About Art Burn: Art Burn is an FMVA social offering members the opportunity to ceremoniously release finished matters to the sky and the earth.
A History of Art Burn: A mild blizzard joyfully enhanced the atmosphere on the day of the first FMVA Art Burn, December 17, 2004. It was agreed that in upcoming years the event should become a public event, giving everyone an opportunity to ceremoniously release finished matters to the sky and the earth. Burning valuable objects has a long and complex history. In some cases, art was burned to keep it from falling into the hands of philistines. In other cases, it was the burning of vanities—works that deflected attention from religious devotion. Most significantly, perhaps, producers have destroyed their products when the cost of production exceeded the price that the product could command. The FMVA does not attempt to assign specific significance to the ritual, preferring to allow individuals to formulate their own purposes. The event is ceremonial, incorporating the concepts of release and catharsis with the purpose of preparing for the new year’s creative ventures. Several important restrictions are in place. Last minute reprieves are strictly and specifically forbidden. No work brought to the burn may be sold, traded, reworked, or made into a collage. There is to be no reading of poems, no artist’s statements, and while art historians will be tolerated, they are required to stay well away from the fire.
