The Beauty of Becoming
The Beauty of Becoming is a transformative cultural project that activates forgotten folklore created from the historic landscapes of the often-overlooked Inland Empire. Artist David Allen Burns has conceived a series of ambitious initiatives to forge dynamic collaborative and interdisciplinary art programs that elevate San Bernardino's rich cultural heritage. The focus of the work empowers students and the public-at-large to engage their communities and it’s histories.
Direct funding is allocated to artist support, events, exhibitions, and mentorships—benefiting those often excluded from such opportunities. Each contribution amplifies our capacity to serve artists and foster inclusive programming reflecting San Bernardino’s unique culture.
With your support and contributions, we can continue to create vibrant cultural programming that honors the rich heritage of San Bernardino—one that reflects, celebrates, and invests in its community.
About the Artist
David Allen Burns, is an Inland Empire-based artist and co-founder of the collaborative art project Fallen Fruit. David’s commissioned public artworks include notable collaborations with the V&A museum London, Manifesta 12 in Palermo, Italy, the NGV for the Melbourne Triennial, LACMA, Hammer Museum, Wexner Center for the Arts, Tulane University, and St. John’s Cathedral NYC. His award-winning work with public spaces include permanent artworks for Los Angeles State Historic Park, Stoneview Nature Center for Los Angeles County, the City of San Diego, the City of Madrid, and more. Awards include from the National Humanities for the Arts, Creative Capital, Art Matters, Americans for the Arts, and Good Works. Distinguished architectural interventions include permanent artworks for META/Facebook, 21c Museum Hotels, Orto Botanico, Blackrock, Feudi di San Gregorio, Nevada Museum of Art, and Chiostro del Bramante in Rome. Reviews and publishing about his work include features for the LA Times, NY Times, Frieze, Art in America, Artillery, X-tra, Cabinet, Paper magazine, ArtTribune, VICEmedia, Discovery Channel, Issues Magazine, NPR, and more. Curatorial projects include Artists+Institutions, Let Them Eat LACMA, Drama of the Gifted Child, and Embodied Technologies.
With over two decades of experience, Burns explores geographical knowledge and public realms (historical and contemporary folklore in public space), and cultural memory through participatory art practices. His work often transforms urban landscapes and museum spaces, activating community participation and shared history.
Much of this work as an artist is collaborative – whether that be with public participation, civic process, or other artists and fabricators. The history of artworks that David has created primarily exist within the public realm. Commissioned permanent artworks that are site-specific for museum spaces, public parks, biennials, as well as private collections. Burns’ art career began in Los Angeles with his early work uses cartography and geography as an indexical tool to create serialized and site-specific works of art. The body of work during his career includes photographic portraits, experimental documentary videos, public art installations, text and language projects, and immersive art installations and exhibition projects. Much of this work is linked to ideas of place and echoes a sense of connectedness with something very primal – our capacity to share the world with others.