In the vast, silent expanse of the desert, art has the power to stop us in our tracks and ask deeper questions about who we are. I’m creating a monumental steel sculpture called For They Know Not What They Do to share at Burning Man—a work designed to spark reflection, curiosity, and conversation among the thousands who encounter it on the Playa. With your support, this vision can rise from raw metal into a living presence in the desert.

For They Know Not What They Do is a towering steel caduceus rising from the Playaa sword entwined by the serpents of the caduceus, crowned with the wings of Hermes and an all-seeing eye.

Constructed from stainless steel, brass, copper, and mild steel, the sculpture will catch and scatter the desert light, shifting throughout the day and night. As people move around it, reflections will bend and distort, inviting participants to see themselves within the work.

The entwined serpents of the caduceus represent the dual forces that shape human systems—creation and destruction, obedience and rebellion—cycles often inherited rather than consciously chosen. The sword forms an axis of authority, symbolizing the powers that both protect and control our lives. Above it, the wings of Hermes point toward transcendence and transformation, while the mirrored eye reflects the viewer back to themselves, reminding us that perception is never complete.

But a sculpture of this scale is never created by one person alone.

This vision is a collective heartbeat. Over roughly twelve weeks, a team of brilliant creators will come together to build this dream. Fabricators and welders—seasoned artisans who have worked on monumental public works—will shape and assemble the steel structure piece by piece. Industrial designers and engineers will help refine the form and structural integrity of the sculpture. A lighting specialist will design how the piece transforms after sunset, allowing it to glow and shift in the desert night.

Every spark from the welder, every polished surface, every line of light will be the result of collaboration—a shared rhythm of skilled hands bringing this sculpture to life.

Building large-scale art for Burning Man is an enormous undertaking. Your support will help cover materials, fabrication tools, transport to the Nevada desert, installation logistics, and the essential support needed for the team during the long build process.

Every contribution helps transform raw metal into a shared experience on the Playa.

By supporting this project, you become part of the artwork’s journey—helping turn steel, light, and imagination into something thousands of people will encounter, question, and remember beneath the vast desert sky.

Thank you for helping bring For They Know Not What They Do into the world.