Mutant fest is the longest running autonomous art festival on earth. This year it was in the mountains of northern California. This is one of my favorite regions!
This was my second autonomous mutant festival. Mutant is a lot like shakedown street (dead lot) in that; one must poke around to find out.
This year I knew more what to expect, which is important for me due to disabilities and chronic pain I travel with.
the semi permanent autonomous zone:
We never need to take much stuff honestly even though you are supposed to be “autonomous”….
i spent the first 35 hours feral, awake, lit and not eating. I accomplished multiple lifetime goals and met elders i didn’t know existed who encouraged me on my silly path.
My world opened up. burdens turned into blessings. some stayed that way!
I played improv Yamaha dx200 through 50 to one hundred THOUSAND watts of sound amplification on the spaz system. It was powered by a hacked tesla.
I spent time in the teahouse behind spaz and formulated my own little driving routes between sound systems as well as out into the forest. The tea house is a nice spot to chill out behind spaz system get to know people and take a rest from the bigger sound. A friend of mine was playing his self made midi controller which effected some awesome ambient sounds.
I went to the bathroom nude as the sun was rising an hour deep into the forest from camp one wonderful morning.
I would go out and explore the forest service roads and when I got lost I would look up and see the exalted mutant camp’s full size search lights in the sky, as if it were a movie theatre in Santa Monica.
Our autonomous zone was very sweet and downright wholesome.
During the day we hooked up my new solar system and got to jam by the river between dips in and out as it got hot enough. a trans flag hung among hammocks under the river, a safe place for a trippy creature to rest.
Id love to produce a piece of collaborative music next year with anyone who wants to join. Other goals include staying the entire time and bringing a more comfortable motorhome type situation.
I suppose I realize I need to mutate along with my disability to stay around the sound. My pain maybe the thing that makes me stay in the woods longer and more comfortably than I ever would have without it.
Mutant is such an important thing socially for me.
Its an immersive experience where people around the world who are turned on and capable of doing things do what they love to do!
much love
begonia