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Daniel Arsham “My First Show in Japan, Year 2044”
Nanzuka Underground
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Artists
Daniel Arsham
Daniel Arsham was born in 1980 in Ohio, United States, and currently lives and works in New York. His works are founded upon the concept of “Fictional Archaeology,” and consist of a diverse variety of mediums ranging from sculpture, painting, installation, to performance. While constantly engaging in the repeated search and experimentation of new materials, Arsham embarks on a continuous pursuit for devices that serve to give birth to the imaginary. The artist’s interrogation of the real and the imagined can be recognized from his appropriation of various materials in the sculptural works presented, including materials such as pyrite, selenite, volcanic ash, glass, obsidian, and hydrostone. What serves as a catalyst for Arsham’s exploration of such materials, is his profound interest towards architecture and the environment (geology). From environments with eroded walls, stairs going to nowhere, to landscapes where nature overrides artificial structures, Arsham meticulously unveils spaces and moments that seemingly confuse and confound our expectations, resolving such experiences within the context of his work.
Arsham’s works capture the future from an archaeological perspective, and thus invite the viewers on a journey through time. A corroded and decayed radio-cassette recorder and camera allow viewers to imagine the possibility of the various objects that are present around us to become nothing but fossilized artifacts in the distant future that lies a million years ahead. Alternatively, Arsham’s work provokes us to think about our very own existence. Despite the obvious improbability of the situation, as we set our eyes on the sight of a fossilized human figure we cannot help but contemplate the ephemerality of existence and affirm our understanding that the future of the mankind is indeed not eternal.
The exhibition features sculptural works that represent the remnant traces of mankind, as well as an ensemble of modern artifacts consisting of an army of cameras, radios, and pilot helmets. In addition, the presentation includes a new series of blue paintings depicting the moon, marking Arsham’s first experience of painting in colors achieved through wearing color corrective glasses as a consequence of his colorblind condition.
Arsham’s works capture the future from an archaeological perspective, and thus invite the viewers on a journey through time. A corroded and decayed radio-cassette recorder and camera allow viewers to imagine the possibility of the various objects that are present around us to become nothing but fossilized artifacts in the distant future that lies a million years ahead. Alternatively, Arsham’s work provokes us to think about our very own existence. Despite the obvious improbability of the situation, as we set our eyes on the sight of a fossilized human figure we cannot help but contemplate the ephemerality of existence and affirm our understanding that the future of the mankind is indeed not eternal.
The exhibition features sculptural works that represent the remnant traces of mankind, as well as an ensemble of modern artifacts consisting of an army of cameras, radios, and pilot helmets. In addition, the presentation includes a new series of blue paintings depicting the moon, marking Arsham’s first experience of painting in colors achieved through wearing color corrective glasses as a consequence of his colorblind condition.
Schedule | Mar 12 (Sat) 2016-Apr 16 (Sat) 2016 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Website | http://www.nug.jp/en/exhibition/2016danielArsham.html | ||||
| Venue | Nanzuka Underground http://www.nug.jp | ||||
| Location | 3-30-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001 | ||||
| Access | 8 minute walk from exit 5 at Meiji-jingumae Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines, 10 minute walk from the Takeshita exit of Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote line. | ||||
| Phone | 03-5422-3877 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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