Burning of sculpture at Chatsworth in symbolic finale of exhibition that has drawn thousands of visitors

A spectacular night of fireworks, circus and dance at Chatsworth will feature a nine-metre high sculpture being set ablaze to symbolise the closing of the exhibition Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man.
By Gay Bolton
Published 27th Sep 2022, 15:54 BST
This sculpture at Chatsworth House will be set alight in a spectacular finale to the Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man exhibition.This sculpture at Chatsworth House will be set alight in a spectacular finale to the Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man exhibition.
This sculpture at Chatsworth House will be set alight in a spectacular finale to the Radical Horizons: The Art of Burning Man exhibition.

Fire performers and live music will be included in the three-hour event on Saturday, October 1.

Tens of thousands of visitors have seen the 12 sculptures in the exhibitions since they arrived at Chatsworth in April.

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Relevé, a monumental timber structure by artist Rebekah Waites, was designed and built for the symbolic finale. Visitors have been writing love notes, mantras and 'In Memoriams' on Relevé in the knowledge that it will be burned, following the tradition set by the Burning Man event in Nevada.

This sculpture was inspired by the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, a Bronze Age archaeological site located near Chatsworth. Nine twisted structures made of wood and intricately decorated with a rope and string laced façade dance around one another. Derbyshire folklore says that a Bronze Age stone circle near Chatsworth was formed from the remains of nine ladies turned into stone for dancing on the Sabbath.

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The one-off ticketed event will also see some of the other sculptures in the exhibition illuminated on the night. A procession of huge wicker and tissue paper lanterns lit with LED lights, created with Year 9 pupils at nearby Outwood Academy, Newbold, will guide guests to Relevé for the ceremonial burn. Sheffield-based community group Mums United has made handheld paper lantern bags that will also help illuminate the way.

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Radical Horizons Celebratory Burn will start at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Tickets cost £18.50 (adult) £10 (child, 4-16 years), under 3s free. Go to www.chatsworth.org

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Following the burn ceremony, the remaining sculptures will be dismantled and moved to other locations.

A message from Phil Bramley, editor:

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