Chris Burden Livres

Burden has a love-hate relationship with the machine: Suspended from the ceiling of the gallery or presented in glorious isolation, the toy-like machine becomes an object of fear and worship, however ironically, a mysterious idol to be propitiated and venerated, even if it no longer works. Thus art makes the machine benign by turning into a strange toy. It masters the machine in a playful, Machiavellian act of homage to it. Burden implicitly sets the cunning of the artist against the engineer who masterminded the machine, implying that the artist can magically undo the human damage the latter unwittingly did with his machine.

Focusing on Chris Burden's groundbreaking performance art, this collection reissues six rare publications that document his innovative practices from the 1970s to the early 2000s. It includes detailed accounts of extreme performances, such as being locked in a locker for five days and being shot, alongside explorations of his artistic processes and social commentary. The works highlight Burden's unique storytelling across various media, showcasing his relentless spirit and commitment to pushing boundaries, making them accessible to a contemporary audience.

Tracing artists' increasing use of their bodies as subject and actual material of their artworks, this title charts the rise of new forms of expression such as Body Art, Happenings, Performance and Live Art.