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Show HONORS COLLEGE SPRING 2013 Zoe Alexandra Nelson Perry Paul Paret 234 SECRET HISTORIES: AVANT-GARDE HAPPENINGS OF SALT LAKE Zoe Alexandra Nelson Perry (Paul Paret) Department of Art History University of Utah Chris Burden, a seminal performance artist of the 1970's is best known for his conceptual investigation of social and physiological experiences. His early works of this period are characterized by corporeal acts of violence and extreme deprivation. In Burden's most famous performance he had himself shot in the arm by a .22 caliber rifle. In another performance he remained in the Ronald Feldman gallery for 22 days without food or water. Despite the impressive array of discourse that surrounds Burden's body of work, a particular performance entitled Oh, Dracula has gone uninvestigated. Standing in contrast to the majority of his performances during this period, Oh, Dracula's physical and psychological demands were minimal. The piece occurred in conjunction with a joint conference held at the Utah Museum of Art, n ow the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. O n the morning of October 7, 1974 Burden lay down in a raw canvas and had himself sewn in and hung horizontally between two of the collection's renaissance paintings. A plaque on the wall stated his name, date, and title of the piece. He remained suspended in the canvas for the duration of the museum's hours, from 9am to 5pm. The entirety of the performance lasted only 8 hours, incredibly brief when compared even his initial performance's, such as his master's thesis that lasted 5 days. It is in this piece's contradictory nature that its importance lies. The intent of this project has been to compile primary source documentation on the Oh, Dracula performance. Due to the limited publications surrounding this piece, the investigatory process was strenuous. Ultimately, the source materials gathered included newspaper and magazine articles, photographs, and interviews with individuals present at the performance. Through a compilation of these sources, highlighting both the success and failures of the primary research, an account of the event has been complied. It is through this new collection of documents and interviews that Oh, Dracula enters the field of academic discourse. Adding to the conversation surrounding Burden's body of work as a whole, this performance proves to be a fascinating twist to an otherwise thoroughly researched artist. |
