My favorite piece by Chris Burden was called The Citadel. Ephemeral, like a lot of his work in the 1970s.

“A massive assembly of starships from throughout the universe meeting to investigate the inexplicable infinite Citadel wall. Admission by invitation only August 8 through 12, 1978. Carp/5112 Pico Boulevard, L.A. Enter from alley between Wellworth Ave. and Redondo Blvd., west of La Brea. This exhibition partially funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.”

From the alley, you came into a room painted all black with hundreds of tiny toy starships of different shapes and sizes hung from the ceiling on black threads. You took a seat in a couple of rows of chairs, and when everyone was in, the room went completely black, and then Chris came in carrying a lit candle and walked around illuminating different parts of the massive assembly of starships.

I have a photo of Chris with the candle illuminating a few of the starships. It hangs over my desk. I’m looking at it now. I guess Chris is looking at the inexplicable infinite beyond the Citadel wall.

R.I.P. Chris.