Five Day Locker Piece
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Five Day Locker Piece'' was a 1971 performance by
Chris Burden Christopher Lee Burden (April 11, 1946 – May 10, 2015) was an American artist working in performance, sculpture and installation art. Burden became known in the 1970s for his performance art works, including ''Shoot'' (1971), where he arranged ...
in which he stayed in a student locker for five days as part of his
UC Irvine UC may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''University Challenge'', a popular British quiz programme airing on BBC Two ** '' University Challenge (New Zealand)'', the New Zealand version of the British programme * Universal Century, one of the ti ...
Master's thesis.


Description

For his
UC Irvine UC may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''University Challenge'', a popular British quiz programme airing on BBC Two ** '' University Challenge (New Zealand)'', the New Zealand version of the British programme * Universal Century, one of the ti ...
Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admini ...
thesis, performance artist
Chris Burden Christopher Lee Burden (April 11, 1946 – May 10, 2015) was an American artist working in performance, sculpture and installation art. Burden became known in the 1970s for his performance art works, including ''Shoot'' (1971), where he arranged ...
entered an art building student locker (2 ft × 2 ft × 3 ft) for five days, from April 26–30, 1971. He had some room to wiggle but not unbend. In the lockers above and below him, Burden put a five-gallon water container and an empty container for urine with hoses for each. He fasted for several days in advance and consulted with doctors, who warned of potential blood clots and paralysis. Outside the locker, students and teachers argued about the project's merits. The campus police considered ending the performance early for Burden's safety. Towards the end, Burden said, the dean's office heard about the performance and considered ending it in light of their responsibility but ultimately decided to let it finish. Near the end, Burden himself began to fear his vulnerability and what a crazed person could do to him.


Analysis and legacy

The performance began Burden's career as a "durational daredevil" and led to polarized opinions about his masochistic oeuvre. It established several themes that would recur in his work: risk of death, endurance, and the audience's moral dilemma. ''New York Magazine'' compared the performance to
Eusebius of Vercelli Eusebius of Vercelli (c. March 2, 283 – August 1, 371) was a bishop from Sardinia and is counted a saint. Along with Athanasius, he affirmed the divinity of Jesus against Arianism. Biography Eusebius was born in Sardinia, in 283. After his fat ...
's ordeal of confinement. The work had a confessional quality, as people came to see the performance and would speak in confidence when they could not see the artist.


References


Bibliography

* * *


Further reading

* * {{Portal bar, Visual arts 1970s photographs April 1971 events in the United States Performances Works by Chris Burden