Phoenix (Burning Man installation)

Ukrainian Phoenix was Ukraine’s first-ever ritual burn art installation at the annual Burning Man festival held in Black Rock City, Nevada, in August 2023. Conceived and built by a collective of Ukrainian artists and volunteers, the work took the form of a monumental phoenix rising from a fractured Tryzub (the Ukrainian trident), symbolizing national rebirth amid wartime devastation.^[1][2][3]

In early 2023, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine entered its second year, a group of Ukrainian expatriates and supporters sought to bring international attention to the country’s resilience through participation in one of the world’s most renowned countercultural art events. The idea evolved into creating a large-scale sculpture blending national iconography with Burning Man’s ethos of radical self-expression and communal effort.^[1][3]

Artists Oleksiy Sai and Bohdana Kosmina led the design and construction of the Phoenix installation.^[4] The work comprised two main elements: a 40-foot-wide skeletal Tryzub base and a 60-foot-tall phoenix figure made from sustainably sourced steel and locally harvested pinewood The artists incorporated LED lighting and programmable pyrotechnics to animate the sculpture during the nightly “burn” ritual. Engineering teams from Kyiv and Reno collaborated on wind-load simulations to ensure stability in the playa’s notorious winds.^[2][3]

On the festival’s final night, Phoenix was installed at the center of Black Rock City’s playa as part of the ‘Burning Man’ ritual. As dusk fell on 31 August 2023, the phoenix ignited, rising in a choreographed dance of fire and light before collapsing into embers. With thousands in attendance — one of Burning Man’s largest crowds that year — the installation was hailed by media as a ‘dramatic tribute’ and ‘monumental sculpture’ symbolizing Ukraine’s perseverance.^[1][2]

International media praised Phoenix for its ambitious scale and powerful symbolism. CNN called it “Burning Man’s dramatic ‘phoenix’ tribute to war-torn Ukraine,” noting the emotional spectacle and global solidarity it inspired.^[1] UPI reported on the sculpture’s unveiling and highlighted the collaborative efforts of Ukrainian artists in exile.^[2] Ukrainian news outlets such as Ukrayinska Pravda covered Phoenix alongside another memorial work, emphasizing its role in wartime cultural diplomacy.^[3] The Village Ukraine reflected on the installation’s significance, arguing that “the Phoenix’s fiery rebirth mirrored Ukraine’s determination to emerge stronger from adversity.”^[5]

Beyond media coverage, Phoenix raised over $150,000 in donations for Ukrainian humanitarian aid groups via on-site fundraising and a linked NFT campaign. Festival participants and art critics cited Phoenix as one of the most memorable and meaningful works of Burning Man 2023, sparking discussions on the power of art in conflict contexts.^[5]