Lefty Out There has debuted his latest installation, ‘Ad Mare,’ at Burning Man 2024, captivating festival-goers with an expansive coral reef structure made from upcycled materials.
The installation, which blended artistic realism with Lefty’s signature style, immersed attendees in an underwater world while highlighting the critical need to address environmental issues, particularly Matter Out of Place (MOOP)—anything not native to the land at Burning Man. The piece also underscored the importance of protecting coral reefs and their vital role in ecosystems.
Featuring three distinct reef structures, ‘Ad Mare’ was crafted from repurposed wood, upcycled studio materials, and MOOP collected from previous Burning Man festivals. Lefty utilized paintbrushes, paint rollers, spools of plastic, foam, and wood scraps to build the installation, which spanned 900 square feet. Laser-cut acrylic coral and plants were added to bring vibrancy and depth to the structures, further enhancing the visual experience.
In alignment with Burning Man’s commitment to sustainability, ‘Ad Mare’ was powered entirely by a solar panel truck provided by the festival, eliminating the need for fossil fuels. Illuminated bubbling trusses surrounded the installation, inviting participants to explore a world beneath the waves, simulating the ocean depths amidst the desert landscape.
Supported by Burning Man’s Honorarium Grant, ‘Ad Mare’ was showcased as a non-profit installation from August 25th to September 2nd, 2024, serving as a powerful reminder of the environmental challenges we face today.
About the artist
Lefty Out There, born Francesco Campanella, is an artist known for creating intricate, repeated shapes that balance boldness with precision, and organic forms with uniformity. Living in Los Angeles, his unique visual acuity allows him to see details others might miss, which has shaped his journey from street art in his hometown to iconic large-scale installations. His signature interlocking polymorphs, rhythmic and almost spiritual in nature, cover surfaces in a hypnotic pattern, reflecting his lifelong study of music.
Lefty’s work taps into the connection between repetition and the divine, using technology like computer programming and precision engineering to expand his art into installations for high-profile locations like META Headquarters, Chotto Matte, and Nobu. His mantra, “cover everything,” drives him to engulf spaces with his polymorphic designs, aiming to heighten awareness of our surroundings. Beyond galleries, he’s collaborated with global brands like Google and the Chicago Bulls and recently transformed a classic Porsche for the 75th anniversary of the 911.
Lefty’s European debut was in 2019 with Maddox Gallery, followed by a successful return in 2022 with VIVUS II. Earlier this year, he presented a multidimensional body of work at Maddox Gallery, exploring the interplay of dimension, shape, and color. To stay updated on Lefty Out There’s latest projects and artistic journey.
