The Anglerfish by Mark Whitman —
Photographer Scott London has spent over a decade documenting the Burning Man festival, held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. One of his main subjects is capturing the event's bizzare Mutant Vehicles. Scroll through the gallery to see and read his thoughts about each art car he photographed. "Anglerfish are deep-ocean creatures with razor sharp teeth and luminescent lures hanging in front of their jaws to attract prey. It's a recurring motif at Burning Man. This fearsome-looking vehicle was created by Northern California metal artist Mark Whitman."
The Monaco by Greg Barron —
"Bay Area artist Greg Barron describes his desert ship as a 'land frigate.' It's a fully rigged, three-masted art car built over the chassis of an old GM Monaco camper. When the winds kick up, Barron and his crew kill the engine and let the sails do the work of carrying the ship across the dry lakebed."
The Rock Box by Derek Wunder —
"This art car, built to resemble a 1980s-style ghetto-blaster, was fashioned by Los Angeles artist Derek Wunder and crew."
El Pulpo Mecanico by Duane Flatmo —
"The mechanical octopus known as El Pulpo Mecanico has long been a crowd favorite at Burning Man. It was built entirely from reclaimed scrap metal over the chassis of a 1973 Ford 250. Artist Duane Flatmo describes it as an art-installation on wheels. He's alsoknown for his other mutant vehicles, including Crustacean Wagon, Tin Pan Dragon Wagon, and the Armored Carp."
Mary Ellen Carter Rides Again by Daniel Beckman —
"Artist Daniel Beckman says he designed this art car as an homage to an inspirational hymn about salvaging a sunken ship and triumphing over great odds."
Maria Del Camino by Bruce Tomb —
"Artist Bruce Tomb created this startling mutant vehicle by mating an excavator to an old El Camino and joining them byan armature lifting passengers high off the ground and tilting them at odd angles."
The Airpusher by Airpusher Collective —
"This steampunk airship was built by the Airpusher Collective, a Bay Area theme camp. Captained by DJ Edmundo Landgraf, it doubles as a mobile sound system and venue for impromptu dance parties."
Neverwas Haul by Shannon O'Hare —
"Bay Area artist Shannon O'Hare created this three-story Victorian mansion/locomotive over a fifth wheel trailer. Over the last decade, it has become one of the best-loved art cars at Burning Man."
Shark Car by Sid Kurz —
"This art car has a long history at Burning Man, first appearing in 2002. Originally created by Sid Kurz, it belongs to the Seattle-based Lodi Camp. The Shark Car has undergone many redesigns over the years. It returned with a shiny aluminum finish in 2016 but spent much of the week out of commission."
Oh My God! by Harrod Blank —
"This whimsically-decorated Beetle was created by artist and filmmaker Harrod Blank (pictured) and is generally considered the first art car at Burning Man. While it's no longer designated a 'mutant vehicle,' it has a special permit to be on the playa thanks to its historic significance at the event."
Disco Duck —
"With its elaborate laser effects, flame throwers and dance floor, not to mention its impressive design, this art car was a sensation when it first appeared at Burning Man 2008. But it was alsowidely criticized for serving a small and wealthy elite, much like an exclusive nightclub for the rich and famous — a trend that has continued
in recent years."
The Lost Tea Party by Alex Wright —
"UK artist Alex Wright, known as Wreckage International, fashioned the Lost Tea Party in 2014 as a series of intimate tea salons on wheels with individual themes, including 'Assyrian Assassin,' 'Persian Princess,' and 'Sons of Sultans.'"
Abraxas by Rob Bell —
"Artist Rob Bell took inspiration from Japanese samurai culture in creating this copper-colored dragon a decade ago. The art car is made of nylon fabric stretched over a reinforced steel frame built atop an old school bus. It can hold up to 50 people on top and another 50 inside."
The Golden Mean by Jon Sarriugarte and Kyrsten Mate —
"Artists Jon Sarriugarte and Kyrsten Mate built this snail-shaped art car on top of a 1966 VW Beetle floor pan with scales made of galvanized scrap metal. It can hold up to 19 people, most of them inside but a few on top of the shell on a special viewing platform."