Client: Burning Man

Overview

QUEEN COBRA is a very large art installation in the form of a huge rearing cobra, with a coiled body, a spreading hood, and a beautiful copper-scaled head topped with a magnificent crown. 26 feet high and 50 feet long, She is made of gleaming powder-coated tubular steel and hand-beaten aluminium.

In many cultures around the world snakes are revered and celebrated. They symbolize rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing as a result of their ability to repeatedly shed their skin, revealing a new skin beneath. They also symbolize fertility and virility. Specifically, Queen Cobra can be seen to represent the awakening of Kundalini, a form of divine feminine energy believed to rest at the base of the spine and visualized as a coiled serpent, which can be awakened and cultivated through tantric practice, ascending through different levels of mystical experience until it reaches the top of the head, leading to a profound transformation of consciousness.

Goals

QUEEN COBRA was created for Burning Man in 2023. The Mission of Burning Man Arts is to change the paradigm of art from a commodified object to an interactive, participatory, shared experience of creative expression. The making of QUEEN COBRA was in itself a shared experience of creative expression, pooling the talents of highly skilled craftsmen in Reno and a London-based Artist and Architect.
On playa QUEEN COBRA clearly welcomed participants to explore and climb and play. As with previous projects for Burning Man, unplanned and inventive interactivity unfolded on and around the installation because it was so inviting and self-expression and immediacy are welcomed and encouraged there. From the moment she was built she was thronged with happy climbers. As well as offering fantastic views in every direction the crown on her head became a destination, a meeting place and a chill out spot, and a location for many newly-wed couples to be photographed!

Process

Working from the original hand drawings by the artist Andrea Greenlees, Josh Haywood of Hylemo produced a detailed 3D model, 2D CAD layout and digital visualizations for master steelworker Andy Tibbetts to fabricate QUEEN COBRA in Reno.

Additional Information

QUEEN COBRA will soon be on temporary display at The Generator in Sparks, Reno NV, where she was made, and is now available to purchase. The team look forward to rebuilding her in an exciting new location where she can make a big impact. Next year, 2025, will be the Chinese Year of the Snake – might that present an interesting opportunity? Please contact the Artist!