Reviving a Classic : RIMOWA x Daniel Arsham

June 11, 2019

Reviving a Classic : RIMOWA x Daniel Arsham

Inspired by an iconic case from the RIMOWA Archive in Cologne, RIMOWA and contemporary artist Daniel Arsham came together to bring a much-loved vintage suitcase back from the past.

 

Revisited as a numbered, limited-edition “eroded suitcase” multiple, the sculpture is presented as an archival object, complete with art handling gloves, and is housed in a contemporary edition of the vintage case that inspired the artwork – a RIMOWA Classic Attaché.

 

One of America’s most exciting contemporary artists, Daniel Arsham incorporates a near-scientific approach to his sculpture, installation, and stage design.

 

His aesthetic style grows out of his core interest in documentation and architecture as he toes the line between a romanticised take on archaeology and science fiction by adopting the language of both the future and the past simultaneously.

Similar to his famed “Future Relic” series (2013–2018) where he imagines a variety of everyday objects as archaeological discoveries from a future, dystopian world, the RIMOWA “eroded suitcase” multiple appears to have been extracted from dirt and debris as if unearthed from an archaeological dig site.

 

The only clue to the farce being the work’s pristine white colour that almost amplifies the object’s eerie, otherworldly nature.

 

Alongside similar works, the “eroded suitcase” joins a cast of iconic objects such as Polaroid cameras, cassette players, and mobile phones.