Walter from p 13 Phoenix-based immersive experience company Walter Productions, which has launched an array of cultural projects across the Valley over the last 13 years. In addition to Walter Studios, their creative empire includes a gallery and makerspace in Scottsdale (The Walterdome), an arty brewery (Walter Station), an event venue (Walter Where?House), and a nonprofit art and educational outreach for kids and teens (The Walter Hive). At the center of this cultural conglomer- ation is Kirk Strawn, a retired local physi- cian, creative entrepreneur, and founder of Walter Productions. The company’s proj- ects are “multidimensional concepts,” he tells Phoenix New Times in a phone inter- view while traveling to this year’s Burning Man music and arts festival in Nevada. The festival runs through Monday, September 5. “We’ve created all these spaces where people can come and gather, but they’re more than just one thing,” Strawn says. “They’re not just a gallery or a venue, they’re an entire experience, a safe space, and a platform for artists. We want people to come there, to be themselves, get inspired, watch a DJ, or see the art cars.” Walter Productions’ art cars are certainly the company’s best-known creations. Each is a custom-built, over- sized spectacle brimming with eye- catching lighting and special effects. The fleet includes a gigantic Volkswagen Baja Bug called Big Red; Mona Lisa, a cone- shaped wheeled tank inspired by a Leonardo da Vinci drawing; and a flame- spewing horned truck dubbed Heathen. The centerpiece of the collection is Walter the Bus, the company’s first creation and namesake. A replica of a vintage Volkswagen Westfalia Camper van writ extra large, the 13-foot-tall vehicle is outfitted with two levels, a sound system, laser effects, 10,000 LEDs, and a VIP room. Walter Productions’ art cars have been a 14 hit at the various events they’ve appeared at, ranging from downtown Phoenix’s First Kalliope, Big Red and Walter the Bus. Trey Ratcliff/Walter Productions Friday art walk and Crescent Ballroom’s New Year’s Eve block parties to high-profile festivals such as Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas and Beyond Wonderland in California. The company has brought them to corporate shindigs for SpaceX, Google, and Twitter. They’ve also been regulars at Burning Man, much like Strawn and many others behind the scenes. Burning Man looms large in Walter Productions’ history. The origins of the company and many of its creations are tied to the annual music and arts festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Strawn and others have put on Camp Walter at the event since 2009 and have “gotten so much inspiration” from the event, he says, including adopting its principles of radical self-expression, inclusiveness, shared experiences, and collaborative efforts. “The thing about Walter as a commu- nity, is it’s always been about collabora- tion,” Strawn says. “Every one of [our projects] are not only born of ideas, but they’re also the actual product of people working together.” Walter Productions has also been a gateway to and from Burning Man. Festival virgins have been introduced to its culture and ethos through Walter. Longtime Burners found platforms for their work or a safe space through the company. And there are a lot of people in the Walter crew. There are around two dozen employees and a legion of fans, followers, and fellow Burners who attend its events and hang out at Camp Walter. When the Walter faithful show up at Burning Man this week, though, they’ll notice a change. Walter Productions only took three of its art cars to this year’s festival, the first since the pandemic. Strawn says the company is changing directions, scaling back its “touring roadshow” at festivals, and focusing more on “putting down roots in Phoenix” and supporting its own venues. “In this phase, we’re really building our >> p 16 platforms and it has to be SEPT 1ST–SEPT 7TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
