This year’s event content is shaping up to the best spread of art, market stalls, performance – and of course, also Mutant Vehicles*.
In case you weren’t aware of what of a Mutant is, here’s the lowdown: they’re mobile art, created by participants at AfrikaBurn for the purpose of… well, art’s a purpose, right? Right – but beyond being amazing art on the trot, some are also people carriers, or sound systems, or even service vehicles. But above all, they’re show-stoppers that get people excited, on account of being a complete departure from ‘normal’ vehicles. Here’s a quick breakdown of the Mutant Vehicles confirmed for this year’s event (but, with our event seeing content contributed right up until the day, you may see a few more than shown here):
Njami-Njam
Designed and built by Felix Holm from Maker Station over in Woodstock, this is an aquatic Mutant that wows both kids and adults alike whenever it gets mobile.
Adoons the Skullcar
If Adoons resembles a baboon skull, that’s because that’s precisely the look that his crew were going for. Designed and created by the AfrikaBurn Department of Mutant Vehicles team, this is a work vehicle that does the job of turning heads and attracting attention from all passersby.
Bakgatti
The darling of Tankwa Town – and also very much also mutant fans at Streetopia – Bakgatti is the brainchild of artist Egon Tania and his team from the Fata Morgana crew, who have been instrumental in creating some of the most unique artwork at AfrikaBurn, including a life-size kinetic flaming T-Rex. Designed to look like a 1920s-era touring car, Bakgatti is built onto a Land Rover chassis.
Vuvalini
If there’s a resemblance to the rough & ready vehicles seen in a famous movie about a guy named Max who rides down a furious road… well that’ll be because Vuvalini is one of those vehicles. Yes, from the movie. Created by master metal artist Peter Forbes and his Bad Machine crew, the Vuva is a sight to behold.
Katryn
Chopped and remade into a fearsome little hellcatmobile, Katryn is the pride and joy of one of the AfriakBurn Volunteer corps’ crew members, Princess Feisty – and she’s as feisty as her owner. This is another great example of the skill of metal workers who form the Metalheads collective at AfrikaBurn – this time, this little mutant is the result of blacksmith and metal artist Charl Botham, from Chyma, whose studio is located off Spencer Rd (at the far end of Lower Main Rd).
WARNING: if you see a Mutant in the wild, DO NOT MESS WITH IT and whatever you do, definitely do not try to ride them. Their bite can be severe – but their bites aren’t nearly as fierce as that of their owners.
* Please note that as a community-driven event which features a large amount of volunteered content, all content is subject to change.
