Daniel Arsham Pits Pokémon Against Classical Works in "Time Dilation" Exhibition
Presenting eroded sculptures from two cultural worlds.
After releasing PINK CRYSTALIZED CHARIZARD sculptures, Daniel Arsham returns with a forthcoming exhibition entitled “Time Dilation” that is set to take place in New York City’s Perrotin gallery this week. For the presentation, the artist merges pop culture subjects with classical sculptures and paintings.
Pokémon characters will contrast historic pieces drawn from Arsham’s collaboration with RMN-Grand Palais in Paris back in August. With this exhibition, the artist aims to plunge viewers into a time-space-compressed era where the trajectories and meanings behind the decaying objects displayed are subverted.
“Two different cultural universes, in a highlow, head-on crash. Or is it a crossroads? Two trajectories arriving to the same point: ancient sculpture is so venerated that it has become cliché, the stuff of museum gift shops, while the creatures of Pokémon, which seem to be influenced by Japanese mythology, have morphed into their own 21st century version of the sacred,” described the gallery in a statement.
Highlighted works include rarely-seen paintings of idyllic landscapes by Arsham and translucent, nostalgic objects such as Blockbuster DVDs that are floating inside a white frame. By combining these varying mediums and subject matter, Arsham’s imaginative experiments challenge the notion of materiality and temporality across his works of Fictional Archaeology. “Arsham is no scientist, but his quarry, too, is the nature of temporality itself; and he applies a pin-sharp exactitude to his many experiments. For the present exhibition at Perrotin, he has brought together multiple pathways of his creativity, groups of objects that would usually remain discrete. It’s another type of collision. And it warrants analysis,” the gallery added.
“Time Dilation” will run from January 16 until February 20 at the address below. Check out select works in the slideshow above and then head to Perrotin’s website to learn more.
Elsewhere in art, Avant Arte has unveiled its fourth collaborative series of editions with celebrated London-based visual artist, Paul Insect.
Perrotin New York
130 Orchard St.
New York, NY 10002
