Beam Drop

5/30/09 - 2009

Chris Burden

In 2009, the Chris Burden exhibition opened with the creation of this artwork. Spectators were able to follow the creation process live. The artist had a square pit 2.5 meters deep filled with concrete. Then, using large cranes, more than 100 steel beams were “dropped” from a height of 45 meters into the liquid concrete. Because they were dropped, the beams stick out of the concrete crisscrossed and at right angles.

The image shows a sculpture of rust-brown, vertical beams. The beams vary in height and thickness and are placed close together, creating a dense cluster on a circular base. The artwork is situated in the center of a large, green lawn under a bright blue sky with white clouds. Trees are visible in the background, including the leaves of a tree in the upper left corner.

Details

Plan number: B57
Zone: Motion
Title: Beam Drop
Creator: Chris Burden
Date: 5/30/09 - 2009
Material: steel
Acquisition: purchase
Object number: MID.B.525

This artwork exudes great strength. The rusty forest of steel beams resembles a strong, immovable frame, but at the same time represents chaos and transience.

The artist asked the museum not to intervene in the work: slowly but surely, nature is taking over. The steel corrodes, moss grows on the cement. Decay began as early as the making of the work: gravity made the heavy beams bend and crack.

American contemporary artist Chris Burden became known in the 1970s for his groundbreaking performances, in which he pushed the boundaries of performance art. His sculptures and installations also push the boundaries of what is physically possible in visual art.

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