Toying with our perception of materiality, Daniel Arsham (born 1980) is a New York-based artist whose cross-disciplinary practice encompasses painting, sculpture, architecture, film and performance. As a sculptor, Arsham imagines himself as an archaeologist of the future, casting monochromatic facsimiles of everyday objects by using unconventional materials such as crystal, volcanic ash, steel, pyrite and quartz. The artist is also known for his architectural interventions in which he physically alters space, coercing walls to stretch and crease like fabric.
Architecture has been an ongoing interest for Arsham. In 2004, legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham invited Arsham to design his stage sets, following in the footsteps of Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Bruce Nauman. Subsequently, Arsham toured with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for performances in Australia, France and multiple locations in the United States. Arsham has since developed an ongoing collaboration with Jonah Bokaer, a former dancer in Cunningham’s company, staging performances between Bokaer’s choreography and his own sculptural pieces.