Ma Nian Bing Wu

马年丙午 · Fire Horse Guardian

A monumental steampunk horse forged in steel and flame, created by artist Victor Spinelli as an offering to fellow horses of the Chinese zodiac.

Fire · Steel · Desert Horse · Cycle · Return
01 · Sculpture

Monumental Guardian

The Ma Nian Bing Wu (马年丙午) stands tall in the desert—a monumental steampunk guardian forged from steel, three meters high, with gears, pistons, and chimney-like vents that breathe real flame into the night sky. Ancient yet futuristic, it fuses mythic power with industrial might: layered plates, exposed mechanisms, and contained energy that pulses like a living entity. Grounded and alert, it embodies survival, transformation, and the enduring spark of creativity.

Engineered for heat, dust, and wonder
02 · Offering

For the Horses

This sculpture is an offering to fellow horses—those born in the Chinese year of the Horse—who share that same spirited essence. It belongs to the desert of Burning Man, where steel meets dust, fire is sacred, and art becomes communal ritual. The Ma Nian Bing Wu will be there, exhaling fire into the vast night, a living beacon of persistence and revelation.

A gathering point for connection and wonder, the Ma Nian Bing Wu invites everyone to stand beneath its heat, feel the weight of time in steel, and share in the poetic tension between permanence and flame. It celebrates freedom, community, and the beauty of becoming whole.

A campfire for every horse-born soul
03 · Artist

Victor Spinelli

This project is the vision of Victor Spinelli, a multifaceted contemporary artist—photographer, painter, sculptor, illustrator, and installation creator—based in Ibiza, Spain. Born in the USA to Italian heritage, he holds a BA in Architecture from the University of Buffalo. His path has spanned architectural studies, entrepreneurial adventures, and global travels across 85 countries, documenting cultures, religions, landscapes, and people through timeless, surreal imagery that blends mythology and social commentary.

Architecture, travel, and myth in one practice
04 · Works & Contact

Fire, Steel & Story

Victor’s work has been exhibited worldwide—from Ibiza’s creative hubs to New York, Miami, London, and beyond—including retrospectives at Pikes Hotel Ibiza, features at art fairs like Art Aspen and Scope, and large-scale installations at Burning Man. His practice includes photography series, pop-art paintings inspired by vintage casino chips, ceramic sculptures, NFTs, graphic novels, and monumental steel pieces. Notable works include the iconic “Diver UP” photograph that evolved into towering sculptures at Burning Man (2019–2022), the Consciousness Series with its Wheel of Consciousness installation, and the Life is a Puzzle project presented at Burning Man 2024.

Through every element—Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood—Victor channels a lifelong passion for wonder, connection, and the shared spark of being alive.

Victor Spinelli
Ibiza, Spain
www.victorspinelli.com
@victorspinelli1
Five elements, one continuous fire
05 · Join

Join the Fire Horse Project

Be part of this once-in-a-generation convergence of art, cosmology, and community.

Your Information
Your Burning Man playa name
Include country code (e.g., +1 for USA)
Fire Horses (born 1906, 1966, 2026) receive a special gift
How can you help? *