Chris Burden

L.A. Louver, Venice
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Venice, L.A. Louver, California: A Sense of Individualism Part I, July - August 1981
Newport Beach, Newport Harbor Art Museum; Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon Art Gallery; Boston, Institute of Contemporary Art, Chris Burden, A Twenty Year Survey, April 1988 - October 1989, p. 126, illustrated
Indianapolis Museum of Art; Akron Art Museum; Richmond, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Power: It’s Myths and Mores in American Art 1981-1991, September 1991 - July 1992, cat. no. 35, p. 57, illustrated
Barcelona, Centre de Santa Monica, Chris Burden, 1995, p. 36, illustrated
Vienna, Österreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst / Gegenwartskunst, Chris Burden: Beyond the Limits, February - August 1996, p. 146, illustrated

Fred Hoffman, Chris Burden, London 2007, pp. 234-235, illustrated in color

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. Upon comparison with previous images printed in exhibition catalogues, there appears to be several areas where pieces have been shifted from their original location, implying previous restoration. All individual pieces are fixed and secured to the frame of the boat.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"Warship, 1981, was the first of five ships Burden created using found objects and objects from his collection of toys, motor parts and junked circuitry.  The basic structural element of Warship was a found object.  On a walk through Topanga Canyon (a rural area where he lives) Burden found a shelf-like headboard made of wood.  As he began to put small toys and objects from his collection on the wooden framework, it began to resemble a ship.  What he liked about the shelf was its ability to represent a ship while offering an X-ray view of the vessel's components." Paul Schimmel
(Exh. Cat., Newport Beach, Newport Harbor Art Museum, Chris Burden, A Twenty Year Survey, 1988, p. 124)