EP 18 Dan Miller

Meet Dan Miller, an original pioneer of Burning Man who has attended every gathering since the inaugural 1986 bonfire on Baker Beach. Miller provides a firsthand historical account of the event’s evolution from a small, radical self-expression ritual among friends to a massive, organized city in the Black Rock Desert. He details his technical role in building and rigging the iconic wooden effigy, the transition from anarchic "zone trips" to the modern structured infrastructure, and his close relationship with founder Larry Harvey (they were roommates). Central to the discussion is Miller’s current "Man’s Brain" art project, a participatory installation designed to restore the interactive, communal spirit that he believes defines the soul of the culture.Episode photo is by David SilvermanThe Burning Man Journal article about the Man’s Brain:https://journal.burningman.org/2022/08/black-rock-city/building-brc/participate/