Uchronia book-low

satellite
THIS is the tale of the rise and fall of Uchronia. A hypothetical time frame in this world that holds
your future. Our history.
Don’t search for us. Uchronia is a rupture of time. A place within space where time does not
exist. It’s a place of hope and fear. Of growth and change, where new moods generate new
meanings.
It’s a sizzling summer day as forty-three spirits descend on Black Rock Desert, Nevada, to create a
time lab. This task is the practical fulfilment of our Utopia, and the promise of a radical change in
your world. The installation is gigantic. It consists of 150 kilometres of timber, with a floor span of
60 by 30 metres at the centre. It reaches skyward a full 15 metres. A unique sculpture, Uchronia is
fuelled by creativity converted into mutual achievements. Achievements that bring satisfaction on
a personal level, as well as to the community of Uchronians as a whole.
Part of Uchronia involves the reforestation of an equivalent surface. The awesome dimensions fill
you with a deep respect for human creativity. It’s a sculpture of sharing, a refuge for human beings
and a reason for rediscovering the essence of life. Sunlight casts ever-changing shadows inside
the structure. At dusk, interior lighting outlines silhouettes visible to all in the surrounding area.
Uchronia opens a void that leads to freedom and boundless creativity. STEP INSIDE.
www.uchronians.org

Brussels_2006_08_11
showers September
(third) burn
of Uchronia
Don’t be fooled by what scientists tell you, time-travel is possible. In fact, you can do it right now. Any-one
can, it is built into our species. Remember yesterday? The day before? The day you got your
first kiss? The first year you went to college? You’re travelling already, to your own past. What will
you be doing next weekend? Who are you going to visit? What are your plans for next new-year?
Travelling to the future is even easier, because the possibilities are boundless.
PHOTOGRAPHY - MARC VONSTEIN
í
Project timing:
August, 11: Return from the future
August, 15 : Arrival in Black Rock City
August, 16-27: Construction
August, 28: Start Burning Man Festival
September, 3: Burn of Uchronia
September, 7: Inspiring the planet for the future

scissor lifts speaker
towers

THEY
CALL IT
SOCCER
airports en
route to San
Francisco
spare
wheels
used
New York_2006_08_11
0

New York_2006_08_12
NO
sleep till
San Francisco
Traveling with 43 people to the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, is an
adventure on its own. Sand, dust, wind, heat: we were prepared
for all of it. But travelling with 43 people on the day after the al-leged
bomb plots in London turned us into Burners even before
we reached the site. In light of the dreaded liquids, all beverages
needed to be taken out of our luggage. Scheduled departure time
from Brussels: 11.30 am. Actual departure time to New York: 3.30
pm. Then we lost our flight connection to San Francisco. Was this
a test? Fortunately, we always wanted to ‘experience’ JFK airport
overnight. Without food or drinks. What better preparation for the
harsh desert could we have wished for? The very first steps into our
creative community...

PHOTOGRAPHY - THIERRY VAN DORT
NEW YORK
SAN FRANCISCO
DETROIT
ATLANTA
sunshades computers
and laptops
New York_2006_08_12
After a 3 am. wake-up call by the sounds of the cleaning
machines, we did the best thing one can do on a first
day in the States: Breakfast at Burger King.
10 11

13
kilograms
of coffee
per week
bicycles in
camp
San Francisco n Reno
350 miles/560 km
San Francisco_2006_08_13
12

Van [JohnnyC. /Magda]
Harley [Jan]
Van [Arne /Rijn, Amber]
Ford Exp.3 [Jimmy /Benjamin, Dimitri, Mark]
Ford Exp.2 [Fré /Thierry, Dave, Alex]
Trailblazer 1 [David /Daan, Debora, Julie]
Trailblazer 2 [Mark /Nico, JohnnyV., Maurice]
Trailblazer 3 [Ludwig /Oskar, Robby, Olivier]
Trailblazer 4 [Tobias /Laura, Ben, Joey]
Trailblazer 5 [JanH. /Lisa, Tilly, Dennis]
Trailblazer 6 [Geert /Tony, James, Bert]
Trailblazer 7 [Guido /NicoA., Anica, Katja]
Trailblazer 8 [AlexW./Sharon, Jelle, Soul]
15
days delay
for the
container
meter
height
sculpture
All participants are volunteers, they
contribute freely to Uchronia without
personal benefit other than spiritual.
14

