After closure of the Bauhochschule by the Nazis, he moved to Berlin and worked in a private school for art and architecture founded by Johannes Itten, which was forced to close as well in 1934.
He began taking color photographs in 1970 after learning the color theory of Johannes Itten and Josef Albers.
Itten's works exploring the use and composition of color resemble the square op art canvases of artists such as Josef Albers, Max Bill and Bridget Riley, and the expressionist works of Wassily Kandinsky.
Burri studied in Zurich, Switzerland at the School of Applied Arts from 1949 to 1953, where he worked under Hans Finsler, Alfred Willimann and Johannes Itten.
Johannes Vermeer | Johannes Kepler | Johannes Gutenberg | Johannes Peter Müller | Johannes Ockeghem | Johannes Rau | Johannes Müller | Johannes Heesters | Johannes Zukertort | Johannes Meursius | Cornelis Johannes van Houten | Johannes Meyer | Johannes Itten | Johannes Blaskowitz | Johannes von Lahnstein | Johannes Mötsch | Johannes Hevelius | Johannes Ciconia | Johannes von Trapp | Johannes von Müller | Johannes Ullrich | Johannes Trithemius | Johannes Theodor Reinhardt | Johannes Magnus | Johannes Leimena | Johannes Ghiselin | Johannes Gad | Johannes Ewald | Johannes Diderik van der Waals | List of paintings by Johannes Vermeer |
Among his students the so-called "Hölzel circle" developed, including Oskar Schlemmer, Willi Baumeister, Max Ackermann, Alf Bayrle and Johannes Itten.