Daniel Arsham re-imagines The Gallery at Cadillac House as a “Lunar Garden” combining sculpture, sound, and an immersive environment that offers visitors a re-interpretation of a traditional Japanese rock garden with a unique colored gradient. At one end of the space is a 9 foot diameter light orb which resembles the moon. The design in the sand garden is further enhanced by the single light source. In Arsham’s version of the traditional garden, rocks have been replaced by a petrified tree and lantern. Arsham’s use of gradient pink is a significant departure from his earlier work, which relies on a palette of black, white and gray tones. Arsham is colorblind but has recently been able to see a broader, more vibrant spectrum of color by using special glasses. This vibrancy has translated into his work and marks an important new visual language in this exhibition. “We’re excited to share Daniel Arsham’s vision with a new audience,” says Cecilia Dean, curator of The Gallery at Cadillac House along with her Visionaire partner James Kaliardos who adds, “And we hope it will offer a moment of calm and contemplation.”
“After spending many years traveling to Japan I became fascinated with the dry gardens in Kyoto—specifically the way in which the gardens are permanent yet completely ephemeral and remade every day. I was also intrigued by the way light catches the patterns that are raked in the gardens. With the introduction of color into my work in 2016 I began to experiment with color gradients across these gardens. All of my work has the tendency to float in time. The gardens, the position of the rocks, and the raking of the sand has occurred for hundreds of years, unchanged, every single day. These spaces, although they feel like they are in the present moment for us, essentially cross time. The use of color in these landscapes creates a sense that the gardens are simultaneously familiar and surreal.”
— Daniel Arsham
DANIEL ARSHAM was born in 1980 in Cleveland, OH and grew up in Miami, FL. After receiving a scholarship in 1999 from the National YoungArts Foundation, he attended Cooper Union in New York City. In 2004, Arsham began producing scenography for ballets, symphony orchestras, and operas, working with composers and choreographers including Merce Cunningham, Pharrell Williams, and Jonah Bokaer. In 2007, Arsham founded the design and architectural firm Snarkitecture with Alex Mustonen. His work has been presented at MoMA PS1, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami, the Athens Biennale, the New Museum, the Contemporary Arts Center Cincinnati, the High Museum, and other renowned institutions around the world. Arsham lives and works in New York City.
VISIONAIRE, founded by Cecilia Dean and James Kaliardos in 1991, conceptualizes and produces public art installations, films, experiences, branded content, art multiples, and products — all curated through the lens of art, fashion and contemporary culture. With its unparalleled roster of contributing artists, photographers, filmmakers, fashion creatives, and cultural icons, VISIONAIRE remains at the forefront of groundbreaking creativity in all different media.
CADILLAC HOUSE is Cadillac’s first-ever brand experience center—a public space that brings Cadillac’s design sensibility and passion points to life through a range of dynamic, curated programming and events across the arts, fashion, entertainment, and hospitality. Located in downtown New York City, Cadillac House represents the brand’s commitment to its new home and as a result, offers diverse experiences including a gallery, retail space, café and exhibition area for the brand’s vehicles—resulting in a venue with an ever-evolving point of view on subjects beyond the automotive industry. The GALLERY is a blank space where Cadillac and Visionaire partner to curate non-traditional, interactive exhibitions with no boundaries, free and open to the public.
September 5 – November 5, 2017
The Gallery at Cadillac House 330 Hudson Street, NYC
Mon – Fri 8am – 7pm Sat – Sun 10am – 5pm