Daniel Arsham has opened a new exhibition Le Modulor du Basketball at Ora-Ito’s MAMO, Cité Radieuse Arts Center Marseille.
Arsham!s practice explores concepts of history questioning our understanding of the past and the future through his presentation of pop cultural objects in a state of geological erosion. Sporting objects are a recurring theme in the artist!s work not only due to his personal interest, specifically in basketball, but in that athletics and recreation have been part of the human experience since ancient times. In Le Modulor du Basketball, Arsham pays homage to Le Corbusier in both style and design, blending themes of sport and history in the space which had historically functioned as a gymnasium by referencing the colors of Unitéd! Habitation and proportions of “the Modulor”.
Paying respect to the history of the building, Arsham considers Corbusier’s scale by showcasing the linear aspect of time, and how scale can expand and grow. The court floor mirrors the pastel yellows and blues seen in Corbusier’s Le Poeme de L’angle Droit(1955), along with the original sun detail, transformed into representations of basketballs found on banners, a flag, team uniforms and the court itself.
Arsham’s signature erosion technique is applied to basketball racks referencing the silhouettes of Corbusier’s iconic lounge chairs and a basketball hoop inspired by Corbusier’s Open Hand symbol.
On the outdoor terrace of MAMO, Arsham presents a selection of bronze sculptures inspired by various eras of history. Greek and Roman antiquities plus the DeLorean car from Back to the Future are expressed in bronze with crystal erosions, exposed to the elements to continue to erode against the backdrop of the iconic building.
Daniel Arsham Le Modulor du Basketball at MAMO – Cité Radieuse Arts Center to September 25th, 2022