16
jeeps rented
motion
illumination
lights
Reno_2006_08_13
17

Reno_2006_08_15
we are nomads in time

people were
at the first
BM in 1986

21st edition
of Burning
Man, August
2006
20 12
TRIP TO BLACK ROCK CITY
[14 AUG] one day delay
6h00 drive off RENO
Lake Piramid
12h00 arrival at playa
Reno n Black Rock Desert
125 miles/560 km

days in
Black Rock
Desert,
Nevada
camp
Uchronia
address:
2.30 BRAVE
22 23

black lights fire-extin-guishers
We are
coming back
from a time where everyone creates products for
themselves, and receives personal satisfaction
out them. Transforming personal creativity into
matching (personal) objects is our way of life.
24 25

26
27
days in the
USA
matches
for setting
Uchronia
alight
Black Rock City_2006_08_15

But, the flaming demise of the Uchronia installation didn’t close the gate, as one might expect. It didn’t close at
all. In fact, it boosted its effect to a global scale. Millions of people are now learning of a new time, soon dawn-ing
upon them. A time of boundless inspiration, ruled only by creativity. All things change, nothing ever stays
the same. Not the Sun, nor the Earth we exploit and depend upon so heavily. Man as well as every other creature
in this universe is faced with new challenges at every level, with every breath. But only man possesses the time
machine. We can see into the future and choose which path to walk.
PHOTOGRAPHY - DEBORA LAUWERS
28 29
August 28
start of
Burning
Man festival
tonnes of
material
í í
Uchronia has opened a hole in time, linking present and future, offering a glimpse of what can
be. Those who witnessed its rise and marvelled at its presence and the manner in which it came
to be are time-travellers themselves. They travelled through time to a future revealed to them by
Uchronia. They lived there, in that future, for the briefest of moments, until consensus reality called
them back to the physical plane of Black Rock City, Nevada. Uchronia opened a portal through
time, never to be closed again. A lasting bridge, to the future.

30 31
gallons of
water per
pallet
safety
helmets
temperature 47°C - 116°F

13am. START EXPEDITION ‘MESSAGE FROM THE FUTURE’
the plan of our sculpture, a time-ship, is drawn in rough lines on the soil; a
huge wooden sculpture on what we`ll get to work on with all our strenght.
32 33

34 35
litres of sun
lotion
light globes
Uchronian community

36 37
playa-wounds
CONSTRUCTION_AREA 40° 45’ 40.27” N - 119° 30’ 40.78” W
BRC_2006_08_16
camping
chairs

38 39
weeks of
preparation

40 41
TURN 90° CCW

Uchronia
U: nothing - chronos: time, everything seems to be standing still. Every notion of time is missing...
42 43
gallons of
milk per
week
hours in
transit

BASE_CAMP 40° 45’ 04.53” N - 119° 13’ 41.81” W
44 45
we are wrestling with tents while improvising some sort of base camp.
A first sandstorm strikes. Chaos rules. But from within all of this mayhem,
some type of structure emerges; culture 101.

46 47
flight-cases
with sound
and lighting
equipment
a wood-eating organism rises from nothing

48 49
night life
PHOTOGRAPHY - M MAARRCC VVOONNSSTTEEIINN

52 53
mp3 players

54 55
550 photos
a day
DAY JOB
[14-27 AUG]
6h00 Rise... shine
breakfast
7h00 First Shift /Building artwork
12H00 Souper Siesta, side activities
16h00 Second Shift /Building Artwork
20h00 end of day
21h00 Dinner
23h00 Bedtime /generator off
[28 AUG]
from ‘Burning man’ NO MORE LIMITS

