The Burning Book of Brian

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Burning Book of Brian is a memorial fire sculpture honoring “The Writer,” Brian Doherty who passed away suddenly in March 2026. Brian was the author of This is Burning Man, a longtime LA Cacophony Society member, longtime crew member of Sparseland & The Art of Such n Such at Burning Man. 

Built as a community project through workshops at Sparseland Studios in Atlanta with Charlie Blackcat Smith and a collective of artists, the piece stands 14–15 feet tall — a stylized metallic LPG and wood-fired effigy of an open book, its pages pierced by a large human heart with a pulsing flame at its core.

The art space invites both solitary reflection and festive gathering on the playa, with a Wednesday night procession leading to a one-time-only burn, equal parts solemn ritual and joyful parade. Surrounding the structure are benches, an impromptu soapbox, and a 100-foot activation zone lit by LED-festooned poles, designed as a space for weirdos, freaks, art cars, music, and dance to unite in celebrating a life and a shared love of Burning Man.

Core project team
  – Charlie Blackcat Smith
  – Syd Klinge
  – Candace Locklear
  – Rosy Schechter
  – Rosanna Scimeca
  – Bunnie Reiss
  – Marrilee Archer
  – Dave Archer
  – Jeff Morgan
  – Todd Rice
  – Dallas Swindle
  – Thomas Clarkson
  – Jerome Stidwell

---

SUPPORT THE BURNING BOOK OF BRIAN

FLUX is proud to be a fiscal sponsor for The Burning Book of Brian. To make a tax-deductible donation to the project, choose one of the methods below, and include a note indicating that the donation is for “Burning Book of Brian”: