The Running Man
The Running Man is an animated mechanical sculpture that creates the appearance of a person running while on fire. The Running Man is wrapped in fabric, doused with flammable liquid, set aflame, and then towed behind a vehicle. He ran at Burning Man 1999 and 2000, and also on the playa in July 2001. He has also been demonstrated without fire at various events.
The Running Man is now retired.
The Running Man was recently featured in a special Fire Art of Burning Man issue of the Leonardo Journal.
Photos copyright Carol Franger
2001
Photo copyright Karl Seifert 1999
Video
from the very first run. Mostly set-up with a
little actual running.
(Sorry for the choppiness, but the vid dates back
from when broadband was still a luxury.)
Courtesy of the Learning
Channel. Thanks to Jon Luini for
encoding and hosting it.
More video coming soon...
If you have photos or video of the Running Man during
one of his runs, I'd love to have copies. Please contact me.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Illumination Village
especially John, Suzun,
Colinne, Charlie,
and Karl, Michael Sturtz and David Friedheim of The Crucible, Claire Light at Kearny Street Workshop, Maria & Jim
& Evil Pip of the Burning Man media
crew, Schwab, Klinke, Camp Elsewhere especially Jila, Logan, Tammy, and Todd, Poul-Erik,
Carol, and my folks.
Trivia
The Running Man's actual name is Tim Bragg. His first name is from the Truckee
gas station guy who said when I explained the Running Man to him, "I used
to run across the desert with my hair on fire,
too!" And the Running Man's favorite food is cheese ravioli tossed with
olive oil, basil, and All Natural Bragg Liquid Aminos.
Contact
e-mail dan and include the "nospam"
characters
Copyright 2005 Clownland
Enterprises, Inc.