In the tradition of Burning Man, the culmination of Apogaea is centered around a Temple & an Effigy.
As Apogaea occurs in the mountains of Colorado, we are typically not able to burn our Effigy or Temple. Although we have burned amazing wooden and fabric structures in previous locations, our current location is much drier. In past years, we burned a Phoenix, a Squid, a Volcano, and a free-form structure made up of smaller pieces decorated by the community. In our new location, we cannot have ember-producing fires, so we’ve had to get creative!
\The 2016 burn relied on hot air balloon burners that heated three incredibly beautiful metal hearts until they were red-hot. One of the hearts was made of aluminum and melted over the course of the burn. We encourage such creative burn plans to protect our dry and beautiful surroundings.
For more info on how to submit temple and effigy designs, please visit the Creative Grants page!
What Is The Temple?
The Temple is a space dedicated to reflection and release, as a counterpoint to the high energy present through most of the event.
The Temple is a unique art piece at Apogaea. The Temple is meant to create a reverent space where participants can meditate, honor what has been lost or gained, go inward, slow down, let go, or whatever other experience can be made of it. Each Temple has its own unique space to be encountered.
What Is The Effigy?
The Effigy is a celebration of community. We help build it, gather around it, watch performances involving it, burn it, and dance to its warmth. There are no real parameters to the project except that it be of significant size and burnable (subject to burn ban restrictions).
The Effigy can be anything you can imagine! In recent years, we’ve hosted a Phoenix, a Squid, a Volcano, a free-form structure made up of smaller pieces decorated by the community, and an incredibly beautiful butterfly emerging from a chrysalis.
The 2025 Temple
“W.H.O.O.”
W.H.O.O. is a standalone sculpture, eventually to be placed in deep playa at Burning Man. It consists of a 10 foot tall steel owl made from scrap metal, with two free-standing 4’x8′ steel panels surrounding it in a square.
The 2025 Effigy
“Catherine the Scorpion”
The general concept is to build a telehandler into a scorpion by adding legs and body to the frame of the machine.
Previous Temples at Apogaea
- 2024 – Well?
- 2023 – Ascension Sanctuary
- 2022 – Archways of the Ancients
- 2021 – no temple due to event cancellation
- 2020 – no temple due to event cancellation
- 2019 – Temple of Death
- 2018 – Foris Arca: Outside The Box
- 2017 – Hotaru no Hikari: The Firefly Temple
- 2016 – Temple of Resonance
- 2015 – no temple due to event cancellation
- 2014 – The Temple of Infinite Life
- 2013 – Temple of Transubstantiation
- 2012 – Luminaria
- 2011 – Temple of the Moon
Previous Effigies at Apogaea
- 2024 – Art aFlame
- 2023 – Celestial Elemental
- 2022 – Fire Sculpture Garden
- 2021 – no temple due to event cancellation
- 2020 – no temple due to event cancellation
- 2019 – Draco’s Nest
- 2018 – Big Charles
- 2017 – Heart of Gold
- 2016 – Syzygy: The Library Angel
- 2015 – no effigy due to event cancellation
- 2014 – T.O.T.E.M. – The Throne of the Emergent Multitude
- 2013 – Blossom
- 2012 – Blossom (not burned because of fire ban)
- 2011 – Butterfly/Chrysalis “Transformation”
- 2010 – Communigy
- 2009 – VolCano
- 2008 – Squid “The Next”
- 2007 – Phoenix