Daniel Arsham: Architect of the Futuristic Past

Daniel Arsham , a renowned artist today, has distinguished himself with his eclectic collaborations and captivating works, ranging from Pokémon to Porsche to Hidden NY. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Arsham shares a special connection to the city, despite growing up in Miami. From a young age, he was interested in photography, a passion he inherited from his grandfather. His training began at Design and Architecture High School, before continuing at Cooper Union where he devoted himself to painting.

By the age of 25, Arsham had been collaborating with Merce Cunningham, designing sets for his dance company, marking a turning point in his career. In 2005, he created a wardrobe piece for Dior, under the direction of Hedi Slimane, opening the doors to the fashion world. In 2008, he co-founded Snarkitecture, an agency dedicated to the imaginative reinterpretation of everyday materials and structures. The firm now has 12 members and has collaborated with brands such as Beams, Kith, Stampd, and Kaws.

Arsham excels in art, fashion, music and film, thanks to his hard work and ability to connect with the right people. His art, mostly monochromatic, reflects his color blindness, making it difficult to differentiate tones. Texture and the use of crystals are central to his work, adding to his vision of a fictional archaeology. Arsham transforms familiar objects, such as telephones or pop culture characters, into artifacts of the future, erasing the present.

His unique style is the result of life-changing experiences, including Hurricane Andrew as a child and a trip to Easter Island in 2010, which influenced his fascination with playing with time and history. While some criticize the lack of depth in his work, Arsham appreciates the freedom of interpretation his works offer.

Daniel Arsham’s collaborations are vast, spanning partnerships in fashion, music, and beyond. His collaboration with Kim Jones at Dior is particularly notable, as are his projects with Uniqlo and Pokémon for more accessible clothing. In music, he’s worked with Gunna, Usher, and The Weeknd, the latter of which resulted in the creation of a vinyl and merch range. With Pharrell, Arsham recreated an old Casio MT500 and made a life-size cast of the artist.

Among his most popular collaborations is the one with Pokémon, born from a sculpture of Pikachu that captured the attention of the company. Arsham also explores his passion for Porsches through several projects with the brand, highlighting his interest in the shape of the cars.

In terms of his recent work, Arsham continues to impress with his third Pokémon installation, “A Ripple in Time,” on display in Tokyo. He was also named creative director of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a first for an NBA team. His collaborations with Hidden NY and Lil Yachty, as well as the release of his sketchbook, are testaments to his diverse interests and continued influence in the art world and beyond.