Temporal
Decomposition
A 57,000 lb ice sundial by Jim Mason
Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, 1997
Temporal Decomposition was a 57,000lb sundial of ice, frozen on-location and left to melt in the August sun. The installation consisted of a 12 foot diameter solid sphere of ice, with 200 clocks and watches frozen inside, surrounded by 12 foot ice obelisks at each of the four compass points. An aluminum pipe extending from the sphere functioned as the shadowcaster, projecting across rock lines marking the hours of the day. All the ice pieces were piped with propane and burned fire off the ice at night.

Main Sphere and Obelisks more photos

Building the sphere mold and refrigerated building more photos

The cetral sphere was frozen in a 12' diameter fiberglass mold set inside a 15' cube enclosure. The enclosure was made from 6" thick foam sheets attached to a wood frame, airtight plastic layers, expanding foam sealant, and a layer of haybales for additional insulation. A diesel truck refrigerator cooled the enclosure to -10F and we progressively added water and chunks of ice and clocks, building the sphere in layers over a two week period. The obelisks were made from large 4' X 2' X 1' carving blocks hauled in from Reno, cut to size, and craned down onto the fire post up the center of each obelisk.

The builders more photos

Conceived and designed by: Jim Mason
Built by: Larry Breed, Adrian Chan, Karie Hendersen, Dan Das Man, Jim Mason, John Rinaldi, Joanna Schneier, Colin Starger and many volunteers known and unknown who lifted ice and water into the mold for many days.

When it was unveiled, and the heat and exhaustion set in, we took ice scrapers and made snowcones form the sundial. And at 4AM after the burn, we tried to melt the main sphere with the Veg-O-Matic, shooting over 40 gallons of buring kerosene at it with a flamethrower. The ice won and all our fire and fury barely left a mark.. We did succeed in drilling a small hole about 6" into the ice with the Veg's bore before the drive system broke. No known pictures or video exist of the Ice-Veg conflagration. If you have any, please contact me.