MÚCARO

MÚCARO came to Black Rock City as a testament to the wisdom of all our teachers, the people who (hoo!) inspired us. El NiNo is dedicating MÚCARO to one teacher in particular: his mom, Mrs. Hilda Alicea, who taught in Puerto Rico for more than 45 years inspiring young people to go for their dreams.

MÚCARO (MOO-ka-roe), the native owl in Puerto Rico, also known as the Screech Owl, is a 32 ft. tall sculpture of a wise and woody owl surveying the playa with a panoramic view due to its rotating head. The exterior is clad in reclaimed wood “feathers” attached in a random fashion. The eyes are circular open-air window frames outlined in wood shims trimmed to varying lengths. At night, warm light from the interior of the head gives the eyes an amber glow; during the day they provide framed views of the playa.

Participants enter and exit MÚCARO through an opening under one of the wings. Inside the body is a cozy space with high ceilings and a single spiral staircase that journeys through childhood memories. The walls are set-designed to take them back in time and travel through school years as they climb. At the height of the stairs are two built-in ladders for easy access to and from the top. It is here where they find the focal point — a sweeping view of the playa through MÚCARO’s giant eyes that move with the head as it rotates!