My friend Mark Krause has come all the way from Arkansas to attend Burning Man with his wonderful almost finished creation Icarus.

I’ve know Mark for years though the California Blacksmith Ass. He has made some wonderful smithed sculptures seen at Maker fair for the last few years and has fixed most of the power hammers we smith use in the bay area over the years. Now it’s time to help him out with a financial last push to finish the last leg of his trip. I’m setting him up in my shop for the next few weeks. He needs both skilled help and money. He’s set up a Kickstsrter account here. I will personally vouch for his art and skill and welcome him to his first trip to Blackrock!

About the Vehicle’s Mutation:
A three wheeled vehicle in the shape of a crashed airplane with the wings melted off just beyond fire belching machine guns. This is a scratch built vehicle made almost entirely from recycled or repurposed materials.

Using Icarus as a model, I am attempting to describe the absurdity of warfare. While being held captive, Daedalus made wings for himself and his son to escape from the isle of Crete. Icarus, through youthful exuberance, flew too close to the sun and melted his wax and feather wings only to perish in the sea. Placed into modern context, the superfluous use of technology for warfare, only leads to a similar demise. In my example, the modern flying machine was destroyed by melting off its waxy wings with its own guns. I intend to present an aesthetically pleasing, interactive, object that hopefully will make some people think a little.