Chris Burden Beam Drop Brazil 2008
Just when I was thinking Chris Burden had gone a little softer in his old age he comes out with a piece like Beam Drop Brazil and totally changes my perception of him.
I want to be clear and say that I do not think that any artist should ever just depict one emotion or pigeon-hole themselves in anyway, but in comparison to Burden’s most celebrated early pieces, Shoot and Trans-Fixed, his latest pieces Urban Light and What My Dad Gave Me seem positively peaceful and playful. While One Ton had the potential of making a more social and economic statement, a huge pile of gold is still easy on the eyes.
Beam Drop Brazil on the other hand is aggressive and epic. Huge chunks of steal flying towards the earth driven only by gravity, a reenactment of any man vs. nature scenario. It’s a physical and abstract Hannibal Crossing the Alps or Medusa’s Raft.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I am happy that Burden hasn’t pigeon-holed himself. He still has an encompassing range and the capability to relay these ideas and emotions into sculptures that can be whimsical but also aggressive which is a rare and exciting talent.