GENERATOR 1
STORAGE WATER
750 gallons
4,6M
56 57
mails
recieved
per day
hours
on the
telephone
LOUNGE
AND DANCE
WORK TRAILER
SATELLITE
CONTAINER storage technieken
UHAUL
COOLER
BIKES
SHOWERS
TABLES
TABLES
TOILETS
LAVATORY
ENTRANCE TECHNICAL TRANSPORT
ENTRANCE SUPLIES
ENTRANCE
30M/100feet
40M/130feet
25M 8,5M
4M
5M 3M
5M
10M
UHAUL
COOLER
WINDBREAKING WALL
SELF MADE TABLES
IMPRO
KITCHEN
SATELLITE
SHOWERS
ENTRANCE SUPLIES
UHAUL
COOLER
STORAGE WATER
750 gallons
KITCHEN SHELTER
CHATROOM
LOUNGE
CONTAINER storage technieken
BIKES
FIRST PLAN BASE CAMP
BASE CAMP_01
BASE CAMP_02
BASE CAMP_03
BASE CAMP_04
BASE CAMP_05

58
59
Our community is starting to take shape: wooden letters in the sand, writings
and paintings on the walls, a sink, a kitchen, tables, lounge chairs, a bit of shel-ter
from the scorching sun... boxes of
breakfast
cereal
doctor’s
appoint-ment

60 61
sets of
gloves
bars of
soap
The Uchronia installation is gigantic.
It consists of 150 km of timber with a floor span of 60 by 30 meters in the center at a height
of 15 meters. Part of Uchronia involves the reforestation of an equivalent amount of trees. The
extreme cathedral-like dimensions will fill you with inspiration and hope for human poten-tial;
basecamp n construction_15min walk/1km
our collective creative power.

62 63
kitchen rolls
Wood. More wood. Nails. More nails. Dust. More dust. Water.
We need more water. Uchronians building.
Chaotic structure. Something is taking shape. Is it a tail? A leg?
It’s a beast. It’s from the future, and it’s unforgiving. It needs food.
It grows and grows and grows! Tired. No mercy. It must eat!
I dream it’s next to my tent in the morning, roaring!
It’s alive! Fully grown!
Burn it! Burn it to the ground! Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Uchronia rising.

4466 56
glasses/
cups

speed limit
in Nevada

66 67

68 69
jars of
hazelnut
chocolate
spread

70 71
“reality is often stranger than fiction. we’ve shown that what seems impossible is possible.” Arne Quinze
showers lip balsems

72 73
scissor lifts speaker
towers

74 75
movies
recorded
legends of the future

76 77
towels in
base camp
PHOTOGRAPHY - DAVID ROUMA

maybe you wonder where you are
7788 79
books
in base
camp

come on inside
80 81
dust
masks

want to taste colour?
82 83

84 85
camouflage
netting
air mat-tresses
gateway to another dimension

86 87
headband
flashlights
speaker
towers

myths are building
88 89
average
tempera-ture
in °F
camel backs

myths are building
90 91
average
tempera-ture
in °F
camel backs
xxxxxxxxx
uchronian wedding

92
93
rolls of tape isolation
sheets
unite! creative minds
í í
When the installation was burned it carried off with it countless of wishes, desires and needs, all
written upon and placed in between its beams. It took them to the future. Because, deep down we
all know how we want our future to be. Our plans are already drawn up. We have it in our heads.
That’s how we want it to be, that’s the way it’s going to be… You see, the time machine has showed
it to us. It can be done. Beam by beam, nail by nail. Just as Uchronia was build we can open many
more paths to the future. Why not create one together? Now is the time!
Gandhi said, “It’s better to do something, however small or little, then to do nothing.” He was right. The
Uchronians are reminding you to do this little thing only you can. We are manifesting a space for all of us to
meet, to exchange all of our many wishes and ideas. In a similar sense to how the countless beams of our instal-lation
interconnected out there on the playa, you will be able to interconnect with people who share your own
ideas of the future. Everyone pitches in a little to further a collective idea, just as the singular yet interconnected
beams did to form Uchronia. Together we all can create a huge installation. We can make a future together.

