The Divine Hand
Coming to Burning Man, 2026
Our Next Project:
Coming to Burning Man, 2026
The Divine Hand
An Interactive Sculpture
1.1K
51K
The Vision
The Divine Hand is a monumental, reflective sculpture that hovers seven feet above the ground and releases a radiant column of light and a one-of-a-kind whispered message when you step beneath it, an awe-inspiring, deeply personal encounter designed for Burning Man 2026 and a traveling tour beyond, blending monumental form with intimate meaning to remind each visitor that the universe sees them, knows them, and has a personal for them.
The Inspiration
At Burning Man, we’re all seekers. We don’t show up to find what we want; we come open to what we might need, walking through the dust with eyes ready for small alignments and odd little messages. This project uses the timeless symbol of the outstretched hand, compassion in an open palm, guidance from above. The experience fuses that with a beam of light as a metaphor for clarity and energy, inviting each wanderer to step beneath it and touch that fleeting instant when transcendence feels close enough to hold.
The Experience
As you walk beneath the floating chrome hand, a motion-triggered beam ignites and bathes you in light; a touchpad invites you to enter your birth date and time, and the system reaches into live star charts to place you on your journey and surface the words you most need to hear. In real time, a song is selected for you with lyrics that embody that message. The song is then played for you, and you alone via parametric speakers, beaming the sound directly to you, between your ears only, while those around you hear nothing. One audience only. Technology orchestrated in a way that turns a simple step forward into a private moment of alignment.
The 4 Illusions
Weightless Levitation
The hand must look massive, mirror-bright, metal, and undeniably solid, while actually being feather-light and safely supported. We’re prototyping several concealment strategies in parallel: (1) a cluster of ultra-thin, highly reflective columns that visually disappear into the environment; (2) a primary support hidden inside the beam of light so the eye reads “floating”; (3) a counter-levered arm with its base set several feet away so the support line is outside the viewer’s attention; and (4) edge-mounted clear acrylic (or other transparent structural composites) that behave like “invisible glass.” Candidate materials must be strong, UV- and playa-resistant, and either transparent or mirror-finished to vanish under lighting cues.
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Surprise Interactivity
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The piece should first read as a static, contemplative sculpture, then delight by coming alive. Presence sensors and carefully tuned delays will bring lighting up only as participants cross an invisible threshold, guiding them beneath the hand without signage or instruction. Subtle idle animations prevent “dead art,” while timed fades, beam blooms, and hush-to-reveal audio moments create an arc from curiosity → discovery → engagement.
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Personalized Message
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Every encounter is unique. A touchpad invites visitors to enter birth date and time; the system then queries live star charts (via satellite link) to place each participant on their current journey and generate a short set of interpretive themes and keywords. Those themes drive a lyric-selection engine that searches a song with lines that embody the message the visitor most needs. The result is a concise, poetic affirmation that is personal, contextual, timely, and never repeated.
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Single-Audience Sound
To preserve the intimacy of the message, directional parametric speakers project audio down a tight beam to a narrow column directly beneath the hand. Step into the beam and the music and words are “inside your head”; step out and the sound vanishes. Nearby observers experience the light and presence but not the private transmission, ensuring each encounter remains a one-person revelation: unshared, unspoiled, and unforgettable.
The Budget
To realize the piece and deliver it's unique experience in the best possible way, the total budget is $51,500. This covers sculpture fabrication (steel frame, foam shaping, fiberglass skin, spray-chrome finish), lighting and audio (high-powered LED beam, presence sensors, parametric directional speakers, transport and equipment (box truck, permits, forklift, flatbed), on-site build and crew (rigging, tools, camp logistics), safety and infrastructure (anchoring, generator, power, signage), plus a 10–15% contingency for inevitable playa realities and reliability testing.
Support Tiers
Your name listed on our supporter page, plus a printable 5×7 digital postcard (JPG) featuring a build photo and caption from the studio.
The above + An email newsletter with milestone updates, behind-the-scenes notes, and upcoming key dates.
All of the above + Unlock full access to the private YouTube channel with long-form studio sessions, fabrication logs, and on-playa diaries. Higher tiers include this Studio Pass automatically.
All of the above + Join periodic Zoom roundtables with the artist and core team to preview milestones, ask questions, and offer your insight and feedback.
All of the above + Your name engraved on The Divine Hand’s dedication plate, permanently part of the work’s lineage.
Join the Project
If you’re an experienced fundraiser, welder, fabricator, rigger, electrician, audio engineer, software/AI developer, logistics pro, photographer, social-media storyteller, or grant writer, we could use you! Let's bring The Divine Hand to life, together! We have both remote pre-build roles and on-playa build/crew positions for Burning Man 2026 and the touring installation that follows. Tell us how you’d like to contribute and your availability, drop us a line using the form below and we’ll be in touch with next steps!
Get in touch!
We would love to hear from you...
About Gravity Assist Studio
Gravity Assist is a interactive experience studio with a mission to create large-scale, interactive works that feel both larger than life and extremely personal. The studio blends structural engineering, fabrication, responsive lighting, sensor design, high tech magic, and sound to craft encounters that lift people. Like a gravitational slingshot, we move them toward wonder, reflection, and connection. Our vision is to carry those encounters beyond Burning Man to museums, immersive spaces, and sculpture parks across the globe.