Temple of Together by Caroline Ghosn at Burning Man 2024 – All photos by Rand Larson of Morning Star Productions, unless stated otherwise.
Art & Architecture– At Burning Man 2024, Lebanese-bred and Brazil-born artist Caroline Ghosn, a.k.a. Kitty Glitter, teamed up with architect Maissa Sader of Kamai Studio to build the Temple of Together, a mesmerising lightweight structure made from sustainable and reusable materials symbolising of unity and respect.
The shrine design portrayed “the light that emerges when we come together with all parts of ourselves and with the oneness we share with all living beings,” explained Ghosn. The Oakland-based artist is the first BIPOC–Black, Indigenous, and other People Of Colour–female Temple lead artist at the Burning Man festival.
Photo via IG, follow @plainjane.
Visitors walking into the shrine were welcomed by two giant praying hands, a common gesture in nearly all faiths, symbolising unity, humility, and respect. The joint hands created an archway recalling neo-Gothic pointed arches repeated throughout the design, reminiscent of the layered, geometric shapes and symmetry found in the Art Deco style.
Photo via IG, follow @carolineghosn.
The structure, including the fenced courtyard, spanned 28 metres in diameter and rose 21 metres above the desert. The cladding was based on reeded weaving techniques, present in multiple cultures but specifically referencing the wooden Khaizaran chairs. “When I was a kid, I used to sit on one of those chairs, dreaming about becoming an artist,” recalls Ghosn. Such traditional weaving techniques allowed for using sustainable and repurposed materials involving volunteers of any skill level.
Inside the temple, a light-filled central chamber offered communal seating, an altar which extended into a spire, and rising lanterns. The shrine also incorporated multiple private alcoves and intentional seating to enhance the Temple experience for participants.
Photo via IG, follow @carolineghosn.
As Burning Man’s tradition commands, the Temple of Together was lit on fire at the end of the festival.
All photos are by Rand Larson of Morning Star Productions unless stated otherwise.
Photo via IG, follow @templeoftogether.
