You Won’t Believe What People Were Doing and Wearing At Burning Man

Fish Out of Sand

The desert is usually home to dust storms and cracked earth, not shimmering sea life, but Burning Man thrives on surprises. ATABEY, a giant metallic fish sculpted by Puerto Rican artist NiNo, rose from the playa in 2022 as if it had swum straight out of a river. Its scales gleamed in the sun, and its oversized eye seemed to follow riders on bikes.

Beyond the spectacle, the piece carried weight. NiNo used the fish to spark conversation about Puerto Rico’s struggles, turning a playful design into a statement that blended beauty, grit, and resilience. The contrast of ocean imagery against a barren desert made the message hit even harder.

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