Chris Burden and Michael Govan at LACMA

Swastika... Not a Swastika

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The symbol of the swastika has been expressed through many different cultures and has been around for over 3000 years. L.A. lamp manufacturers adopted it before Adolf Hitler turned it into a symbol of hatred. For the citizens of Los Angeles it was a reminder of the Southwest because it was borrowed from a common Navajo motif that meant, "that which revolves."

Learn more about the American Southwest at the Autry National Center.

Image: Navajo Cheif style variant Blanket-Rug, 1890-1900
From: The Autry National Center

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LACMA
0:00:06
Visit LACMA.org to learn about the Los Angeles County Museum of Art campus. View exhibitions, keep up on the latest events, explore the online collection, find out how to visit and more!

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Michael Govan
0:00:10
"Before becoming Director of the Dia Art Foundation in 1994, Mr. Govan served as Deputy Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum for six years. In that capacity, his work involved museums in New York, Venice, and Bilbao. While at the Guggenheim, he organized numerous major exhibitions and produced related scholarly publications, including the multi-disciplinary The Great Utopia: The Russian and Soviet Avant-Garde, 1915–1932 and oversaw the re-installation of the museum’s permanent collection galleries. Mr. Govan holds a B.A.

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LACMA logo
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The simplicity of a logo is often deceptive. Artist John Baldessari designed LACMA's new logo by underlining the first L and last A, thus emphasizing and intertwining the city of Los Angeles with the art that is integral to it.

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Palm Trees
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Visit the Palm garden near Urban Lights. Approximately 100 palm trees are on exhibit near The Broad Contemporary Art Museum since 2008.

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Shoot
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In 1971, Chris Burden had his friend shoot him in the arm as performance art. See for yourself on the left! (Skip to 1:35 for visuals)

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MOCA
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Chris Burden has several artworks in the Museum of Contemporary Art's (MOCA) permanent collection, such as Hell's Gate, mentioned in this video. Check it out and more by following ths link.

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Chris Burden
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Chris Burden was born in 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts and has been creating art since 1971. He has been a controversial performance artist, an architect of art, collector and innovator for over 30 years. Trans-fixed, Chris Burden, 1974

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Did somebody mention pizza?
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When I hear pizza, I need pizza... don't you? Follow this link to make your own pizza at home.

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Julius Shulman captures L.A.'s architecture
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L.A. Obscura: The Achitectural Photography of Julius Shulman was an exhibition created by Julius Shulman, the USC School of Architecture, the USC Architecture and Fine Arts Library and the USC Integrated Digital Archive. Follow the link to view Shulman's work which captures the unique array of architectural styles in Los Angeles. Kun House, Richard Neutra Photographed by Julius Shulman USC School of Architecture

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Earthquake!
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In 1994, the Los Angeles area was shaken up by a strong earthquake along the Northridge thrust. The Southern California Earthquake Data Center collects data on earthquakes so you can gather more information and compare the intensity of various quakes. Photo: Aerial view of the collapsed freeway interchange between I-5 and the Antelope Valley Freeway. Kerry Sieh, photographer

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A 3D Map of Los Angeles
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The Library of Congress has views from space that have been made into 3-D maps. You can see how Los Angeles looks from space without leaving terra firma by just following this link.

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The Eiffel Tower
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Learn more then you ever thought you wanted to know about the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Some interesting facts: The Eiffel Tower is made of iron and it took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to build. Photo: The Eiffel Tower during construction 1887-1889 From: Wikimedia Commons

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Titanic
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Learn about the four-year life of the Titanic - from birth to the horrible end of its maiden voyage. Photo: Lounge of the Titanic From: RMS, Titanic Inc.

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Small Skyscraper
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"Small Skyscraper, is a quasi legal structure that exploits a loop hole Chris Burden discovered in the Los Angeles County building codes. This loop hole allows small out buildings, like green houses and sheds, to be built without a building permit if they stay within 400 square feet and under 35 feet high. Small Skyscraper uses these legal size restrictions as a point of departure." Small Skyscraper Chris Burden 2003 Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions Taalman Koch Architecture

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History of the Volkswagen Beetle
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"The Volkswagen Beetle was not Adolph Hitler's idea. But he was involved. Even while Ferdinand Porsche was designing fantastic Mercedes touring cars and racers, long before Hitler was elected to power in Germany, he was conjuring up schemes to mass-produce an affordable car." Photo: Late-1930s "KdF-Wagen" prototype From: Edmunds Inside Line Follow this link to find out more about the Volkswagen Beetle.

