Due to its under surveillance, Pier 45 has a long history as a liminal space for the queer community. However, its refurbishment, and subsequent gentrification, has led to the displacement of queer people. Thus, the Burning Ritual proposes the destruction of the pier in the form of ritualistic bonfires, in an effort to return it to its original status as a liminal space and to activate it. The burn pattern is developed through the categorization of the materiality of the pier. Three burning approaches are employed: carving through the wood planks, between the tiles, and preserving the green space. Over the course of five years, the community will participate in the bonfires; beginning at the end of the pier and working its way toward the city, the burn pattern will alter how users can walk through the space. Eventually, the strict boundary between the pristine pier and its disruptive underbelly will crumble over time – allowing nature to take over. Burning Ritual undermines the pier by destroying it and effectively re-activating the complex ecosystems both above and below.
