourage all people to challenge themselves to engage in this event. Audience is prompted to act by the competitions and challenges posed by the event and by the general energy and atmosphere that is collectively created.
The Atoll draws participants into an environment with which they would not ordinarily engage. Agartha is in and of its self a kinetic sculpture rotating on its fulcrum and orbiting its mooring providing the viewer with a constantly changing perspective of the natural environment throughout the course of the day. The audience and how they interact with the Agartha environment and one another is the art, they conceive it, create it and present it in the form of improvisational theater throughout the event.
This program funds highly interactive, community-driven works of art that prioritize community involvement in their development, execution and display. We fund art that is accessible to the public, civic in scope and prompts the viewer to act. We like art that can be experienced in more ways than visually – art that is touched, heard or experienced as well as viewed. We prioritize funding art that involves the audience in its conception, creation and presentation.
Originating from the Swimming Cities Projects, BMMI has brought out hundreds of creative individuals in the NYC community and its surrounds, encouraging individuals to work collectively to produce a single vision. The festival has sparked relationships and community that goes beyond the annual convening in the name of creative fellowship. The construction of Agartha will provide an important central space on the water for the festival, and many more in the years to come, utilizing New York waterways as a space for creative engagement. The circular shape of Agartha creates a “circle the wagons” symbolism, a way for spirited and creative people to consider NYC waterways a new frontier for creating art.
BMMI is an event that is only possible with the collaborative participation of hundreds of individuals who share the common interest of creating artwork together. Engaging in a participatory work of improvisational theatre and role-play helps build relationships in the spirit of adventurous camaraderie.
Agartha is literally a platform for people to create participatory experiences. Although the intention is to provide a platform for the festival and a place for people to congregate, we will provide the space as an open-ended place for people and organizations to propose future projects. In this sense we are creating a shared community resource available to interested parties to find space on water compatible with their vision
Planning
Please list dates and activities of the planning phase for the project.
(up to 500 characters)
On approximately March 15th we will hold an anchoring system design, build meeting with our engineer where we will fabricate our swivel anchor. On March 22, we will be finalizing framing, hardware and floatation designs with marine architect. These are the major meetings involving the physical construction, many others will be held for fundraising and event planning throughout the spring and summer.
Creation / Refurbishment
Please list dates and description of any creation or refurbishment activities for the project (this also includes gathering any necessary materials).
(up to 500 characters)
The construction of the Agartha atoll will be comprised of six major work periods listed in detail in the next field. All material collecting will take place shortly before or during those periods. The Atoll will be constructed from conventional dimensional lumber and dock floats, which we will purchase at a lumber yard and marine supply depot. Construction and installation will take place in three stages where in we will build and launch two docks at a time, detailed in the next field.
Installation
Please list the dates and activities of the installation phase of the project.
(up to 500 characters)
Mid March 2016: Build Anchor system End of March: Build and launch two prototype docks Beginning of May: Build second set of two docks, totaling 4 docks. Early June: Build final set of two docks to have the completion of all 6 docks. and launch Mid June: Complete all final work and host a small event to test out atoll and raise awareness of the project.
March 15, 16, build anchor system and bend and drill sheet metal for corner brackets and tie plates.
Exhibition
Please list the dates and activities of the exhibition phase of the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The Atoll will be fully activated and exhibited during the "Battle for Mau Mau Island" event July 22, 23, 24. Prior to that on June 16 Thursday, we will hold a smaller event for Mau Mau crew and team captains to beta test of the Atoll, take photos, celebrate its completion and generate enthusiasm for the upcoming major event.
Events
Please list the dates and activities of any one-time or ongoing events associated with the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The Agartha Atoll will be used for five annual events in July over the next five years along with other smaller yet to be determined events hosted either by BMMI or by the Rockaway Community Canoe Club.
De-installation
Please list the dates and activities of the de-installation phase of the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The Atoll will be either refurbished for continued use, gifted permanently to the Rockaway community canoe club or dismantled in 2020.
Documentation / Administration
Please list the dates and description of any documentation or administrative activities associated with the project.
(up to 500 characters)
The event The Battle For Mau Mau island July 22, 23, 24, will be prolifically filmed and photographed using conventional photography as well as remote control boat cam and ariel photography. This material will be featured on the Mau Mau Island website.
Timeline Narrative
If helpful, please use this space to tell the story of the project beyond the stages listed above. For example, you may want to describe and list dates for past efforts, exhibition timeframes, or the long-term future of the piece.
(up to 2,000 characters)
The Agartha Atoll will be used for five annual events in July over the next five years. For the rest of the year Agartha will be used to stage smaller events, as yet to be determined, hosted either by BMMI or by the Rockaway Community Canoe Club. The 2016 Battle for Mau Mau Island is the sixth installment in a 11 year annual series ending 2020.
Funding Need
How will you use your funding from Burning Man? Are there particular elements or aspects of your project that you see this grant as funding? Is there an additional element that receiving this funding will allow you to incorporate?
(up to 1,000 characters)
The funding obtained through this Grant will be used specifically to build, launch and anchor the first 2 of a total 6 modular floating dock sections. Building these initial two docks greatly improves our ability to peruse continued funding. Two sections will cost an estimated $6,788. Chain and anchoring hardware will cost an estimated 2,250. The $1,000 difference will be covered by the members of the Mau Mau collective.
Fundraising Plan
How will you raise any remaining needed funding? Which other funding sources do you plan to approach or have you already secured?
(up to 1,500 characters)
To finance the remaining four dock sections, aproximatly $13,576 we will be fundraising firstly through an online art auction ( The MAU MAU Art Salon) as part of a crowd funding campaign starting March 31st. In addition we will be relying on private donations from Friends of Mau Mau Island who have pledged $4,300 so far. We will also be hosting two physical fundraising and awareness events where we will accept donations in the early and mid summer.
Relevant Accomplishments
Please list your relevant accomplishments. If applying as an arts collective, you may list highlights of the achievements of either your group as a whole or of the group's members. You may include past projects, your experience helping with similar projects not your own, corresponding websites or other resources.
(up to 1,000 characters)
As the central organizer of the Battle For Mau Mau Island I will discuss my own artistic accomplishments none of which could be possible with out the collaboration of a great crew, many of whom are still actively involved in the Mau Mau Island. After buying and living on an old wooden yacht in New York's Gowanus Canal in 2001, I, through friendship with artist "swoon" began working on the Swimming Cities project series, "Switchback sea" and "Serinisima." I then, as project manager with 16 other artists began the Swimming Cities of The Ocean of Blood. We traveled 500+ miles down the Ganges River, India on a complex interlocking fleet of stainless steel pontoon boats that we designed and built (video and info at http://www.orienmcneill.com/projects.html ). We learned a lot about boat building and navigation on these projects. After that in 2012 I ran an artist in residency program converting 17 abandoned boats into an art hotel in Far Rockaway called the boatel.
Professional Capacity
How will this project grow your capacity as an artist or as an organization or group?
(up to 1,000 characters)
As an individual artist I have worked predominantly on waterborne art and adventure projects (as described in the previous field) involving the building of sculptural boats and engaging urban waterways. This project has been the focus of my aquatic art endeavors for the last three years, the event series is integral my artistic career. This event also holds together and greatly enriches the artistic lives of a very talented group of artists and friends, The Swimming Cities Collective crew of the 2011 Ganges River Project. Furthermore it will give the BMMI event the stable infrastructural platform it needs to grow as a cultural institution, and along with it all of the hundreds of people that choose to involve themselves. This Atoll and this event foster community in a very real way.