Above & Below (coming August 2026)

About This Project

Above & Below — Black Rock City, NV — 2026 (In Progress)

Above & Below is a large-scale immersive art installation commissioned as a Burning Man Honoraria project. Created by Sean Orlando, with fabrication by Engineered Artworks and produced in partnership with Five Ton Crane, the work continues a long exploration of story-driven sculpture at monumental scale.

Rising 40 feet above the playa, the installation connects two distinct environments: a dreamlike home on the ground and a luminous cottage in the sky. A winding, climbable beanstalk forms the link between them. At the base, visitors enter an interior filled with mysterious objects, maps, photographs, and fragments of narrative—parts of a story waiting to be discovered. A vertical ascent leads to the space above: a glowing Victorian cottage where telescopes, light, and open air offer expansive views across the desert and into the night sky.

A combination of architecture, sculpture, and engineered systems, Above & Below creates an environment that is both intimate and monumental. The work invites exploration, movement, and discovery—encouraging participants to engage with the piece as a place rather than an object. Drawing from ancient stories of  magical beanstalks and houses in the clouds, the project connects imagination and invention. 

Fabricated by Engineered Artworks, Above and Below exemplifies Orlando’s approach to large-scale public art and immersive sculpture—creating environments that merge engineering, storytelling, and imagination.

Location: Black Rock City, NV (Burning Man 2026)
Commissioned by: Burning Man Honoraria Program
Lead Artist: Sean Orlando
Fabrication: Engineered Artworks
Produced in partnership with: Five Ton Crane Arts Collective