Summary of Chris Burden: Performance and Installation Art

## Introduction This StudyFi material focuses on a selection of significant works and activities by Chris Burden, with an emphasis on describing specific works, their materials, dates, and presentation context (e.g., installations or projections). The content is based on a provided list of works and is structured to help students easily understand the differences between individual projects, their technical and material aspects, and the specific locations and dates of their realization. ## Material Structure - Overview of works by period and format - Analysis of selected examples: technique, materials, dimensions, location, and date - Comparative table of work types and their characteristics - Practical applications in curatorial work and documentation ## Overview of Selected Works (Chronological Examples) - **1971–1973**: early actions and performances documented by photography (e.g., *Shoot*, *Bed Piece*, *747*) - **1979–1986**: collages and models combining photographs, materials, and objects (e.g., *Thank You*, *Breakthrough*, *Sex Tower (Architectural Model of 125 Foot High Sex Tower)*) - **1983–1996**: models, installations, and works with industrial materials (e.g., *Scale Model of the Solar System*, *The Flying Steamroller*) - **2003–2015**: large-scale installations and mechanical systems, works with restored objects and replicas (e.g., *Tower of London Bridge*, *Urban Light*, *Metropolis II*, *What My Dad Gave Me*, *Ode to Santos-Dumont*) > Definition: An "installation" is an artwork created from multiple materials and arranged for a specific space, often with the aim of influencing the viewer's movement or perception. ## Analysis of Selected Examples ### Shoot (1971) - Form: documented performance - Location and Date: F Space, Santa Ana, California, November 19, 1971 - Note: The work is documented by photography and serves as a key example of a controversial approach to the body, risk, and documentation. ### Bed Piece (1972) - Form: documented intervention / performance (72 Market Street, Venice, California, February 18–March 10, 1972) - Emphasis: temporal relationship of the action with its environment (duration), relationship to the viewer and the record ### Thank You (1979) - Materials: black-and-white and color photography, nail, gold foil, textile, painted paper, marker - Dimensions: 32 × 40 inches (81.3 × 101.6 cm) - Context: a collage combining photographic record and physical materials ### Scale Model of the Solar System (1983) - Materials: plastic, steel spheres, plexiglass - Dimensions: variable, installed at the Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans (February 25–March 27, 1983) - Application Note: work with models and scaling for educational or visual representation ### Urban Light (2008) - Materials: 202 restored Los Angeles cast-iron street lamps from the 1920s, sandblasting, paint, electrification - Dimensions: 26 ft 8 1/2 in × 57 ft 2 1/2 in × 58 ft 8 1/2 in (8.1 × 17.4 × 17.9 m) - Location: permanent installation at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) - Curatorial Interest: transformation of a utilitarian object into an urban monument and public landmark ### Metropolis II (2006–10) - Materials and Construction: 3 hp DC motors, 1080 modified toy cars, HO model trains, steel, aluminum, electrical wiring, various structural and surface materials - Dimensions: 117 × 339 × 230 inches (297 × 861 × 584 cm) - Function: kinetic sculpture/oscillating model of urban traffic with a high degree of programmed dynamism > Definition: "Kinetic artwork" is an artwork that contains moving parts powered mechanically, electrically, or by other forces, where movement is part of the aesthetic experience. ## Comparison Table: Selected Types of Chris Burden's Works | Type of Work | Materials | Key Features | Examples | |---|---:|---|---| | Documented Performance | photography, video | short-term actions, emphasis on documentation | *Shoot*, *Bed Piece*, *747* | | Collage / Mixed Media | paper, photography,