"Stella" is a mutant vehicle that ignites interaction and aims to collect written wishes from viewers. Inspired by the Thai ritual “spirit houses”, the belief in shooting stars, wishing wells, and Yoko Ono’s wishing tree, Stella's purpose is to provide safe passage for people and their wishes. Built onto the base of a golf cart, Stella has just returned from her second journey to the Black Rock Desert. 

After herniating a disc in my spine, I could no longer ride my bike, or walk long distances. This year, I wanted to build a larger project to share at Burning Man but realized that I couldn't do it alone as my sciatica had taken hold of my abilities. With the help of my friends, physically and financially, this mobile art installation has come to life. This vehicle has allowed me to continue my healing by creating a less strenuous experience for my continuing sciatica while being a safe place for people to cast their wishes. 

Onsite, we asked participants to make a wish, write it on the stick, put their name and hometown on the back, then affix it to any part of Stella they choose. This continuing project will collect wishes and dreams for the next year when we will leave them at the Temple at Burning Man to be granted into soot and ash.

Created by
Laurus Myth, Chase and Laura Fortner, and Dr. Noah Djuric

A special Thank You to all the wonderful people who helped to make this project possible. To Laura, as the main assist in the design process, carving, ideation, and labor needed for making these panels, and developing the vision until the finish. To Chase for being the driving force in getting the materials together and working on lighting and the build crew. To Noah for your endless support, trust in my good work, and nice hand sanding of wishsticks. To Claire and Adam for picking up brushes and whisping stain at a moments notice. To Garrett, Anna, Osheen, Mike, and Adam for stepping up during the build onsite. To Jeremy and Kevin for transporting our gem to and from the desert, and all the good vibes in between.