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Williamsburg's Answer to Burning Man: 'Melting Woman'

By Meredith Hoffman | August 30, 2013 9:48am
 Melting Woman, featuring an ice sculpture that will melt throughout the day, is a miniature Williamsburg version of Burning Man.
Melting Woman
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WILLIAMSBURG — For everyone who wishes they were camped out in the Nevada desert at the 50,000-person festival Burning Man, a few Williamsburg free spirits have created a local alternative.

Meet Melting Woman: a daylong festival with a "well endowed" 3-foot woman carved out of a 300-pound block of ice. The lady will preside over hula hoopers, face paint, faux fur and DJ's at Battery Harris bar, and after she melts a ceremony will honor her demise.

"In the same way they burn a man at Burning Man, our woman will be melted by the end of the day," co-organizer Stephanie Bucko said of the armless sculpture replacing Burning Man's wooden effigy that's lit up at the end of the week-long event. "It turns out limbs are really expensive because you have to buy separate blocks of ice."

The frozen lady may lack extremities, but her caretakers promise to adorn her in leis and other accessories — and they urge revelers to come as decorated as humanly possible.

"My one friend is changing into four different outfits...one patriotic look (it is Labor Day after all), one metallic look, one tie dye and a nighttime neon," said Bucko, 26, who works in risk management for hedge funds. "We'll have lots of toys but if someone has a skill they want to share that's very encouraged."

Bucko and her friends encourage artists who want to put temporary installations in Battery Harris for the event to email them with interest.

High school science teacher Kate Dehnel, a co-organizer of the party and a Burning Man participant the past two years, said Melting Woman served to replace the week-long ritual out West.

"Burning Man's a great end to summer," Dehnel, 27, said, noting the festival had been her last taste of freedom before returning to teach in Harlem. "When I found out I unfortunately couldn't go this summer my friends and I said we should do something so we don't sit around thinking how we're missing out."

Even partiers who'd rather keep their hedonism simple can just come for the discounted beer ($15 buys a large "Melting Woman" cup with cheap refills for the first 100 guests) or for the DJ lineup curated by co-organizer Bryan Cosgrove.

"Our music and our philosophy is a party vibe," said Cosgrove, who works for a music distributor and has thrown parties throughout Brooklyn and the Lower East Side. Cosgrove will also be DJing at the event along with his co-host Bram Berlin, DJ Michna, DJ Alvinol and Derek Rusinak.

"I've never been to Burning Man...I'm not good at camping or not showering for seven days," Cosgrove admitted. "The reason I like the idea so much of Melting Woman is it's one day and I can go home and take a shower afterwards."

Melting Woman starts at 2 p.m. Saturday at Battery Harris on 64 Frost St. Entrance to the party is free. Artists who'd like to bring installations to the event can email meltingwoman@gmail.com, and guests who'd like to purchase a cup before they sell out can also email the organizers.