There are only a few weeks left of Daniel Arsham: Hourglass at the High Museum, and I am so glad I made it on time because it is truly a unique exhibit. Arsham has been practicing a wide range of disciplines with a particular focus on architecture and the performance capabilities of art. The standout characteristic of Hourglass is its stark use of color— something Arsham (who is colorblind himself) never previously explored. Though Hourglass is comprised of three site installations, the most captivating had to be amethyst cave built almost entirely of ordinary sports materials: basketballs, volleyballs, and helmets. Arsham composed the cavernous structure as if had been a fictional archaeological site, a theme he has been pursuing for years. The installation, which he aligns with the concept of freezing time, seem to beg the question: “What will we leave behind, and how does that explain our history?” much akin to the excavation of lava-preserved Pompeii.
Jonathan Odden, the High’s curatorial assistant of modern and contemporary art, put it this way: “Arsham’s installations challenge our perception of history as static and removed from individual experience.”
Whatever you draw from Arsham’s intentions, the experience will certainly make you see ordinary things in a new light—in this case, a bright purple one.
See all current exhibits at the High Museum here.
Photography by VivaLux Photography.
Dress: Azzedine Alaia | Bracelet: Lizzie Fortunato via Ann Mashburn
