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.
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.
With a mix of irreverence and sincerity, artists John Baldessari and Meg Cranston here tackle nothing less than the question of God. Acting as curators, they have invited 100 artists to respond to one of art's most enduring picturing the divine. The artists selected are those whose work the curators know and admire, those who possess the sense of humor and audacity necessary for such a project, or artists who are "likely to surprise." The works in this exhibition explore many different themes, including miracles, divine intervention, baptism, heaven, martyrdom, and the search for enlightenment. Included is one work by each of the 100 artists--primarily drawings, photographs, and paintings, along with a few sculptures and single-channel videos--some of them made in response to the curators' call for participation. Represented artists include Reverend Ethan Acres, Eleanor Antin, Chris Burden, Sam Durant, Jimmie Durham, Nicole Eisenman, Katharina Fritsch, Liam Gillick, Jack Goldstein, Scott Grieger, Rebecca Horn, Christian Jankowski, Mike Kelley, Mary Kelly, Martin Kippenberger, Louise Lawler, Roy Lichtenstein, Rita McBride, Paul McCarthy, Catherine Opie, Tony Oursler, Jorge Pardo, Raymond Pettibon, Paul Pfeiffer, Richard Prince, Rob Pruitt & Jonathan Horowitz, Gerhard Richter, Susan Rothenberg, Ed Ruscha, Gary Simmons, Lawrence Weiner, James Welling and Franz West.