Chris Burden at the South London Gallery (2006)
The internationally acclaimed American artist Chris Burden (1946-2015) presented an extraordinary new work for his solo exhibition at the South London Gallery. Fourteen 1920s cast iron lamp posts from Los Angeles, meticulously restored and uniformly painted in battleship grey, were erected in the SLG’s beautiful exhibition space to create a stunning installation which combines architectural intervention with engineering feat.
14 Magnolia Double Lamps, 2006, emphasised the special qualities of the SLG’s main exhibition space. At 625cm high, the lamps cleared the Victorian glass lantern ceiling by less than a metre, and they were illuminated throughout the show, heightening awareness of the play of light in the space. The apparent simplicity and relative sparseness of the installation belied its logistical complexity, the sheer weight of each lamp post (each one weighs approximately 1 ½ tons) making their installation within the space a significant technical challenge.
On a purely formal level the installation has the potential to inspire reactions spanning wonder, awe and even delight. Conceptually it refers to wider issues around the impact of the urban infrastructure on a location and on the people who use it, but there is also a sense of irony behind Burden’s idea of exporting ‘antiques’, inspired by European design, from Los Angeles to Europe. These historic lamp posts, in a plethora of different designs, were dotted all over the many smaller cities that make up the megalopolis of Los Angeles and were originally installed as a demonstration of civic wealth and pride.
Most of these antique lamps were removed and destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s, and the few remaining clusters have long been subsumed by the broader character of the city, almost to the point of invisibility to those who see them daily. The inextricable link between wealth and the provision of public lighting in urban contexts is clearly referenced by the work, as is the shifting character, significance and role of municipal design, both over time and from the perspective of commissioners, users and visitors. The elaborately decorative and massive street lamps are an ornate totem to industrialism and provide a richness and beauty for urban dwellers.
This online archival presentation of 14 Magnolia Doubles and The Flying Steamroller is in tribute to Chris, his extraordinary achievements and influence, in the year of what would have been his 75th birthday, on April 11th 2021.
Virtual Tour with Margot Heller, Director of the SLG
Join Director Margot Heller for a lunchtime tour of Chris Burden at the South London Gallery (2006).
Since joining the South London Gallery (SLG) as Director in 2001, Margot Heller has curated numerous exhibitions, events and projects, as well as leading the organisation through significant expansion in terms of its artistic and education programmes, buildings and visitor numbers.
In conversation with Carol Eliel (LACMA), Margot Heller (SLG) and Yayoi Shionoiri (Chris Burden Estate)
Join Carol Eliel, Margot Heller and Yayoi Shionoiri in conversation about the incredible life and legacy of Chris Burden.
Carol S. Eliel, Curator of Modern Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); Margot Heller, Director, South London Gallery; Yayoi Shionoiri, Executive Director, Chris Burden Estate.