Let Nadi set you free - Sapna Bhavnani's art installation at Burning Man 2023

Updated: Sep 5, 2023

Burning Man is a symbol of art and expression that’s been housing artists and onlookers for generations. This year, we had the chance to speak to one such artist - Sapna Bhavnani (@sapnamotibhavnani).

Paying homage to the rivers of India that we hold sacred, Sapna uses this installation to depict all that the rivers give us, and us them. Nadi symbolises the journeys from birth to death, life and grief, and just the ever-flowing nature of these rivers and how they always stand as witnesses to these processions. There are several aspects of this installation that can be raved about, but to stay true to its sanctity, Nadi is an intended place by the river that flows through Burning Man - providing a haven to people who want to participate in the same rites that people in India and beyond have been keeping safe for centuries.

The installation invites individuals to wash away their burdens they carry from their lives and connect with their inner selves. However, Nadi goes beyond just cleansing one of their weights. It also proves to be a proof of life and death in itself. Representing the very nature of existence, it flows freely but still meets its eventual end.

Giving individuals an open space for self-reflection, introspection, and the discovery of the delicate balance between renewal and mortality, Nadi is an installation that bears the mark of sanctity and purity - ever true to its name.