Axolotl: A Spirit Guide is a luminescent axolotl sculpture that brought the colors and mythology of Mexico to Burning Man 2023. This sculpture was selected to receive a Black Rock City Honorarium by the the Burning Man Arts organization.
This project was designed and built by the Mexico-born, Brussels-based artist Ricardo Martinez Herrera (Riikc), with the support of the Mexican-American sculptor and metal fabricator, Luis Varela-Rico. The axolotl is a Mexican salamander, which is exclusively native to the Valley of Mexico. The axolotl gets its name from the Aztec god Xolotl who is a spirit guide for the dead and the god of fire — this makes it the perfect subject for a Burning Man sculpture.
In the day, an enormous aluminum axolotl measuring 25 feet (7.5+ meters) long stretches out across the earth, while the unique pattern of its welded body casts shadows across the ground that resemble cracks in the desert dust. Then at night, external gills and a dorsal fin made of fiber optic cables light up along the neck and tail of the axolotl, dazzling spectators as the colorful lights ebb and flow.
This project was constructed in Las Vegas, Nevada from June to August, 2023. It was installed at the Burning Man event from August 23 to September 5, 2023. We are currently seeking either a permanent sale or a temporary exposition for “Axolotl: A Spirit Guide” following Burning Man.
