The Shadow Of The Man

EP 68 Twan

Episode 68 with Twan is out now! Meet Twan, a veteran Burning Man participant and the long-reigning former Los Angeles regional contact. Twan recounts the organic evolution of the global burner community before the advent of social media, detailing how disparate groups transitioned from unorganized email lists into the official regional network under the Burning Man umbrella. Twan explains his deep involvement with Pepe Ozan’s legendary operas, highlighted by a rigorous voodoo initiation in Haiti undertaken to ensure the artistic authenticity of the 1999 performance. His story explores the ethos of participation and collaboration, tracing his journey from organizing massive decompression events in Los Angeles to his current volunteer work with the Playa Restoration team, which maintains the event's "Leave No Trace" commitment. http://www.burningmanopera.org/ [http://www.burningmanopera.org/] IG: @burningtwan Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ [https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/] for all of the details and links. Email shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com [shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com] if you want to be a guest or if you have any concerns about the show. Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, it REALLY helps the show to even appear in search results.

EP 67 Shadow Shorts # 11

Shadow Shorts #11 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Each Shadow Short is one person’s story, please enjoy this short story of how Burning Man has impacted and influenced people over time. Meet Fly Trap, who describes Burning Man as a transformative "family reunion" that allows her to reconnect with distant friends through shared creativity and play. She highlights her rewarding shift from a solitary technical career to a physically active volunteer role at the event’s gate, where she enjoys the logistical challenges and the distinct, black-clad subculture of the staff. She shares how the collaborative spirit of burner culture empowers individuals to achieve the "impossible" in their daily lives, such as organizing complex, community-driven weddings rooted in the confidence and effort gained from the desert experience. Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ [https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/] for all of the details and links. Email shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com [shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com] if you want to be a guest or if you have any concerns about the show. Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, it REALLY helps the show to even appear in search results.

EP 66 Dana Albany

Episode 66 with Dana Albany is out now! Meet Dana Albany, a long-time artist whose life was radically redirected by her experiences at Burning Man. Originally a microbiology student, Dana describes her transition from the sciences to the arts after discovering a passion for participation and industrial tools while volunteering to build the Man. Her story highlights the collaborative spirit of the desert community, specifically how Dana’s mentorship under figures like Larry Harvey and Pepe Ozan empowered her to create large-scale works, such as her iconic bone tree. A central narrative in her story is the story of the Monumental Mammoth, a project Albany guided for a young Girl Scout that eventually became a symbol of healing and community transformation. Her story illustrates how the festival serves as a catalyst for self-expression, turning amateurs into professional artists and fostering deep, lifelong creative connections. https://www.danaalbanyart.com/ [https://www.danaalbanyart.com/] Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ [https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/] for all of the details and links. Email shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com [shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com] if you want to be a guest or if you have any concerns about the show. Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, it REALLY helps the show to even appear in search results.

EP 65 Lady Bee

Episode 65 with Lady Bee is out now! Meet Lady Bee, a long-time member and former art curator for the Burning Man organization. The conversation traces her journey from discovering the event in 1995 to her influential career managing art grants and archival collections that document the culture's material history. Lady Bee reflects on the evolution of the Burning Man community, emphasizing how the movement shifted from a small, unstructured gathering into a global "permission engine" that fosters collaboration over competition and brings public art into the mainstream. Her story is a historical testimony to the power of decentralized creativity and the enduring importance of community-building beyond the physical confines of the desert. ladybee@burningman.org [ladybee@burningman.org] https://gallery.burningman.org/ [https://gallery.burningman.org/] https://playamakers.com/ [https://playamakers.com/] Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ [https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/] for all of the details and links. Email shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com [shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com] if you want to be a guest or if you have any concerns about the show. Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, it REALLY helps the show to even appear in search results.

EP 64 Shadow Shorts #10

Shadow Shorts #10 is out now! Recorded at BRC in 2025 participants were challenged to explain BM‘s impact in 5 minutes or less. Each Shadow Short is one person’s story, please enjoy this short story of how Burning Man has impacted and influenced people over time. Meet Ivan as he explains his personal evolution as a veteran burner, tracing his journey from a frequent wedding photographer on the playa to his current pursuit of a responsibility-free experience focused on pure enjoyment. Ivan reflects on how the event serves as a "happy place" that fosters a unique sense of community and altruism, noting that the festival's culture has permanently changed his daily habits and social interactions. He shares the lasting impact of the festival's principles on individual character, specifically regarding environmental mindfulness and the instinctual desire to help others in need. Please visit https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/ [https://shadowoftheman.buzzsprout.com/] for all of the details and links. Email shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com [shadowofthemanpodcast@gmail.com] if you want to be a guest or if you have any concerns about the show. Please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, it REALLY helps the show to even appear in search results.