Larry Harvey, the man who co-founded Burning Man, died over the weekend. He had suffered a stroke on April 4 and passed away on Saturday at a hospital in San Francisco. He was 70 years old and is survived by his son, Tristan, and his brother, Stewart.
Burning Man is a week-long anti-establishment festival located in Black Rock Desert, which is north of Reno, Nevada. It famously eschews money for “gift culture.” The only items for sale are coffee and ice, No one is allowed to show corporate logos anywhere, even on t-shirts. At the end of the festival, a five-story tall wood statue of a man is burned. Though last year New Yorkers like Paris Hilton had fancy Trailers for air-conditioned comfort and all other luxury.
This year’s festival is scheduled for August 26 to September 3rd. The theme, which Harvey selected before he died, is “I, Robot.” The festival’s website has posted a tribute to Harvey, saying he was, “a visionary, a mentor, a philosopher, and a passionate advocate for Burning Man’s culture and principles. We have lost our founder. The world has lost a great human being.”
Indian fashion designer, Manish Arora and accessory designer, Prateek Jain of Klove were hardcore Burning Man aficionados!