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Help us create a tree of life...

Imagine a towering, lifelike tree. It's nearly four stories tall and wide enough to hold 60 climbers in its limbs. The bark is sculpted and painted by hand to look impossibly alive.

There are tiny LED lights hidden within each leaf. At night, the leaves begin to glow. Together, the 25,000 leaves form the largest "light canvas" in the world. Lying beneath the tree and looking up, you're enveloped in colors, shapes and patterns that move to music through the canopy above you.

Instead of giving control of this canvas to a single artist, imagine we put sensors around the tree that empower YOU to control the canopy lights using your voices, movements, and biorhythms.  

Finally, imagine we open-sourced the control software so that any artist or technologist around the world could create unforgettable light art for this new medium. 

What would happen? What things would you experience under this magical tree of life?

Find out beneath the Tree of Ténéré.  

Our inspiration

We were inspired by a tree that once grew in the middle of the Sahara desert, in a region called Ténéré. It was the most isolated tree on Earth: not a single other tree could be seen for 250 miles. And yet, the tree became an important ceremonial gathering place for traders and travelers as they crossed the desert. It brought people together for community, ritual and rest.

It was mysteriously destroyed almost 50 years ago.

Let's bring this tree back to life. Let's create a natural space of contemplation, community, creativity, and play. Help us bring Ténéré to Burning Man 2017 and then to cities and festivals around the world.

Come climb...

Nearly four stories tall, Ténéré lets climbers rekindle their childhood love of adventure and awe for nature.

We designed and engineered Ténéré to support the weight of 60 climbers, with construction already underway in southern California. Made from hand-sculpted fiberglass and hand-painted resin, the bark looks and feels so real you’ll think you’re climbing a living tree.

...and create

At night, hidden LEDs within each leaf come to life. The leaves begin to glow. Together, these 25,000 LED leaves form a massive, dome-shaped "canvas of light."

Using our open-source tools, artist and technologists around the world are creating experiences for this canvas that you will never forget.

Lying beneath the tree at night, you'll look up and see stunning colors, shapes and patterns move through the treetop in synchrony with soothing music. We’ll host live events as well: imagine a DJ, choir or orchestra up in the tree, controlling the canopy with their music.

At other times, YOU get to control the tree. Hidden sensors and simple wearables let you activate the LED leaves through sound (chanting, humming, singing, words), biorhythms like heartbeat, and movement. Imagine harmonizing with others under the tree or shouting names of colors to create mind-bending patterns. Someone passes you a Fitbit: when you slip it onto your wrist, 25,000 leaves begin pulsing to the beat of your heart.

We're creating this canvas in partnership with the Symmetry Labs team. You have to see their past work to believe it:

We can't do this without you! Two ways you can help:
 

1. Please consider making a generous donation to support this project. We have amazing perks for supporters and donations are tax-deductible
    
2. Please share this campaign on Facebook and via email with your friends.

We can't thank you enough, and we can't wait to see you under the Tree of Ténéré.

Meet the team

ALEX GREEN, CO-LEAD ARTIST & SYMMETRY LABS CEO

My work as an artist and technologist bridges the digital and physical worlds. Before pursuing interactive art I was a physicist and jazz musician; both science and music remain lasting sources of inspiration in my work. I try to push the boundaries of both knowledge and expression through art -- often my projects require technological innovation as well as custom fabrication.

Over the last few years, I've been focused on building modular "light instruments": volumetric lighting blocks with sophisticated software that can be played like a musical instrument. My work has been featured in Gizmodo, Creators Project, Discovery Channel’s In The Making, an upcoming PBS documentary on the future of art called Ineffable with violinist Tim Fain, and in music videos for Eric Prydz and Cathedrals. I've done light sculptures for Google, Cisco, Dreamforce, and many others.

I've had the chance to perform at festivals around the world, including the Future of Storytelling, Treasure Island Music Festival, and Cannes Lions Innovation Festival, where I gave the keynote on “Beyond Sound: The Music Experience of the Future”. I'm thrilled to be bringing Ténéré to the world in 2017.

MARK SLEE, CO-LEAD ARTIST

My visual art draws heavily on a background in computer programming. I develop algorithmic patterns inspired both by organic and mathematical process, employing procedural motion, subtle variation, and evolving shifts in form and hue. I find it fascinating to explore the way our visual perception works, and my goal is to create vivid, colorful experiences that are pleasing both aesthetically and intellectually - pretty lights can tickle both mind and soul.

I've been developing an open-source stack for LED animation called LX since my first playa light-art installation at my second Burn in 2010. That system has gone on to see use in a variety of major installations, by myself and others. But Ténéré has to be one of the most audacious canvases I've ever seen envisioned, and I'm super excited to be creating for it.

ZACHARY SMITH, CO-CREATOR 

I couldn't be prouder of the incredible team working to make Ténéré a reality, and I've been blown away by the support we've received from people all over the world. I spend most of my time on project management, fundraising (we need your support!), and creative direction.

