"My god, are they going to leave me here to die?"
May 11, 2015 7:27 AM Subscribe
The late Roger Ebert writes about a piece conceptual artist Chris Burden performed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1975. Chris Burden previously on Metafilter.
I used to despise conceptual art as a lot of pretentious hoo-ha about nothing, but the more I've found myself willing to listen to the artists, the more interesting and rich its become. Reading about this one piece just sent shivers down my spine.
posted by xingcat at 7:55 AM on May 11, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 7:55 AM on May 11, 2015 [9 favorites]
A terrific piece of writing by Ebert as well. Really puts you inside the piece, and the man who made it.
posted by maxsparber at 7:59 AM on May 11, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by maxsparber at 7:59 AM on May 11, 2015 [7 favorites]
Rest in piece, you beautiful man. I am so devastated that you are gone.
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Chris Burden was one of my favourite artists. There is no part of his long career that I have not obsessed over endlessly.
So so sad.
posted by Theta States at 8:42 AM on May 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
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Chris Burden was one of my favourite artists. There is no part of his long career that I have not obsessed over endlessly.
So so sad.
posted by Theta States at 8:42 AM on May 11, 2015 [3 favorites]
I used to despise conceptual art as a lot of pretentious hoo-ha about nothing, but the more I've found myself willing to listen to the artists, the more interesting and rich its become.
I know what you mean. I wandered into a SFMOMA gallery with this installation, Indigo Blue, some years ago. If I had only read about it, I would have been dismisssive, and I would not have gone to seek it out. But it had an eerie, undeniable power, and it really changed my opinion of this kind of art.
posted by thelonius at 8:48 AM on May 11, 2015
I know what you mean. I wandered into a SFMOMA gallery with this installation, Indigo Blue, some years ago. If I had only read about it, I would have been dismisssive, and I would not have gone to seek it out. But it had an eerie, undeniable power, and it really changed my opinion of this kind of art.
posted by thelonius at 8:48 AM on May 11, 2015
In high school I got into a summer media arts program at the Art Institute in Chicago. It was '86 so we were lugging around giant video cameras attached to Beta decks and freaking out that we could change the tint level on them. The professor showed us Burden's 'Velvet Water'. I remember there being some laughter at first, but as it went on, we were all silent.
I followed his career as much as I could from then on. He was a constant reminder that art should be fearless, always.
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posted by lumpenprole at 10:03 AM on May 11, 2015
I followed his career as much as I could from then on. He was a constant reminder that art should be fearless, always.
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posted by lumpenprole at 10:03 AM on May 11, 2015
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posted by tychotesla at 10:44 AM on May 11, 2015
posted by tychotesla at 10:44 AM on May 11, 2015
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posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 10:53 AM on May 11, 2015
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 10:53 AM on May 11, 2015
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posted by Joey Michaels at 10:58 AM on May 11, 2015
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:58 AM on May 11, 2015
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posted by chicainthecity at 11:50 AM on May 11, 2015
posted by chicainthecity at 11:50 AM on May 11, 2015
I remember reading about the guy who crucified himself on a VW when I was in grade school, and it weirdly stuck with me. The more I've read about the man, the more fascinated I've become. His varied artistic phases all seem like great work to me. What a courageous, creative soul. He'll be missed.
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posted by rikschell at 1:26 PM on May 11, 2015
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posted by rikschell at 1:26 PM on May 11, 2015
Thanks for the post. I didn't know about Burden, but I do now thanks to this post. And I loved Ebert. I grew up with Siskel and Ebert in Chicago.
posted by persona au gratin at 3:59 PM on May 11, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 3:59 PM on May 11, 2015
Anyone know where I can see Chris Burden stuff in LA or Chicago?
posted by persona au gratin at 4:04 PM on May 11, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 4:04 PM on May 11, 2015
Anyone know where I can see Chris Burden stuff in LA or Chicago?
He's well represented at LACMA. He has two major works featured prominently. "Urban Light" is in the main entry off of Wilshire and "Metropolis II" is on the first floor of the Broad building, in the gallery opposite the Serra. His final work, "Ode to Santos Dumont", will be opening next week at LACMA in the Resnick Pavilion.
posted by mr_roboto at 10:19 PM on May 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
He's well represented at LACMA. He has two major works featured prominently. "Urban Light" is in the main entry off of Wilshire and "Metropolis II" is on the first floor of the Broad building, in the gallery opposite the Serra. His final work, "Ode to Santos Dumont", will be opening next week at LACMA in the Resnick Pavilion.
posted by mr_roboto at 10:19 PM on May 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Cool. Off to LACMA!
posted by persona au gratin at 2:02 AM on May 12, 2015
posted by persona au gratin at 2:02 AM on May 12, 2015
In the. School of Fine Arts at UC Irvine in the early 90s, there was always this sense of his Burden's nearness: Like we were a room he'd just left, or a dinner party that he was expected to attend.
Not everyone was eager to buy what Burden was selling, but I loved absolutely all of it: the locker, the VW crucifixion, the crank that tore the gallery apart-- and I remember this beautiful moment, up in LA at the Temporary Contemporary, when one of my professors who'd previously viewed Burden as more of a gimic-smith than an artist, saw Medusa's Head for the first time and was forced to admit that the guy had genuinely formidable visual chops, in addition to everything else.
I am not at all okay with his death. Not. At. All.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 2:09 AM on May 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
Not everyone was eager to buy what Burden was selling, but I loved absolutely all of it: the locker, the VW crucifixion, the crank that tore the gallery apart-- and I remember this beautiful moment, up in LA at the Temporary Contemporary, when one of my professors who'd previously viewed Burden as more of a gimic-smith than an artist, saw Medusa's Head for the first time and was forced to admit that the guy had genuinely formidable visual chops, in addition to everything else.
I am not at all okay with his death. Not. At. All.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 2:09 AM on May 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
I have a trip to LA coming up in a few weeks, and this has definitely inspired me to work in a trip to LACMA.
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:20 AM on May 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:20 AM on May 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
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