Chris Burden (1946–2015)

Chris Burden has more great ideas than an entire city full of artists ordinarily does. & this bk demonstrates that in full force. 31 performances are presented & every single one of them have clear, incisive ideas behind them. I saw him in 1975 when he performed his "Working Artist" at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County Campus) by living in one the galleries & just going thru his daily routines. When the press learned of his coming, they ran sensationalist articles like "Death Artist Coming to University!" I lived in Baltimore, there were already plenty of 'death artists' there - the newspapers just never figured that out. Anyway, when Burden came, his non-sensational presentation was a big disappointment to people who probably wanted him to electrocute himself or something. One of the pieces described in the bk is his design & manufacture of the "B-Car" - lightweight, made partially from bike materials, capable of going 50mph, & getting 150 miles to the gallon.… (meer)