A storm has destroyed the Ukrainian art installation Black Cloud at the annual Burning Man festival in the US.

Source: Vitalii Deineha, producer of Black Cloud and Ukrainian volunteer, on social media

Details: The structure stood for only a few hours, Deineha reported.

Quote: “Today was the first and the last day of the Black Cloud.”

Details: Deineha said the team had spent the night assembling the installation. After 11 hours, the work was completed, and the creators began waiting for the first feedback, which they described as “more than inspiring”.

Quote: “I was confident in the success of this work from the very beginning. And I was not wrong: people were coming from all corners of the desert to see one of the largest and strangest objects that had appeared overnight. The installation definitely left no one indifferent. It was going to be no less successful than our work last year – I’m Fine. But then came the apocalypse.”

Details: Deineha added that a powerful wind suddenly picked up after 17:30 the same day, completely destroying the installation.

Quote: "On paper and in calculations, it was meant to withstand the storm, but reality proved otherwise. It withstood the wind for the first 15 minutes before tearing in the middle, allowing the storm to rush inside and destroy it completely.

The last time I had such a feeling was exactly three and a half years ago, when I woke up to the first explosions and air-raid warnings and realised that external circumstances of irresistible force had decided to make adjustments to life."

More details: Deineha admitted that he is “very sorry” that Black Cloud had not stood for all the planned nine days at the festival. He added that the work had been expecting a European tour, within which locations and dates had been agreed upon.

Black Cloud was first presented in Kyiv on the square near St Sophia Cathedral. The seven-tonne, 30-metre-long structure was created by Ukrainian artist Oleksii Sai.

The creators said the installation aimed to warn the world about the next world war, which the artist believes has begun.

Quote from Deineha: "Unfortunately, I am convinced: war in the world will only intensify. There are many reasons for this – from unresolved global problems to new technologies that every country seeks to use to fulfil its long-standing ambitions.

And if, or rather when, a new wave of wars begins, Black Cloud can become a cult work that is ahead of its time."

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