The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has announced the recent acquisition of Path to Xanadu (2023), a one-of-one film NFT of Chris Burden’s 2008 concept, created by TRLab in partnership with the Chris Burden Estate.
Thanks to a generous donation from Eva and Matt Zhang of Hivemind Capital, this unique digital artwork enters LACMA’s permanent collection, extending their long-established history with Burden’s work.
The artwork was created as part of the multi-faceted December 2023 digital experience Beyond Limits: Unrealized Artworks of Chris Burden, and is a landmark moment in the crossover between NFT art and traditional museums and galleries.
Who is Chris Burden?
Born in Boston, MA, Chris Burden (1946–2015) would become known for conceptual work that challenged art’s role in society. Whether through performance art examining the harsh realities of violence in the early 1970s, or later sculptural installations exploring architecture and engineering, Burden’s work explored the myriad faculties of human existence.
Path to Xanadu is a digital rendition of Burden’s 2008 concept he initially proposed for LACMA’s collection. The piece displays a human-scale cityscape designed to be populated with sculptures Burden created during his lifetime and other unrealized concepts, with Burden describing the piece as “a metaphorical city condensed to the essentials.”
The Chris Burden Estate produced a short-form digital film in partnership with digital art platform TRLab to transform this concept into a cinematic experience minted as an NFT that immerses viewers in Burden’s world, celebrating the legacy of his artistic vision.
How did LACMA acquire Path to Xanadu?
With the goal of broadening recognition for and supporting digital innovation, Matt Zhang, founder of Hivemind Capital Partners, launched its Digital Culture Fund earlier in 2024. “It’s inspiring to see how LACMA is embracing blockchain technology and leading a digital art renaissance,” Zhang explained.
With the donation of Path to Xanadu to LACMA, Zhang is looking to shine a light on how digital media can transform artistic expression and offer innovative new experiences. “This piece is a perfect example of how emerging technology like blockchain can enable and enhance an artwork that was not previously possible,” he noted.
The Chris Burden Estate describes Path to Xanadu as “an educational and interactive homage to the artist,” and one that is a gateway to other iconic works by Burden, including LACMA’s Urban Light installation, made of 202 street lamps that once lit the streets of Los Angeles. The digital cityscape also includes Burden’s Metropolis II, an elaborate kinetic sculpture that features a network of toy cars, elevated roadways, and Erector Set towers.
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