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A Russian Artist Proposes Massive NASA Space Blanket Installation for Burning Man Festival

Russian artist Alexander Shtanuk has established a crowdfunding effort to flip NASA's metallic crisis blankets into an enormous art at this season's Burning Man festival.

The artist has established a fundraising campaign on crowdfunding website Indiegogo to raise $17,500 to bring the Blanket installation to Burning Man, taking place in the Nevada desert from 26 August to 4 September 2018.

His proposal involves joining together a string of NASA's space sheets, which the US space agency created in 1964 from a reflective material that provides insulation.

Measuring 2.1 from 1.6 meters, they are intended to be used to warm people up in emergency situations and now are generally awarded to runners following races.

Shtanuk plans to utilize reinforced tape to make a huge square version that spans 100 meters each side. It would be permitted to billow in the end, casting a shadow over a sizable section of the desert so visitors could rest in the shade. Alternatively, it might be placed onto the sand and also used as a seating area.

"The Blanket will constantly be changing its shape from the ability of wind, taking different surreal kinds -- waves, mountains or any giant sculptures that are amazing," said the announcement on the project's fundraising page.

"During the hot day room under the Blanket will be used as a refreshing and comfy rest place, where anybody can unwind, cool, and have a rest or dancing."

At night, the artist plans for the installation to take on an entirely different function. He guesses participants dressed in suits featuring electroluminescent cable -- also called el-wire, and made by coating aluminum cable a glow-in-the-dark phosphor.

They'd then crawl beneath the blanket," creating an effect of oceanic bioluminescent plankton or moving waves of equalizer."

Funds for the project will go towards materials, renting a room to assemble the piece, hauling it from Russia to Burning Man, as well as equipment rental.

So far, a total of $720 was increased by 28 backers.

Burning Man attracts 70,000 visitors annually, and its community is responsible for building a range of elaborate structures around the temporary settlement called Black Rock City.

H/T dezeen