By Bryan Shim
in collaboration with new york-based gallery friedman benda, daniel arsham showcases an immersive installation at design miami/ 2019. influenced by his own long island home interior in new york, arsham dedicates his pop-up booth to showcase some of his personal furniture pieces that have never been presented to the public, along with a few of his studio’s own merchandise.
enclosed in arsham’s mint green frosted glass panes, the kunstkammer-inspired installation consists of seven furniture designs along with multiple artworks and memorabilia displayed within a large cabinet. limited to only eight pieces, the cleveland chair I, paris chaise lounge I, philly lamp, queens studio shelf and the shanghai chair are the main attractions.
‘the works on view are a continuation and further exploration of arsham’s iconic and immediately recognizable practice of creating fossilized ‘future’ relics that distort the viewer’s perception of space and time,’ says friedman benda. on the surface of each item of furniture, as well as the hand-made rug, arsham applies his crystallized fossil studies using a marker to create the resemblance.
contrary to the traditional constraints of an art fair, arsham’s ground breaking approach to transform his booth into an intimate domestic setting allows visitors to learn more about the artist on a personal level. carefully curated, the art displayed within the cabinet references people that have been important in his life including long time friend and KITH founder, ronnie fieg. meanwhile, the furniture is named after important locations in arsham’s life.
