Daniel Arsham on His New adidas Originals "PRESENT" Sneaker and Film
The only component of existence that can not be mastered, time is an eternal source of inspiration for the art scene of yesterday and today. It's in this vein that Daniel Arsham creates Hourlgass, his ongoing video collaboration with adidas Originals, told in three parts: past, present, and future. We have just received the second installment, "PRESENT," which comes in the form of a 16-minute video along with a pair of sneakers designed exclusively for the occasion. The film is inherently personal, exploring Arsham's relationship with his own past, mixed with footage of his present. The accompanying sneakers feel equally dualistic, combining retro and modern elements that make it ultimately timeless.
Watch the short film and read our conversation with Ashram about the collaboration below.
What is your relationship to time in your creative process?
I always play with the notion of time in my work, I work it like any art. Painting or sculpture, to surprise people.
Do you leave the past to imagine the future?
I try to find a space where time is flexible, in which my work becomes timeless. My work may seem to have been done in the past as well as in the present or the future.
What is a successful sneaker today? And yesterday? And tomorrow?
I'm not really a sneaker designer, so I just use the adidas archive to find designs and models that I like.
Your favorite pair?
I will say a pair of Y-3's. One of the ones I have had for a long time.
What was your first relationship with adidas?
I was friends with several people working for adidas. So I started discussing this project with John Weller a few years ago and I was invited to discover the archives to find things to use in my work. This collaboration does not really revolve around a sneaker, it's more about creating an appropriate universe dedicated to this sneaker.
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