WRITE YOUR OWN MESSAGE FROM/TO THE FUTURE HERE:
94 95
pieces of
Uchronian
luggage
dishes

96
97
silverware
one fine day in the Nevada desert PHOTOGRAPHY - THIERRY VAN DORT

98 99 a new breed of people
metres of
extension
cabling
used during
construction

100 101 Jan Kriekels
heat resis-tant
sheets

102 103
m3
reclaimed
ashes
filled trash
bags

104 105
xxxxxxxx average
tempera-ture
in °F
of local hot
springs

106 107
tracks
played per
average
DJ set
hours spent
inside the
trailer
some of us tried to escape

5:30 am. _ The sun rises 15 minutes ahead of schedule. As if realising that
she’d better be gone in time tonight. For a sea of fire will drown any other
source of light tonight. The Uchronians are gearing up for action at base
camp. There is no time for pleasantries during breakfast. One briefing after
another. Minute by minute debriefings. Heart rates are getting ramped up.
The Uchronians are ready for final departure. Everyone knows exactly what
to do.
9:00 pm. _ Uchronians are dressed up in their white time travelling suits and
ready to check in. Those who miss the appointment will be left behind on
this planet. But no one is late. Earthlings are waving them all bon voyage.
11:00 pm. _ Right on schedule, the rooftop has caught on fire. The countdown
has begun. Flames are spreading slowly yet surely and start transforming
the time ship. The heat is getting unbearable to those who are standing too
close. Fire tornadoes start dancing all over. Then suddenly all goes quiet.
Above the flames some type of creature appears to be hovering. Some be-lieve
to see a messiah, others a messenger from the future. Only the Uchroni-ans
know really, yet they remain silent. Those who stay behind are starting
a pageant, cheering, dancing around the fire, hoping for an explanation of
some kind.
108 109
sunglasses xxxxxxxxx

11 0 111
one last evening in Uchronia`s belly
xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx

*
112 113
sleeping
bags at
base camp
* to burn or not to burn is the question.

114 115
message
from
the future
Uchronia
T-shirts

116 117
satellite
3... 2... 1...

118 119
ready to take off

12 0 121
11 pm. burn of Uchronia

122 123

124 125
miles from
Black Rock
City to Reno

126 127
126.000.000
stars in the
sky
computers
and laptops

128 129

You can become a Uchronian. Just fill out the form and if
selected, you will receive a key and a DVD.
Together these items will unlock the portal and you may
13 0
131
highest
recorded
temperature
on the playa
in °F
www.uchronians.org enter
articles of
lost proper-ties

share our 4 passions:
í
The Uchronians have built a second time machine, in a virtual, timeless space. Its potential is
boundless. It has only one purpose: creating time paths. Everyone is welcome to join in and walk
the paths created by all Uchronians. Become a beam in this new virtual mind-machine. Meet others
and talk about what your own time machine has shown you. Start taking notes too and share your
wishes, dreams and needs with us. Welcome to your future.
The Creative Economy is born.
Art
Art can save the world. Confronting graphics,
mind-boggling audio tracks, neo-fashion, any
artistic idea has its turf here. Art confronts us with
ourselves. It has the capacity to expand our con-sciousness
and bring us to new levels of insight
on life and those who live it. Art makes cultures
grow, mutate, evolve. This is creativity at its most
self defining, expressive level.
132 133
grilled
cheese
sandwiches
prepared
Ecological paths
Our current way of life and the immense rate at which we are
consuming our natural resources is putting some serious strain
onto the Earth. Ideas in this topic seek to obtain a sustainable
balance between man and environment. The ecological paths
to the future teach us to use resources in a sensible and sustain-able
manner and to respect the Earth and the future of those
who will inherit it from us.
Simulation
Man has a brilliant mind, capable of the most brilliant in-sights.
These have propelled us throughout the Milena to
a level of excellence which enabled us to send men to the
moon. New technologies can be wondrous, or monstrous.
Here you may discuss ideas regarding emerging tech-nologies,
and test run them in simulation modes before
releasing them into the material world.
Experience
Life is experience. Sense the bone shattering coldness of Antarctica, the power
trail of a raging tornado, the blistering heat of the Nevada desert. These paths
of direct experience lead unlock worlds of sensations far beyond the scope of
Hollywood movie trickery.

