Daniel Arsham debuts new work in Paris and New York

Daniel Arsham and Perrotin are marking 20 years of collaboration with simultaneous exhibitions in Paris and New York. Arsham will debut new work in ‘20 Years / 20 Ans’, alongside his paintings and sculptures.

‘I have been working with the gallery since its first opening in Paris, and since then our passions and careers respectively have evolved and expanded dramatically,’ says Arsham (recently featured in the Wallpaper* USA 300 guide to creative America). ‘Twenty years on feels like the right time to reflect on this journey. My work outside of what some might consider part of the traditional art world will feature in the exhibitions, alongside work that sits within these parameters. The focus explores an evolution of craftsmanship and expertise, and how my early work can influence my work today or tomorrow.’

The exhibitions encompasses a new collaboration with Star Wars, reinterpreted classical sculptures, paintings in a new impasto paint developed by Arhsam to depict the richness of the Renaissance and as yet unseen sketches on hotel stationery. An eclectic curation, it continues to explore his fascination with the notion of time as a fluid concept, juxtaposing classical motifs with contemporary styling.

Daniel Arsham and Perrotin’s ‘20 Years / 20 Ans’

‘The exhibitions demonstrate a variety of mediums and scales, from paintings, drawings, to sculptures,’ Arsham says. ‘I have always been fascinated by material, reflection and scale, from the ideas of archaeology to crystallisation to architecture – for example, one series of works plays with materiality in various types of metal, while in another series of bucolic landscape paintings, I’ve manipulated scale to create the sense of collapsed sculptures. 

‘I’ve also included a series of drawings which were early experiments on small, branded notebook-style paper found in hotels. This years-long process acts as a documentation of my thoughts and ideas throughout my global travels, almost a diary, showing ideas I went on to develop at a later stage, and inspirations I have gathered along the way.’

For Emmanuel Perrotin, the collaboration is a natural one. ‘I met Daniel when he was 22 years old, an emerging artist living in his studio, and I was immediately drawn to his incredible talent and distinct vision. Daniel’s practice breaks the boundaries of fine art and exists across industries. As his success has grown, he has been able to keep his practice open to a broad audience, as a leader in editions, collaborations, and a widespread internet presence, which is admirable. It has been a pleasure to grow with Daniel, our gallery expanding alongside his career.’

Daniel Arsham presents ‘20 Years / 20 Ans’ at Perrotin Paris (until 7 October) and New York (until 14 October), alongside a selection of works on display at The Standard hotel, New York, London and Bangkok

perrotin.com