Cast Hydro-stone
6.3 x 7.8 m

Daniel Arsham (b. 1980, USA)

Sports Ball Galaxy is a collection of sports balls ranging from basketballs, footballs, cricket, soccer and more, in the form of a hanging chandelier. Constructed using foam-filled cast hydro-stone and pigment, the ball structures are strung on a steel cable attached to a bracket bolted to the ceiling. The single shadow of color used to coat the balls creates the appearance of a raw, unfinished structure that is reminiscent of Arsham’s signature style.  The removal of color is also representative of Arsham’s personal struggle with color-blindness, which has prompted him to play with the notion of incorrect use of color.

A reoccurring theme found in Arsham’s works would be that of ‘erosion’, where the facades of many of his structures appear to have been eaten away or deteriorated, as seen in the balls in ‘Sports Ball Galaxy.’ This technique evokes the illusion that the artwork lies in between this current era and antiquity.