Ideas change everything

Why art thrives at Burning Man

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Nora Atkinson |

TED2018

• April 2018

Craft curator Nora Atkinson takes us on a trip to Nevada's Black Rock Desert to see the beautifully designed and participatory art of Burning Man, revealing how she discovered there what's often missing from museums: curiosity and engagement. "What is art for in our contemporary world if not this?" she asks.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Craft curator Nora Atkinson takes us on a trip to Nevada's Black Rock Desert to see the beautifully designed and participatory art of Burning Man, revealing how she discovered there what's often missing from museums: curiosity and engagement. "What is art for in our contemporary world if not this?" she asks.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

Visit "No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man," an exhibition of art from Burning Man curated by Nora Atkinson, at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.

About the speaker

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Nora Atkinson is a craft curator, a humanist and a romantic -- as she says, "I can’t believe I get to do what I do for a living."

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

Visit "No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man," an exhibition of art from Burning Man curated by Nora Atkinson, at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.