136
art directors_
Jan Kriekels, Philosopher and Art Director from Jaga: jkriekels@jaga.be _Arne Quinze, Artist/Art Director Manager:
arnequinze@quinzeandmilan.be
project managers_
Johnny Cuijpers, Project Manager/Logistics Transport: info@uc-belgium.be _Fréderic Van Dooren, Project Manager/
Architect: fredericvd@quinzeandmilan.be _Jimmy Budenaers, Project Manager/Industrial Designer: jbudenaers@jaga.be
logistics_
Peter Veekmans, Logistic/Ticketing: peter@uc-belgium.be _Myriam Jamaers, Invitee: info@uc-belgium.be _Nora Weytjens,
UC Belgium: nora@uc-belgium.be
sound and light team_
Dennis Cauwenberg, Music/Light: info@uc-belgium.be _Lien Liekens, Liquid Light: info@uc-belgium.be _Raymond Haeck,
Liquid Light: info@uc-belgium.be _ Jeroen Meermans, Liquid Light: info@uc-belgium.be
DJ_
Dirk Swartenbroekx, DJ: buscemi_music@hotmail.com _Philip De Cort, DJ: buscemi_music@hotmail.com _David Neirings,
Dj: dneiro@gmail.com _Dimitri Djahanbani, DJ: acidpress@gmail.com
construction team_
Rijn Vancollie, Construction Team: arnequinze@quinzeandmilan.be _Peter Vincken, Construction Team:
mc.soul@tiscali.be _Nico Ambroos, Construction Team: nico.ambroos@pandora.be _Guido Ambroos, Construc-tion
Team: guido.ambroos@pandora.be _Katja Craeghs, Construction Team: Katjacraeghs@yahoo.com _Anica
Reynders, Construction Team: aaanicaaa@gmail.com _Jelle Vancollie, Construction Team: jelle@quinzeandmilan.be
_Maurice Panis, Construction Team: maurice_panis@pandora.be _Robby Berx, Construction Team: robbyberx@yahoo.com
_James Davis, Construction Team: jdavis@jaga.be _Jan Hendrikx, Construction Team: jhendrikx@jaga.be _Jan Kriekels
jr., Construction Team: jankriekels@gmail.com _Philip Cremers, Construction Team: philip.cremers@pandora.be _Stijn
Troonen, Construction Team: stijntroonen@hotmail.com _Olivier Tanésy, Construction Team/Medic: oliviertanesy@hotmail.com
_Mark Vanfrachem, Construction Team: vanfrachemmarc@skynet.be _Johnny Vandermeren, Construction Team:
brunobrusatto@telenet.be _Bert Kriekels, Construction Team: bkriekels@jaga.be _Johan Van Putten, Construction Team:
jvanputten@jaga.be _TobiasVanderborght, Construction Team: tobiasvanderborght@hotmail.com _Tony Michiels,
Construction Team: tmichiels@jaga.be _Bert Stevens, Construction Team: bstevens@jaga.be _Geert Cardinaels, Construc-tion
Team: gcardinaels@jaga.be _Nico Martens, Construction Team: nico.martens@pandora.be _Alexander Winderickx,
Construction Team: press@quinzeandmilan.be
graphic team_
David Rouma, Graphic Team: drouma@jaga.be _Daan Linsen, Graphic Team: dlinsen@jaga.be _Debora
Lauwers, Graphic Team: dlauwers@jaga.be _Ludwig Vaes, Construction Team/Satelite Streaming: lvaes@jaga.be
_Oskar Buelinckx, Construction Team/Web Communication: obuelinckx@jaga.be _Ben Urbain, Graphic Team:
ben@glossy.tv _Joey Vanaubel, Graphic Team: joe@glossy.tv _Sharon Neirynck, Graphic Team: press@quinzeandmilan.be
_Julie Van Severen, Graphic Team: julievanseveren@hotmail.com _Alexandra Onderwater, Writer: alexandra@framemag.com
