Not Today — Art Installation at Burning Man 2025

About the Project:

Not Today is an immersive art installation that examines the emotional mechanics of FOMO — the Fear of Missing Out — through paradox, theatrical exaggeration, and absurdity.

At first glance, the installation appears to promise something big — a spectacle, a secret, a once-in-a-lifetime event. It catches the eye from afar and draws people in with dramatic visual cues and an overwhelming sense that something important must be happening here.

But as participants approach, they are met with playful contradictions. Loud declarations deny any significance. The deeper one investigates, the more the illusion unravels. What looked like the most unmissable moment on the playa… turns out to be a decoy, a puzzle, or maybe just a joke.

Not Today invites Black Rock City citizens to step into a playful arena of contradictory signals — where expectation meets confusion, and curiosity is met with misdirection. Instead of offering answers or serenity, the piece poses questions: Why are we drawn to the spectacle? Why do we chase what we’re told to chase? What if it’s all a trick of the lights?

Project Goals:

The goal of Not Today is to create a participatory space that sparks emotional dissonance — joy, frustration, curiosity, confusion — and invites critical thought through humor and intentional absurdity. It is a bold, playful confrontation with our collective craving to be part of something. And maybe, just maybe, to laugh at ourselves for it.

Who Are We?

We are Irina and Stanislav Shminke, an artist duo based in Reno, NV. This is our fourth large-scale art project for Burning Man. Our previous works — DIPTOWN (2022), Desert Splash (2023), and Mir or (2024) — were successfully realized with the help of our incredible community and crowdfunding support.

For Not Today, we are joined by Evgenii Khlopotov, a multimedia artist whose work in sound, lighting, and interactive systems brings a rich technological and emotional dimension to the installation.

Creating participatory art is our passion. Every year, we work to transform ideas into experiences that connect, surprise, and stay with people long after the dust settles.

Why We Need Your Support:

The design and prototyping phase for Not Today is already underway, and we’ve raised $10,000 so far. To fully realize the vision, we are seeking additional support across three funding tiers:

✅ Tier 1 — Core Experience

Still needed: $2,500 (Total: $12,500)
This will bring the base installation to life:

• Structural materials and fabrication

• Basic lighting and transport

• Initial hidden interactive elements

✳️ Tier 2 — Enhanced Interaction

+ $1,000 (Total: $13,500)
This level allows us to deepen the experience:

• Sensors and microcontrollers

• Dynamic lighting and soundscape

• Ambient audio with speakers and control units

✳️ Tier 3 — Artistic Expansion

+ $2,000 (Total: $15,500)
With your help, we can go even further:

• Additional sculptural forms

• Use of unique materials like electrochromic glass

• Richer spatial and visual layering

Join Us:

Support Not Today and help us build a paradoxical playground — a space that lures, teases, and questions our need to never miss out.

With your help, we’ll create an experience that doesn’t deliver what it promises — and that’s exactly the point. Let’s bring mystery, misdirection, and a wink to the playa — together.