Daniel Arsham with “Welcome to the Future”, courtesy Locust Projects.
Last night, sculptor Daniel Arsham celebrated a return to his hometown of Miami with his installation, “Welcome to the Future” at Locust Projects. The project was successfully funded by Kickstarter and donations to create an original, site specific experience to Miami. Although an apocalyptic glimpse into our future, the piece is inspired by Arsham’s past- his survival of Hurricane Andrew in the 1990s. His casts of 20th century items like broken VHS tapes, cameras, guitars, keyboards, radios, and clocks in a pit represent the storm debris and destruction. The pit itself is eerie and beautiful at the same time, a soft gradation of monochromatic grays dusted to appear like mummified objects. Arsham created this affect using minerals such as volcanic ash, leading to comparisons to the devastation of Pompeii. Arsham is known for the playfulness and wit of his works, yet “Welcome to the Future” is terrifyingly personal for both artist and viewer. We are reminded that the time we have is precious and fleeting, and the story of our past lies underneath our feet.
“Welcome to the Future” by Daniel Arsham is on view at Locust Projects in Miami through January 2015.
