Daniel Arsham creates interdisciplinary art firmly situated in the world. As the artist himself states, “I make things I want to see exist in the world.” Arsham’s sculptures often resemble eroded artifacts or fragmented monuments, blurring the boundaries between art, architecture and design.
Arsham refers to his practice as “fictional archaeology,” creating works that appear to belong to our material history but are in fact visually tied to the recent past or the present day. Drawing from the narrative traditions of classical sculpture, Arsham produces figures that unexpectedly merge ancient iconography with contemporary composition and appearance.
Arsham graduated from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, where he studied fine arts with a strong emphasis on architecture and engineering. Arsham has co-founded the exhibition space The House, and with Alex Mustonen, the design studio Snarkitecture, a practice that seeks to merge design, art and architecture by working within and transforming existing structures. Arsham has served as a stage designer for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and collaborated with brands such as Dior, Adidas, and Byredo. His works are included in the collections of institutions such as the Centre Pompidou, Musée Guimet, the DIOR Collection, and the Walker Art Center. He was awarded the Gelman Trust Fellowship in 2003 as well as the GNMH Award.
