White, stylized logo showing a partial sun with curved rays above the word APOGAEA, reminiscent of Colorados own Burning Man event. The design is minimalistic and centered on a black background.

Apogaea 2026: Effigy, Temple, and BIG MONEY Art Grant Announcements

Your CATS team is super excited to announce the Effigy, Temple, and Big Money Art Grant recipients for APOGAEA 2026: MYTHOS & MECHANICA!

APOGAEA 2026 EFFIGY:
Catherine the Scorpion

Evan Beloni

A telehandler turned scorpion with a boom as a tail and a personnel basket as the venom pod, elevating participants above the ground, providing a phenomenal view of the event. Obviously the venom pod shoots fire and the fire will be interactive and controlled by the participants.

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APOGAEA 2026 TEMPLE:
W.H.O.O.

Mitch Giraffe, KT Rex & Beck Hargrove

W.H.O.O. is a 10 foot tall steel owl made from scrap metal, with two poems cut out of 1/4" thick 4'x8' steel panels on either side. The owl’s body is made out of the cut out poem letters.
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Organicus Mechanicus

Torchmouth, Monica Hsu, Jackson Ellis, Michael Weakley, Graham White, and Bones Belfontaine

Organicus Mechanicus is a fire-art and sound Theme Camp, created to entertain, inspire, and keep participants warm and engaged all night long. This proposal incorporates multiple interactive elements, including games, collaborative murals, and hands-on mechanical features with cranks and buttons for participants to explore, as well as a dance floor to keep the energy moving.

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What Moves Us

Olivia Wolf + TJ Rivers

What Moves us is a giant kinetic pinwheel that elevates everyday play into a shared reflection on motion and moments. As the pinwheel flutters in the breeze, pause to contemplate an idea or cozy up with a cutie in the heart swing.

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Arcturus

Adam Keeton

“Come see Arcturus breathe. It knows you’re there”

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Love Letters

Jeff Merkel

This installation is inspired by the ritual of old-school Valentine’s Day, where little handwritten notes were shared with classmates. To us, they represented simple acts of courage. Those exchanges were imperfect and vulnerable, but also fun and memorable. At the heart of the piece is an invitation to share space and to be brave. Visitors are encouraged to write a positive note of affection, gratitude, admiration. A message may be handed directly to someone they care about, or placed anonymously into a mailbox, where it becomes a gift for a stranger.

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Respite

Corinne Trujillo, Charlie Gleason and Marty Stenflo

“Respite” is a moment of rest and stillness; a temporary oasis. She is a personification of gentleness and support and holds space for those searching for repose.

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A Flaming Introduction to Fire Art

George Ott

To help introduce Apogaea attendees to fire art, we’ll offer a stand-alone introductory class one day during Apogaea. The class will include a bare-bones introduction to the topic of fire art coupled with extensive practical, hands-on practice of the techniques and methods being taught. The students will be paired with a “lab partner” to work with and by the end of the class should be able to assemble and demonstrate the function of a basic one burner “poofer” fire effect.

Photo credit: Apo fire aerial shot from website media 2022

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Inner Voice

Matthew Feeney

INNER VOICE is a resonant sound and light producing sculpture series. Each sculpture contains a unique playable inner bell or “voice”, and audio reactive illuminated flower elements that allow Apogaeans to explore the power and beauty of their inner voice.