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MADE IN LA
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Explore more artwork from this creative city!

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Giant Erector Set
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This short YouTube video by the Associated Press explains more about Chris Burden's artwork called What My Dad Gave Me.

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A.C. Gilbert
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The Erector set was invented by A.C. Gilbert in 1913. "Watching out the train window as some workmen positioned and riveted the steel beams of an electrical power-line tower, Gilbert decided to create a children's construction kit: not just a toy, but an assemblage of metal beams with evenly spaced holes for bolts to pass through, screws, bolts, pulleys, gears and eventually even engines."

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The Rose Bowl Flea Market
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Visit the Rose Bowl Flea Market that takes place once every month in Pasadena. For 40 years, every month over 2,500 vendors display their wares. If you like to hunt for unusual items, check it out!

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Los Angeles Street Lamps
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See pictures of the street lamps that have graced the avenues and boulevards of Los Angeles since the 1800's. Find out interesting facts with each click of the mouse. Llewellyn street lamp, downtown Los Angeles, circa 1900 From: Bureau of Street Lighting, City of Los Angeles

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Swastika... Not a Swastika
0:45:47
The symbol of the swastika has been expressed through many different cultures and has been around for over 3000 years. L.A. lamp manufacturers adopted it before Adolf Hitler turned it into a symbol of hatred. For the citizens of Los Angeles it was a reminder of the Southwest because it was borrowed from a common Navajo motif that meant, "that which revolves." Learn more about the American Southwest at the Autry National Center. Image: Navajo Cheif style variant Blanket-Rug, 1890-1900

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Visit the link below to view The British Museum's website. You can view the historic temples of the ancient world and even build your own temple! Photo: Temple of Neptune, Paestum, Italy Flickr

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Flickr
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Upload and share your photos on this fun, popular website. Photo: Urban Light at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Image found on the Flickr website

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And the Winner of Celebrating Urban Light Is...
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...Doug Hein! Congratulations! Amongst more than 1,100 entries for LACMA's Celebrating Urban Light contest, Doug Hein won for his ability to "capture the way that Urban Light itself condenses the pedestrian’s experience of this open-sky, luminous city." His photograph is now featured on the cover of LACMA's print-edition book. View more of the awe-inspiring entries at LACMA's online exhibition.

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Maya Lin's Vietnam Memorial
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Maya Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial presents a list of U.S. veterans who died in the war. Like a scar on the earth it is carved on a black granite surface that is gradually set 6 feet into the ground. Click on the link to view an electronic list of the etched names and see photographs of the completed site in Washington D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial proposal, Maya Lin, 1981 Library of Congress

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The Other Vietnam Memorial
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In response to Maya Lin's national monument, Chris Burden created a "Rolodex"-like sculpture containing the names (real and fabricated) of deceased Vietnamese men and women. The Other Vietnam Memorial, Chris Burden, 1992 Greg.org

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Can You Imagine 50,000 Russian Tanks?
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From only a short distance away the 50,000 nickels with matchsticks (each representing a Soviet tank) form an indistinguishable pattern on the gallery's floor. Reason for Neutron Bomb, Chris Burden, 1979 The New York Times Company

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the 9-11 memorial
0:58:57
"THE MEMORIAL will remember and honor the nearly three thousand people who died in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993, and September 11, 2001. The Memorial will consist of two massive pools set within the footprints of the Twin Towers with the largest manmade waterfalls in the country cascading down their sides. They will be a powerful reminder of the Twin Towers and of the unprecedented loss of life from an attack on our soil.

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Erosion
1:02:53
"The process known as weathering breaks up rocks so that they can be carried away by the process known as erosion. Water, wind, ice, and waves are the agents of erosion that wear away at the surface of the earth." Learn more about the process of erosion by clicking this link. Photo: Miles Alba taken by Erin Woodworth

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Go Green!
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You may not be able to recycle the same way Chris Burden does, but you can take your things to the local recycling plant near you. There are also lots of great tips about how to conserve water and electricity on the site below. Image: COFLT Webquests

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Channels: American ArtCaliforniaPerformance ArtTalks

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents a conversation between artist Chris Burden and LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg director Michael Govan.

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