Stretch

The fifth and final 2026 Black Rock Honoraria Grant Letter of Intent submission is Stretch!

Stretch is a gigantic, fully extended, metal kitty sculpture. She can stand alone or be part of other installations, let's say, for example, a huge lighthouse, to add some monumental whimsy.

She encourages visitors to dance and reach for treats, um, I mean, for their dreams!

Description

This 20 foot tall, vertically outstretched cat appears to be reaching to play with something just beyond her reach, like a kitty extending up a scratching post or at the base of a tree checking out a bird or a squirrel.

Her height and playful stance attracts purrticipants and feline aficionados.

She is made with a metal armature for strength and stability but will still be hollow and see-through, spectacularly illuminated at night and will have all-day purrability.

A colorful cat tower supports solar panels and houses her electronics while providing shelter during the day.

Playfulness

Stretch will be a great meeting landmark on the playa. Depending on her location, she could host a dance party or two, purrhaps attracting a band or an art car. Her lights can be sound reactive!

She’ll be strong and climbable and visitors may discover secret entry points while they’re exploring.

She’ll purr, through special petting spots, day and night. Purr…

If she’s paired with another installation, she’d add a next-level whimsical surrealism to that piece.

Message

I find homes for strays when I can and I have eight rescue cats of my own.

Trapping, neutering (and spaying) and releasing (TNR) cats is the most humane way to control populations and improves the lives of the existing cats in colonies.

I’d like people to learn more about this and see it as a community endeavor.

Since this sculpture will have a tipped ear, an indicator of a community cat that has undergone sterilization surgery, I hope to spark some curiosity and exploration with information hand-painted in the back and side panels of the cat tower.

Collaboration Potential!

Our team consists of talented and seasoned Burning Man artists/builders/fabricators, Kevin Byall and Rigo “Indigo” Dillon.

Paul “Sparkle Pony” Franke has offered to help with engineering and Tom Lee is very enthusiastic about a possible collaboration with Black Rock City Lighthouse Service, having the cat sculpture attached to, and stretching up onto, one of the lighthouse buildings.