Chris Burden
1946–2015
Chris Burden’s uncompromising and often controversial performance works from the early 1970s tested the limits of his physical endurance and earned him a reputation as the Evel Knievel of the art world. Documentation of Selected Works 1971–75 presents visual records of eleven works, performed at locations across Los Angeles and originally recorded on Super 8, 16mm film, and half-inch video, that show the artist’s body being subjected to a range of external and internal pressures. The collection includes brief footage of the notorious early performance Shoot (1971), in which Burden arranged to be shot in the arm by a friend; Through the Night Softly (1973), in which he crawls naked over broken glass; Deadman (1972), in which he poses as a dead body in a public street; and Velvet Water (1974), in which he attempts to breathe water.
Although Burden’s work during this period involved subjecting his body to gunshot, fire, electricity, starvation, isolation, and the risk of drowning (among other trials), he rejected the term masochism, stating that “the masochist intends to hurt himself, that is not my intent.” Rather, his work explores the complex psychology and energy of anticipation and endurance, issues of identity and masculinity, and the complicated dynamics of the relationship between artist and audience, individual and society. In the compilation, Burden’s deadpan voice-over narrative explains the logistics of each work as it reasserts the contingency of performance art that often leads to unexpected outcomes or moments of failure, and the extreme subjectivity of his own experience in the face of mere historical document.
Introduction
Christopher Lee Burden (April 11, 1946 – May 10, 2015) was an American artist working in performance art, sculpture, and installation art. Burden became known in the 1970s for his performance art works, including Shoot (1971), where he arranged for a friend to shoot him in the arm with a small-caliber rifle. A prolific artist, Burden created many well-known installations, public artworks, and sculptures before his death in 2015.
Wikidata identifier
Q720832
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License . Accessed July 9, 2025.
Introduction
Burden studied at Pomona College, Claremont, California, receiving a BA . He received an MFA in 1971 from the University of California, Irvine. Early in his career he rejected object-based works to create performances based on his own body in extreme or dangerous situations, including being shot in the arm, and crucified on a Volkswagen. In his later works, he returned to physical sculpture and installation, often critical of power structures, but at times playful and popular with broader audiences, such as his 'Urban Light' and 'Metropolis II' installations at LACMA in Los Angeles.
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, cinematographer, conceptual artist, installation artist, painter, performance artist, sculptor, video artist
ULAN identifier
500118760
Names
Chris Burden, Christopher Burden
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed July 9, 2025.
