daniel arsham’s ‘moonraker’ celebrates eastern and western archaeology of the future
introducing a dialogue between eastern and western sculpture, the exhibition highlights the diversity of these icons of art across time.
daniel arsham presents his latest explorations of archaeology of the future with his newly opened ‘moonraker’ exhibition at the musée national des arts asiatiques guimet (MNAAG) in paris. the artist generates his latest series of emblematic sculptures from antiquity, to be displayed amidst the museum’s permanent collections, with unprecedented access to the molds from the réunion des musées nationaux — grand palais. the ‘moonraker’ exhibition, presented with the support of perrotin, is completed by the installation of a japanese zen garden in the rotunda on the museum’s fourth floor.
blue zen garden, detail, exposition personnelle au high museum, atlanta (USA), 2017 | © guillaume ziccarelli
all images courtesy of the artist & perrotin
with his paris ‘moonraker’ exhibition, daniel arsham curates his new series of sculptures to be displayed together with works from the permanent collection of the guimet national museum of asian arts (MNAAG). seeking to introduce a dialogue between eastern and western sculpture across time, the exhibition highlights the artistic diversity of these icons of art history from different chronological and geographical periods. visitors can appreciate their aesthetic and thematic similarities, as well as their diversity and ability to transcend eras and cultures.
lunar garden, détail, 2019 | © james law
commenting on his moonraker series, daniel arsham imagines the evolution of the works and their evolving state across thousands of years: ‘what does it mean when we have a sculpture from antiquity, which is familiar to us, that is now appearing before us made of blue calcite crystal and the date of this object is a thousand years in the future? we might project that the object has reformed over time, that an event or some natural geological evolution has altered it.’
- portrait of daniel arsham in his studio | © guillaume ziccarelli
portrait of daniel arsham in his studio | © guillaume ziccarelli
ash and pyrite eroded two apsaras dancing, 2020 | © claire dorn
rose quartz eroded body of the female divinity, 2020 | © claire dorn
blue calcite eroded bust of hercules farnese, 2020 | © claire dorn
project info:
exhibition title: moonraker
artist: daniel arsham
location: musée national des arts asiatiques guimet (MNAAG), paris
collaborator: réunion des musées nationaux — grand palais cast workshop
exhibition dates: october 21st, 2020 — january 25th, 2021
photography: guillaume ziccarelli, james law, claire dorn
