A. Leo Nash

In the interest of full disclosure, let me state the following: I have not gone, nor do I ever intend to ever go, to Burning Man. There are a myriad of reasons behind my reluctance, not the least of which is my strong aversion to placing myself in situations completely out of my control and difficult to extricate myself from, much less huge gatherings of less-than-sober strangers in the Nevada desert. I’m far more comfortable with the idea of engaging with such things at a distance. That is not to say, however, that I’m not interested in the annual festival of hedonism and self-expression. Part of what I find fascinating about Burning Man is the temporary nature of the “experimental community” both in terms of the event itself (held just one week out of the year) and the works of art, performances, costumes, and other forms of expression exhibited by the participants. Photographer A. Leo Nash has been attending Burning Man for over a decade, rising early in the morning each day to document the bizarre and wonderful assortment of vehicles, structures, and other constructions that often defy description. The nature of his subject — like the festival itself — is fleeting , yet through Nash’s understated black & white compositions, we can see each surreal flight of fancy captured in time prior to being disassembled or put to the torch. Nash released a hard-bound compilation of photographs last month in Burning Man: Art in the Desert that is worth reviewing if only to appreciate the book’s unique matchbox design, if not its contents. For those interested in viewing his work up close & personal, the Catherine Edelman Gallery in Chicago will be exhibiting a selection of his photos beginning Friday, July 13.