In his 2007 New YorkÂer essay on perÂforÂmance artist Chris BurÂden, the critÂic Peter SchjelÂdahl wrote that most of BurÂden’s oeuÂvre conÂsistÂed of “powÂerÂful works that deal ingeÂniousÂly with aesÂthetÂics and ethics of powÂer.”
SchjeldÂhal added that “you needn’t like them to be impressed,” and then described some of BurÂden’s more infaÂmous pieces:
He spent five days in a small lockÂer, with a botÂtle of water above and a botÂtle for urine below; slithÂered, nearÂly naked and with his hands held behind him, across fifty feet of broÂken glass in a parkÂing lot; had his hands nailed to the roof of a VolkÂswaÂgen; was kicked down a flight of stairs; and, on difÂferÂent occaÂsions, incurred apparÂent risks of burnÂing, drownÂing, and elecÂtroÂcuÂtion.
BurÂden’s more recent “MetropÂoÂlis II,” which might seem tame by comÂparÂiÂson, feaÂtures over 1,100 miniÂcars careenÂing through a maze of interÂconÂnectÂed freeÂways. It’s still pretÂty chalÂlengÂing, even in dilutÂed video form: The noise and conÂstant motion seem calÂcuÂlatÂed to wreck your nerves, and accordÂing to this brief segÂment on the piece, at least one car spins off the tracks every hour. The city may be surÂreÂal, but the stress feels as familÂiar as your last bad rush hour.
You can find a fasÂciÂnatÂing on-stage interÂview with the artist in LACÂMA’s DirecÂtor’s Series, as well as a wealth of inforÂmaÂtion about BurÂden’s life and work on the museÂum’s webÂsite.
H/T FastÂCoDeÂsign
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