By day I'm an entrepreneur and product manager. I live in San Francisco with my wife Sophie.

PATRICK DEEGAN, PHD, CO-CREATOR

I build intelligent and self-sovereign robots and am fascinated by the potential of technology, applied to the advancement of society for the benefit of all. I have been attending Burning Man since 1996. This year, I'm excited to bring a wealth of technical experience to the task of creating an open-platform that is at the intersection of art, interaction, and digital identity.  I'm inspired by an amazing team and the really beautiful vision we share, to illuminate and support transformational synergies with technology and offer an experience of transcendent oneness with nature and each other.

TANNER BEREE, DIGITAL MEDIA LEAD

After my first burn I knew that becoming involved with an art project was in my future. As always the Playa provided; this time with The Tree of Ténéré. I work as a visual storyteller and couldn’t be more excited to document the journey of bringing this amazing piece of artwork to the world.

Come find me under the LED canopy of Ténéré!

RIWA HARFOUSH, COMMUNITY BUILDER

If the playa has taught me anything, it's the exponential nature of generosity. My fiancee Alex and I have felt how worthwhile our time, effort and love has been in building our camp (The Pineapple Motel) when we see our family of Pineapples come together each year to build our home in the dust. This year, we're looking beyond our little community and are so excited to rally an even larger family around this beautiful piece of art that can be experienced by all.

NATHANIEL HEDGES, BUILD TEAM

I moved to San Francisco from Honolulu. For eleven years I was a trauma medic/deep-sea-diver in the United States Navy, and recently I made the transition to studying furniture/product design at California College of the Arts (CCA). I love to bike and sail, and I'm passionate about Muay Thai and avidly committed to physical fitness/personal wellness.

With encouragement from friends and family, I ventured into developing large-scale art installations for the Burning Man community. I'm grateful for an amazing community of Bay Area Burner friends and can't wait to see you all under Ténéré!

MATT HERRICK, FUNDRAISING LEAD

After running fundraising for 2016's "Catacomb of Veils," I swore that I would take this year off. However, Ténére's beauty and audaciousness inspired me to join the team. I am also a lead for Epic, Burning Man's "World Series of Poker" theme camp. 

In the default world, I live in San Francisco and work in enterprise sales.

CLAY SADER, PROGRAMMING LEAD

I'm so incredibly excited to be a part of bringing Ténéré to the Burning Man community. Last year while being a small part of building Catacomb of Veils, I learned about the power of building spaces for healing and exploration. This year I'm proud be be bringing some of what I learned to help create this space of beauty, magic, and community. I cannot wait to lounge in the shade (and light) of Ténéré and see the community experience it for themselves.

I live in SF, but I spend most of my time in the default world in Africa and elsewhere, working to build software in the developing world to strengthen healthcare, crisis response, and development systems.

STEVE TAM, COMMUNITY & CROWDFUNDING

I help organize the Pineapple Motel camp and am excited about building the narrative and community around Ténéré. 2017 will be my fourth burn and I am looking forward to finally contributing to an artistically and experientially driven piece of magic on the playa.

During the day I work in brand and marketing for an AI company. I helped launch Daybreaker in Toronto and now live with my wife in NYC.

ALEXANDRE TERRIEN, FUNDRAISING

I'm the co-founder of the Pineapple Motel camp and better known as "Monkey" on the playa. I'm a dedicated Burner and community builder and so excited to bring Ténéré to the playa.

SHLOMO ZIPPEL, HARDWARE ENGINEER & ARTIST

I really enjoy combining art and engineering, and Burning Man provides ample opportunities to do so. I brought various projects to the playa over the years: climbable installations, art cars, and shiny wearables. It is great being part of a team and a project that is combing all of the above.

You can find me at various hackerspaces in San Francisco working on Light Layer, helping makers add interactive LEDs to their costumes and art installations.

JEFFREY ORD, BUILD TEAM

Coming soon

JOSH ELBAZ, PROJECT MANAGER

I manage hospital construction projects in Montreal. Throughout my career, I've learned to appreciate how beautiful art and light can affect the lives of patients and staff, and how these can help to heal the mind, body, and spirit. My hope is that the Tree of Ténéré will too have this effect on many Burners this summer, and so it is my great pleasure to collaborate with this amazing team to help bring this vision to fruition.

TYLER GOIN, FUNDRAISING

Over five trips to Burning Man, I've developed a special bond to Black Rock City, especially around the unique collection of art, nature and people. For me, Burning Man is an expression of what humanity is capable of, and a reminder for how much stronger we are when we work together then we are divided. I believe deeply that facilitating the construction of a lonely tree in the desert for people to gather and come together is a beacon of hope and beauty in these tumultuous times.

Donations are tax deductible thanks to our fiscal sponsor, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts.