Breaking Open
INTENTION
FIRE
TRANSFORMATION
ART
HEALING
A broken heart stands as a chrysalis to new life within.
As the heart burns away, it reveals the butterfly
now free to fly.
Breaking Open, aka the Butterfly Heart, is a Fire Art Installation that is being built for Burning Man 2023. On August 31st at 11:00 PM, a 20x16ft wooden heart filled with heartfelt messages will be set ablaze. As the heart burns, a captivating steel butterfly, to be illuminated with radiant LED lights, is revealed. Add your message, support us with much needed tax-deductible donations, and be part of this transformative experience of healing and rebirth.
"The Butterfly Heart is dedicated to anyone who walks with a broken heart, to offer a reflection that honors their truth and also invites the possibility of transformation and a return to joy. The intent is to transmute grief during the burn that reveals the butterfly, a symbol of hope. May this art help anyone with a broken heart to know they are not alone and that there is hope of emerging from it in a way that restores beauty and well-being. Creativity and art is a way to get there. " ~Dawn
We are seeking art lovers and inspired people to join us in raising the funds to build this work of art, get it to the Playa, burn it and effectively Leave No Trace after our burn. We applied for the Honorarium grant in January and, although we were not chosen for the Burning Man funding, we were accepted as a burnable art piece (huge honor) and will be bringing it at our own cost. Please consider donating, to help us create healing and beauty through art.
Click here to make a Donation
(under $500)
or
Click here to make a
TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation
($500 or more)
To enter a message to be burned in the heart, click here:
https://forms.gle/msv4Rr1XQFBY7gMj6
Butterfly Heart Store
Support this project by shopping the Butterfly Heart swag!
(Shirt sizing runs small, order one size up)
All proceeds go directly toward building this art, getting it to the playa & back.
Click Here to shop now
Meet the Artists
Dawn M. Yurkovic
Lead Artist
Dawn is a dancer and healing arts practitioner. In the 8 years she attended Burning Man, Dawn has offered her gifts to the Playa through performance art, bellydance, yoga and healing bodywork. Over the years, she has been deeply moved and inspired by the Fire Art at Burning Man and has long been dreaming of creating and bringing Fire Art to the Playa.
At Burning Man in 2022, she had a vision that inspired the courage to bring her dream alive. She reached out to her friends in the BM community for help to create an art piece that would invite healing and transformation. Humbly, she honors these talented artists, Glenn Fischer, Brendon O'Halloran, and Kyle Ruddick, as the co-leaders that will bring this Fire Art, entitled “Breaking Open” (aka The Butterfly Heart), to Burning Man in 2023.
Glenn Fischer
Lead Welder & Metal Artist
Glenn installed the glorious Orb in 2018 and in 2019 he built and installed the inspiring 75 ft. tall Phoenix, entitled "Wing Portal", supported by Maxa Camp. He is powerfully skilled and is a force of creativity, energy, vision and kindness. Glenn will be designing, building and installing our beloved hero, the Butterfly. We are so blessed to have him leading our team.
Brendon O’Halloran
Lead Carpenter & Wood Artist
Brendon was Lead Carpenter/ Co-Designer of the large mutant vehicle “The Anostraca”, a city bus turned into a pirate ship with a bar inside and a large deck on top with a second bar and stage for a DJ or live band. The ship came to the playa 5 times between 2010-2018. Brendon is a masterful artist and craftsman. He will be designing and building the heart that will burn. We are thrilled to have his expertise and joyful spirit co-leading our team.
Kyle Ruddick
Digital and Light Artist
Kyle Ruddick is an artist, filmmaker, commercial experience designer and 12 year burner. He was the Lead Creator of The Fun Cult theme camp from 2009-2011, and Lead Artist of the Kinetic Magic team that has placed interactive art on the playa annually since 2015. He is excited to bring dynamic visual nighttime interactivity to this meaningful playa sculpture. He created all the digital art for this project and has brought our dream alive with possibility!
Find us on social media and join us on this adventure!
Many people have already contributed to the energy and inspiration leading to this spark of creativity and we are grateful to every one of you! Community is the true magic of Burning Man, and
it will take a lot of love, support and resources to make this art, get it to the playa, have a successful burn, and clean up after ourselves. Please join us and help us burn the broken heart!