"Making architecture do things it’s not supposed to do"-- American Artist Daniel Arsham
I’m probably not the first to admit that contemporary art can sometimes be downright hard to wrap your head around. Its abstractness, minimalism, gaudy colors, unfamiliar textures, thought-provoking mediums, curious presentation...Feeling overwhelmed, you may feel tempted to just skip the contemporary art exhibit altogether and venture over to the more “normal” art pieces, lining the walls in their gilded frames.
But don’t.
Contemporary art, like any type of art, is a form of expression. It can be a critique of the times in which we’re living, an ode to the past, a reflection of the artist’s swirling emotional state, or a nod to the future. American artist Daniel Arsham opts to transform everyday objects in peoples’ lives, such as a camera, basketball, or teddy bear, playing with their texture, bending their architectural shape, and challenging the expectations of his audience.
Photo: Yatzer
Beginnings
Born in Ohio, Arsham grew up in Miami, and a constant motif (and inspiration) throughout his life’s work has been the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew, which ripped through Miami in 1992. One of his first forays into the artistic world was through photography. In 1999, Arsham attended Cooper Union, a prestigious college in New York, and, in 2003, he was awarded the Gelman Trust Fellowship Award. In 2004, his artwork was showcased at the Miami Nice art show at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, and, in 2005, the Galerie began to represent him. In 2007, Arsham and fellow artist Alex Mustonen founded Snarkitecture, which is a creative artistic and collaboration space with headquarters in Brooklyn, NY.
Artwork
Arsham’s art can be characterized as futuristic, calcified, decayed, and as “fictional archeology.” Throughout his career, Arsham has experimented with a variety of different mediums, including painting, film, stage design, architecture, and sculpture. An interesting fact about Arsham is that he was born colorblind, so, until he received a special pair of glasses that corrected his vision, most of his earlier work was done in hues of black, white and grey.
Collaborations
Arsham has done a number of high-profile collaborations. For example, he lent his expertise to fashion giant Dior and has also collaborated with world-renowned brands such as Addias and Air Jordan. He is also active on social media to share his art and vision with a wider community.
Other projects of Snarkitecture
Kith Brooklyn
Photo: Snarkitecture
Kith Miami
Photo: Snarkitecture
Drift installation
Photo: Snarkitecture
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A Texas native, Bianca Navia is currently in her junior year at Arizona State University, pursuing a dual major in Political Science and Global Studies. She is most passionate about international affairs, diplomacy, foreign languages, traveling, and teaching. A fun fact about her? She’s the oldest of four sisters in a big Cuban-Italian-American family!