Chris Burden: an artist's final flight shows his sense of exploration endures

The artist, who was once crucified on a car, died of melanoma on 10 May. His last work Ode to Santos Dumont will be on display until 21 June in in Los AngelesTwo months before aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont made his 1901 flight around the Eiffel Tower in a homemade dirigible, his balloon lost hydrogen and crash landed, leaving the Brazilian-born aviator dangling from the side of the Trocadero Hotel. It’s a scene artist Chris Burden might have emulated in one of his “danger pieces” of the 19