Now you don't have to head all the way to Black Rock to see flaming Burning Man art, just get yourself to the Embarcadero.
"Soma," an interactive 28x40 ft. stainless steel sculpture created by the infamous Flaming Lotus Girls—a local art collective best known for building large-scale fire sculptures at Burning Man— was installed at Pier 14 yesterday.
First unveiled at Burning Man in 2009, the installation is meant to represent the cell body of a neuron, a soma, and explore individual, collective, and cosmic consciousness, as well as the potential for a more connected future. In the SF-version, however, the Lotus Girls replaced their signature flaming parts with LEDs (much safer for an urban environment), which viewers can interact with through buttons that will activate a simulation of the trans-synaptic action it imitates.
A cerebral celebration in honor of the new installation is being held Friday, August 1 from 5 - 9 pm, at Pier 14, with a presentation by the artists, special guest speakers, live entertainment, and a lighting ceremony. The sculpture will remain at Pier 14 for two years.