From the desert to the District: Burning Man art hits streets of DC

change volume

April 29, 2026 | Beyond the museum: Art hits the streets of DC (草莓传媒's Rachel Nania)

WASHINGTON 鈥� Those who work, live or walk around 19th and I Streets NW near Farragut Square may soon find themselves face-to-face with a 14-foot-tall bear. 聽

If this happens to you, don鈥檛 panic. There鈥檚 no need to fear the beast 鈥� he is made of 170,000 pennies.

The bear, named 鈥淯rsa Major,鈥� is one of six pieces of art hitting the streets of D.C.鈥檚 Golden Triangle 鈥� a 43-square-block of neighborhood that stretches from Dupont Circle to the White House. The large-scale installations are part of a collaboration between the and to bring art from the famed desert festival, Burning Man, to the nation鈥檚 capital.

Crews install the 5-ton cast cement bust of Maya Angelou on 17th Street, between H and I Streets.聽 The piece, “Maya’s Mind” is one of six outdoor art installations in the exhibit 鈥淣o Spectators: Beyond the Renwick.” (Photo credit: Abram Eric Landes, Courtesy Golden Triangle BID)

“Maya’s Mind” sits on the sidewalk on 17th Street, between H and I Streets. The looming 20-foot-tall sculpture of the famous poet sits in sharp contrast to the glass office buildings that surround it. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

The back of the sculpture “Maya’s Mind,” one of six in the outdoor exhibit 鈥淣o Spectators: Beyond the Renwick.” (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

“Future’s Past,” by artist Kate Raudenbush, is adjacent to James Monroe Park. (Photo credit: Abram Eric Landes, Courtesy Golden Triangle BID)

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a lot of people who stop with surprise,鈥� said Leona Agouridis, executive director of the Golden Triangle BID. 鈥淭he [pieces] add color to the street, they add texture, they add interest.鈥� (Photo credit: Abram Eric Landes, Courtesy Golden Triangle BID)

“Ursa Major” gets installed on the sidewalk of 19th Street NW, between I and K Streets. (Photo credit: Abram Eric Landes, Courtesy Golden Triangle BID)

The giant bear is made from 170,000 pennies, collected from the U.S., Canada and Europe. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

The art group HYBYCOZO installs “Golden Spike” at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and K Street NW. (Courtesy Golden Triangle BID)

The six larger-than-life pieces will be on display outside through December 2018. Beginning March 30, the Renwick Gallery will host a building-wide exhibit, 鈥淣o Spectators: The Art of Burning Man,鈥� displaying even more art from the famed desert festival. (Photo credit: Phil Pasquini, Courtesy Golden Triangle BID)

(1/11)

Share This Gallery:

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a lot of people who stop with surprise,鈥� said Leona Agouridis, executive director of the Golden Triangle BID.

鈥淭he [pieces] add color to the street, they add texture, they add interest.鈥�

One particular piece of interest in the outdoor exhibit, called 鈥淣o Spectators: Beyond the Renwick,鈥� is a 5-ton cast cement bust of Maya Angelou on 17th Street, between H and I streets. The looming 20-foot-tall sculpture of the famous poet sits in sharp contrast to the glass office buildings that surround it.

鈥淎nd it absolutely stops people in their tracks,鈥� said Agouridis about the piece, 鈥淢aya鈥檚 Mind.鈥�

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 pass by this piece without stopping to look at it, to read about the artist and to read about Maya Angelou.鈥�

Just a few blocks up at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and K Street is the steel sculpture 鈥淕olden Spike鈥� from the artists HYBYCOZO, and around the corner at the Farragut West Metro station is Laura Kimpton鈥檚 20-foot long 鈥淴OXO鈥� installation.

The outdoor exhibition is an extension of a building-wide exhibit at the Renwick Gallery, called 鈥淣o Spectators: The Art of Burning Man,鈥� which opens March 30 and runs through Jan. 21, 2019. The six outdoor pieces will be on display through December 2018.聽

Throughout the duration of the two exhibits, the Golden Triangle BID and the Renwick Gallery will host walking tours and events. Maps detailing the artworks and their locations are also spread throughout the neighborhood.

草莓传媒