_Liesbeth Byloos, Graphic Team: lbyloos@jaga.be _Gunter Flossy, Web Communication: gflossy@jaga.be
photographers_
Marc Vonstein, Photographer: marc@studio52.be _Thierry Van Dort, Photographer: thierry@glossy.tv
video team_
Benjamin Djahanbani, Camera/Montage: benjamin@acidpress.be _Dimitri Djahanbani, Camera/montage: acidpress@
gmail.com _Dave van den Bruel, Video: davevandenbruel@mac.com
catering team_
Tilly Vanbergen, Catering Team: tvanbergen@jaga.be _Christel Vanspauwen, Catering Team: bkriekels@jaga.be
_Magda Smolders, Catering Team: info@uc-belgium.be _Lisa Norman, Catering Team: krullebolle_69@hotmail.com
_Laura Vanderborght, Catering Team _Amber Vancollie: arnequinze@quinzeandmilan.be
press_
Anneleen Jacobs, Communication/Logistics: ajacobs@jaga.be _Peter Vandeborne, Press: peter.vandeborne@voka.be
_Liesbeth Vannut, Press: liesbeth.vannut@ibz.fgov.be _Cliff Van Craen, Press: cv.@kvkwl.voka.be _Veerle Vlaminckx,
Press: cv.@kvkwl.voka.be _Tine Hollevoet, Press: tine.hollevoet@skynet.be _Janine Meijer, Press: janinem@demogen.be
_Christiane Verheyen, Press: cm@vbo-feb.be _Hans Housen, Press: hhansh@gmail.com _Wouter Vlaminckx, Press: woutckx@
yahoo.com _Rudy Dufour, Press: Rudy.Dufour@gmail.com _Roel Damiaans, Press: rdamiaans@skynet.be
_Maurice Vanhoyland, Press: maurice.vanhoyland@pandora.be _Marc Goldstein, Press: marc.goldstein@vub.ac.be
_Pascal Van der Borgt, Press: pascal@naturalbornwriters.be _Anja Van der Borght, Press: anja@naturalbornwriters.be
_Monica Khemsurov, Press: monica.khemsurov@id-mag.com
invitees_
Valeska Vanbeckevoort, Invitee: valeska@studio52.be _Karolien Bollen, Invitee: karolien@acidpress.be _Peter Pollyn,
Invitee: ppollyn@jaga.be _Sarah Leuraers, Invitee: niels.kriekels@telenet.be _Cornelius Couwenberg, Invitee:
corneille.cauwenberg@go-capital.nl _Monique Buiting, Invitee: corneille.cauwenberg@go-capital.nl _Jaak
Beckers, Supp. Wood: jaak@brems.be _Stefan Vanderick, Supp. Wood: jaak@brems.be _Barbara Roosen, Supp. Wood:
jaak@brems.be _Dirk Ramaekers, Invitee: dirk.ram@skynet.be _Antoine Debouverie, Invitee: info@antalia.net _Jean-
Philippe Noterman, Invitee: jpn@rockandrollagency.com _Sruthi Pinna, Invitee: luminousbead@gmail.com _Barbara Abry,
Invitee: barbara.abry@belgacom.net _Ivo Nysten, Invitee: inysten@jaga.be _Stefan Put, Invitee: put.interieur@skynet.be _Stefan
Brems, Invitee: stefan@brems.be _Dirk Vananderoye, Invitee: dirk.vananderoye@philips.com
special thanks to_
Ellen Ots, Logistics Transport _David Lee, Logistics Transport _Roy Lee, Logistics Transport _Lady Bee, Burning Man
organisation _Super Dave friends, Burning Man organisation _and to all the people we forgot to mention
synergy_
All participants are volunteers, they contribute freely to Uchronia without personal benefit other than spiritual.
pages in
this book www.uchronians.org

Uchronia book-low

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (7)

Similar to Uchronia book-low

Similar to Uchronia book-low (20)

More from xyu21

More from xyu21 (10)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Uchronia book-low