WHAT IS FLUTTER TUNNEL?

Flutter Tunnel is a quarter mile long sculpture, consisting of 100 arches, lit at night by solar powered flashlights. We created the first version of Flutter Tunnel for the annual Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada in 2009.

We are returning this summer to complete the project again. Our group of twelve friends consists of solar energy experts, installation and media artists, biotech research scientists and non-profit managers. We are as diverse as the general population of Burning Man.

For a bit more info visit www.fluttertunnel.org

WE HAVE ONE GOAL

Send 200 solar powered flashlights to Sierra Leone to distribute to rural school children. Flutter Tunnel is the impetus behind this idea. Our approach takes into account the temporary nature of art at Burning Man. After Flutter Tunnel is dismantled, all the steel is returned, while the lights are distributed to students who will truly benefit from them.

We hope to:

Fund Project --> Build --> Share --> Dismantle --> Spread Light

We have completed Flutter Tunnel once in 2009, and it worked great. In partnership with Books for Africa and Schools for Salone we shipped 200 solar flashlights to Maforeka, in Sierra Leone on a shipping container of books.

"Maforeka, SLMB Masanga and SDA Masanga received the solar lights. All sent their thanks and appreciation for the donation to promote the culture of reading by school pupils."

WHAT'S NEW THIS YEAR?

We have exciting plans for Flutter Tunnel. Imagine the entire tunnel moving in unison, fluttering back and forth. This will mimic the movement an oil pump makes as it see-saw's up and down. It should be quite spectacular.

THE REWARDS

The Sucker Steel rewards will be fabricated with the highest level of craft and attention to detail. We will have no shortage of sucker rods to upcycle into wonderful rewards, and encourage you to take the opportunity to stock up. Funds raised above and beyond our goal will be allocated to sending additional lights to Sierra Leone. International shipping isn't cheap, so let's make the most of our inclusion on a shipping container of books.

Sequin Scrap is the byproduct of manufacturing sequins (little shiny dots). This material comes on spools, is shiny, and quite fascinating. Cut into lengths and fastened with a rubber band, the sequin scrap turns into amazing bike bling. 

MATERIALS

Sucker rod is a technical term describing a steel rod with couplings on each end used in oil drilling. The material is decommissioned after a specified length of time due to wear on the rods as they rub against a sheathing pipe. A cross section of a worn our sucker rod will not be round, rather flattened on one side due to rubbing day in and day out as oil is pumped up for you!

After Burning Man, all the sucker rods are returned to a steel recycler, minus the rods used to fulfill the Kickstarter rewards.

Solar powered flashlights save people money presently spent on kerosene, reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere, reduce carbon particulate inhalation and fire risk, aide in education, security, safety and dramatically improve people’s overall quality of life.

ART AT BURNING MAN

The artwork created for the annual Burning Man festival transcends art history, contemporary galleries and the vast majority of public sculpture. The artwork invites participants to play, generate roles and interact on levels that are not possible outside the boundaries of the temporary city of 50,000+ people. Historically, structures and sculptures were burned after their short lifespan, celebrating the impermanence of life and experiences.

Flutter Tunnel is inspired by the scale and boundless potential the playa holds for immense installations. We will most likely be on the tame and meditative side, as many works incorporate technical electronics and elaborate systems that push the boundaries of human potential and whimsy. Needless to say, our effort will be well received by the captive audience of art enthusiasts at Burning Man. 

THANKS TO

Scott Sady for the amazing banner photograph of Flutter Tunnel

Schools for Salone for a fruitful partnership

Books for Africa for the international shipping and logistics