BEHIND CLOSED EYES

The Behind Closed Eyes sculpture sitting on the playa at sunset

A sculptural work exploring perception, presence, and play. Coming to Burning Man 2026.

Scroll down to see how you can contribute  ·  or jump to support directly.

The Vision

A 16-Foot Hollow Sculpture, Hand-Carved from Reclaimed Wood

A sculpture by Spencer Hansen, Behind Closed Eyes is shaped entirely by hand from reclaimed teak, rooted in shared labor and analog techniques.

A crouching figure at ground level, knees drawn in, hands covering its eyes. The gesture suggests hiding; the posture holds awareness and quiet presence. At night, a soft glow emerges from the eyes, the back of the head, and the interior, visible from a distance, never theatrical.

Inside, smooth rounded surfaces and a perimeter bench at multiple levels form a fort-like space of shelter and play. An inward experience, moving through the imagined belly of a creature, where enclosure, scale, and texture guide feeling more than narrative.

The finished maquette — the completed smaller version of Behind Closed Eyes
The Why

Supporting Handmade,
and the Vision Behind It

We live in an increasingly digital world, where handmade art and human interaction have become rare. For eighteen months, Spencer worked alongside traditional artisans in his workshop in Indonesia, carving, laminating, and creating by hand. Imaginative processes met generations of craft to produce something that honors the past while reaching toward the future.

Trees were spared. Old boats were repurposed. A new kind of creature was brought to life.

The story of the wood, barnacles, salt, weather, and sea-worn history, can be felt through the hand carved texture. This tactile experience carries the marks of its former life, while its scale and form speak to what becomes possible when traditional craftsmanship meets innovation.

To support this project is to support deep process. Generations of craft are brought into relationship with whole new systems to create a contemporary form. It is a piece meant to be experienced physically. To sit inside, climb on, lean against, and live with.

To back this work is to back the kind of work that takes time because it has to. And you can feel it.

Come and play.

Spencer Hansen sitting on top of the Behind Closed Eyes sculpture in the Bali workshop
The Journey

From Bali to Black Rock,
and Beyond

The Bali chapter is complete. The sculpture is crated and crossing the Pacific, bound first for Grass Valley, California. There it will be reassembled, dried, and oiled. Then on to Black Rock City for the burn.

Side view of the in-progress sculpture with workers on the scaffold Hand-carving alongside the copper-finished eyes of the sculpture Spencer hammering and carving the sculpture Build process — early carving stages Build process — assembly Build process — detail work Build process — late stage
16 ft
Sculpture Height
18 mo
In Fabrication
Hundreds
Hand Carved Pieces
13+
Artisan Builders
The Team

Built on Relationships

Spencer Hansen standing under the half-finished Behind Closed Eyes sculpture

Spencer Hansen

Artist
Spencer Hansen is a multidisciplinary artist and creative force whose work spans the worlds of sculpture, tactile installation, and wearable art. Best known as the co-founder of the brand Blamo, Spencer has spent the past two decades crafting a distinct artistic language rooted in creature-based storytelling, movement, playful surrealism, and tactile engagement. Based between Bali and California, he has maintained a workshop in Bali for the past eighteen years, where he explores the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary art. His characters and designs have become iconic in the Burning Man community and beyond, appearing both on the bodies and in the camps of thousands of participants over the years.
Indonesian artisan team

Indonesian Artisans

Builders
Nearly 30 Javanese and Balinese artisans, builders, and metal fabricators with generations of experience in traditional hand carving, woodworking, and metal smithing. Working shoulder to shoulder with Spencer, this team shaped Behind Closed Eyes by hand over eighteen months, bringing deep craftsmanship and trust to every cut, joint, and surface of the piece.
Reuben Sadowsky

