A collection of “mutant vehicles” straight from the Burning Man ecosystem has sold at Sotheby’s for tens of thousands.
The vehicles were part of a broader charitable sale titled “Boundless Space: The Possibilities of Burning Man.” The auction, touted as a pivotal initiative to help keep Burning Man financially afloat for the immediate future, saw three vehicles in particular fetch frothy sums between $24,000 and $40,000 each.
“A Mutant Vehicle is a unique, motorized creation that either shows little or no resemblance to their original form, or to any standard street vehicle,” explains Burning Man’s website.
Outside of that rule, however, there are no rules. When it comes to making a mutant vehicle, artists modify as needed until their heart’s content. Some, like David Best’s “Rocket Car,” look fit for a Star Wars pod race. The car was shaped from a 1973 Cadillac and can reportedly fit up to 16 people. It sold at auction for $36,000.
Rocket Car by David Best.
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Others, like Ryan C. Doyle’s “CarCroach-A Motor City Survivor,” seem as though they would fit seamlessly within the Mad Max universe. The grafitti-laden piece was built atop a completely unrecognizable Honda Civic and sold for $24,000.
CarCroach-A Motor City Survivor, Built for Black Rock by Ryan C. Doyle.
Sotheby’s
Finally, perhaps the most intricate design sold was Alex Grey’s “Mayan Warrior,” a fiberglass-crafted vehicle constructed in the image of a warrior’s helmet. The towering work stands 13 feet by 11 feet and sold for an impressive $40,000 sum.
Mayan Warrior by Alex Grey.
Sotheby’s
You can discover all of the auction highlights from “Boundless Space: The Possibilities of Burning Man” via Sotheby’s.
