Artist and Pioneer Works founder Dustin Yellin discusses his annual tradition of attending Burning Man in the Nevada desert with journalist Sophia Cohen. Yellin, who first attended the festival in 2012 despite initial skepticism, describes the transformative experience of biking through the Playa with its lights and large-scale artworks. After this year's Burning Man, he will return to New York to complete *The Politics of Eternity*, a 10,000-pound sculpture debuting at the Armory Show.
The conversation matters because it highlights how Burning Man serves as a unique cultural phenomenon that challenges preconceptions and fosters community among artists and attendees. Yellin's dual role as an artist and founder of Pioneer Works—a nonprofit art and science center in Brooklyn—connects the festival's ethos of self-expression and collaboration to the broader New York art world. The interview also addresses misconceptions about Burning Man and its evolution from a smaller gathering to a massive event with 80,000 participants.