Reuben Parker Sadowsky

Project Director
Reuben is a community builder and organizer from Aspen, Colorado, with twenty years of experience turning ambitious creative visions into reality. He founded Beyul Retreat and Gravity Productions, and has worked with hundreds of musicians and artists to bring their work to life in impactful ways. For nineteen straight years he has helped build projects and iconic camps at Burning Man. His partnership with Spencer and Shayne spans over a decade across creative and commercial projects, from large-scale installations to artist representation. On Behind Closed Eyes, Reuben leads fundraising, stakeholder relationships, and production oversight.
Shayne Maratea

Shayne Maratea

Project Manager
Production and operations partner since 2006, with deep experience managing complex builds across the U.S. and Indonesia. Shayne oversees logistics, fabrication timelines, and on-the-ground coordination, ensuring every piece moves from concept to completion with integrity and a commitment to handmade processes.
Funding Momentum

$195,000 Secured

The project is well funded -backed by art grants from the Burning Man Honoraria and the Lotus Art Fund, private donors, and significant investment from the core team. The remaining $155,000 is what stands between where we are and the playa.

$195,000 secured
$0 Total Budget: $350,000
$45,000
Self-Funded
Independent contribution from the core team.
$60,000
Private Donors
Private investment committed to the project.
$90,000
Art Grants
Burning Man Honoraria and Lotus Art Fund.
$155,000
Remaining Funding Needed
The funding still needed to complete the sculpture and bring it to the playa.
Funding

Where Your Money Goes

Every dollar goes directly into finishing the piece and seeing it through to the playa.

Final assembly takes place in Grass Valley, California, where the sculpture is reconstructed, dried, and oiled after the journey from Bali. From there, transportation to Black Rock City for installation on the playa, lighting at night, and the on-site crew to bring it all together.

After the burn, your support also goes toward preserving the piece for a permanent second life beyond Burning Man.

Spencer Hansen crouched with hands over his eyes beneath the finished Behind Closed Eyes sculpture
Ways to Support

Become a Supporter

Every supporter is recognized on the Behind Closed Eyes website and credited across all materials, activations, and communications. Donors join the activation night on the playa and a dedicated WhatsApp thread for build updates. Contributions of $5,000 and above are tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor.

The three-person US team standing at the base of the Behind Closed Eyes sculpture

Friend of the Piece

$50 - $5K
  • Your name on the Behind Closed Eyes supporter list
  • Invitation to the activation night under the sculpture
  • Behind-the-scenes build photos and updates from Bali
  • First look at private sales of Spencer's smaller works

Founding Supporter

$5K - $10K
  • Everything above
  • Credited as a Founding Supporter of the piece
  • Tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor
  • A small original work by Spencer, made for you
  • A direct line to Spencer, Shayne, and Reuben throughout the build

Patron of the Work

$10K - $25K
  • Everything above
  • Co-host activation night — bring your people, your DJs, your aesthetic
  • Named as a Patron of Behind Closed Eyes on the piece itself and across all future installations
  • A larger original piece by Spencer, shipped to you

Custom partnership structures welcome, contact us here.

Join Us

Be a Part of the Community
That Makes This Possible

We're looking for a small group of individuals who believe that handmade things matter, and that art, at scale, can change how people feel about themselves and each other.

If that sounds like you, we'd love to have a conversation.

We're also looking for volunteers to help with preparation and pre-build events in Grass Valley, California during July and early August. If you'd like to get involved hands-on, reach out.

Reuben's Phone (donation questions)
970 456 6609
Email
inquire@spencerhansen.art
Web
www.spencerhansen.art
Instagram
@spencerblamo
Gratitude

A heartfelt thank you from the entire Behind Closed Eyes team -Spencer Hansen, Shayne Maratea, Reuben Sadowsky, and our Indonesian teammates whose hands shaped every inch of this work.

Special thanks to Jan Hilmer, Zac Brown, Five Ton Crane, the Lotus Art Fund, and Burning Man Honoraria for believing in this project from the start.

Donations of $5,000 and above are tax-deductible when routed through BCE's fiscal sponsor.
The full Bali and US Behind Closed Eyes crew posed across the build scaffold