Shoot

November 19, 1971, the white F Space gallery in Santa Ana, California

"At 7:45pm I was shot in the left arm by a friend. The bullet was copper jacket .22 long-rifle. My friend was standing about 15 feet away from me. " -Chris Burden

Chris Burden emerged with performance pieces which tackled the social and political issues such as the Vietnam War and a growing disillusionment of government. His most well-known act from this time is the performance piece “Shoot” in which he asked his assistant to shoot him in the arm in front of an audience. His work reveals a great appreciation of fleeting moments and human experience.

“Shoot” brings into light the reality that any human being and moreover, any American can be shot at any time, most likely by someone they personally know. Violence is no longer an abstract image associated with war; instead it becomes vividly personal and close to home. Most importantly, “Shoot” revealed the passivity of the American society in the event of violence. In this way, the artwork is not only the actions of Burden and his assistant, but also the actions of the audience members. Not a single individual stopped to question the violence or intervene. Instead, in the tension of the event they simply sat back as spectators and watched with horror and fascination. Further, he emphasizes the tension between preventing violence and the stigma against touching art.

“Shoot” is a critique of the atmosphere in which it was created which consists of war, violence and pain in a society of spectators. His work reveals the importance of playing an active role in society to benefit the lives of others. Burden's piece is successful because he was willing to do whatever he felt necessary to make a statement without compromise.