Anno Domino 2000: What the FAQ?

Anno Domino 2000 is a large scale interactive artplay to be built at Burning Man 2000. A set of giant wooden dominoes will be constructed for all attendees to use in giant domino games and daily giant domino topples (in which the dominoes are arranged in long patterns, and then knocked over in a chain-reaction). On the night of the last topple, the dominoes will first be set on fire, resulting in the world’s largest (and probably only) flaming giant domino topple.

What is Burning Man?

From the Burning Man website: "Burning Man is an annual experiment in temporary community dedicated to radical self-expression and radical self-reliance."

Burming Man is a yearly event held in the Black Rock Desert, located northeast of Reno, Nevada. It takes place during the week preceding, and through the weekend of, Labor Day. This year's event will be held from August 28 - September 4.

More information about Burning Man can be found at The Official Burning Man website.

Why are you calling it Anno Domino 2000?

The A.D. prefix used by the Roman Calendar stands for the latin phrase ‘Anno Domini’ (meaning "The Year of Our Lord"). In AD2K-speak, Anno Domino is "The Year of Dominoes".

What is AD2K?

Why do you call AD2K an artplay?

AD2K is not a static artwork. It is a game; a source of play for all those who visit it, as well as those who create it.

Why dominoes?

Dominoes are visually bold, playful, and accessible to everyone. Most of us remember dominoes from childhood, and the experience of coming across a football field-sized line of them standing on the vast, moon-like playa of the Black Rock Desert should be visually arresting, to say the least.

Of course the idea of re-contextualizing a familiar object through a dramatic change in scale is not new (e.g. the work of Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen). Such an approach, however, is not often applied to kinetic installations, let alone kinetic installations that are to be set on fire.

Did you build the dominoes at last year's Burning Man?

No. Any dominoes that you saw at a previous Burning Man were built by somebody else. Plus, they were probably a lot smaller.

How will participants interact with AD2K?

AD2K has been designed specifically for open participatory use. Instructions for the game of dominoes will be posted and attendees will be encouraged to start their own giant domino games. Obviously, group participation will be required to move the dominoes around, which will bring people together on the playa in an enteraining and memorable way.

The domino topples would also require public erection (pun noted, but not intended), making each night’s topple a unique, group-authored kinetic sculpture.

This year’s art theme at Burning Man is "The Body". What do giant dominoes have to do with "The Body"?

Dominoes are commonly referred to as "bones" and in a game of dominoes, the face-down pile is called "The Boneyard". In keeping with "The Body" theme, AD2K represents the myriad bones that make up the body's skeleton.

How big will each domino be?

What materials will be used?

How much does each domino cost?

With current construction methods, approximately $30. We are trying to reduce this so that we can build more dominoes.

How many domines will you make?

At least 28 - enough for a standard set of double sixes - but we hope to build many more. The total number of dominoes depends greatly on public donations.

For more information on donations, and to check the current number of dominoes we can build, please check out the Domin-O-Meter.

How is the game of dominoes played?

Rules for the basic Draw Game, as well as every other domino game, can be found at Z. Teun Spaans' excellent Domino Plaza. Additional rules an info can be found at Game Cabinet's Domino Page.

What is a domino topple?

A domino topple, or tilt, is when a number of dominoes are stood upright, placed just far enough apart that the action of one falling over causes all the dominoes after it to fall over. While the current world record for the number of standard dominoes toppled is over 2 million, we firmly believe in quality (100 giant burning dominoes) over quanity (2 million teensy-weensy unlit dominoes).

How will you ensure safety during topples?

Due to their hollow construction, each domino is very light. Regardless, to ensure maximum safety, the topples will be held deep on the open playa, well away from campsites and roads. Volunteers will be posted along the topple route to inform spectators that a topple is about to happen, and to keep them at a safe distance. For maximum visibility, all topples other than the burn topple will be done before dark.

How will you burn the dominoes?

During construction, each domino will be filled with a small quantity of wax-soaked paper. Like the wax-soaked burlap used throughout Burning Man himself, this excellent kindling is safer and healthier than gasoline or other petrochemical fuels. As the dominoes are erected for the final topple, ventilation (top) and lighting (bottom) holes will be made in each one.

Immediately prior to toppling, two AD2K teammembers will use long torches to light the kindling inside each domino (starting with the last one, and ending at the first). The first domino will then be knocked over to begin the flaming topple. For crowd safety, the dominoes will be arranged in an inward-moving spiral around the Domino Tower burn structure, and the entire area will be cordoned off.

What is the Domino Tower?

The focal point of AD2K, and the structure that our final topple will set aflame, the Domino Tower is approximately 30' tall. Illuminated from within at night, it is by far the heppest chill-out room on the outer playa.

How will you clean up after the burn?

We are committed to leaving no trace. Our current clean up plan is as follows:

Where will AD2K be located at Burning Man?

AD2K will be located deep on the playa, about 5000 feet from the Man in the direction of 1:00. See our plans for more information.

What is Anno Domino 2000?