Artist imagines the decaying remains of pop culture as ‘fictional archeology’

Oscar Holland, CNN
3 minute read
Updated 10:29 PM EDT, Thu August 23, 2018
Daniel Arsham DeLorean 1
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
CNN  — 

Few slices of pop culture history are as closely associated with time travel as the DeLorean, a car immortalized in the “Back to the Future” franchise. But what if one was left to decay for centuries – even millennia – after Marty McFly last took the wheel?

This is a question posed by artist Daniel Arsham, who has spent nearly two years reimagining the classic ’80s vehicle as a piece of “fictional archeology.”

Arsham build his sculpture using an original DeLorean DMC-12 -- one of fewer than 10,000 ever produced.
Arsham build his sculpture using an original DeLorean DMC-12 -- one of fewer than 10,000 ever produced.
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
The sculpture was completed using volcanic ash, selenite, quartz and pyrite crystals.
The sculpture was completed using volcanic ash, selenite, quartz and pyrite crystals.
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
Deep cavities in the car's chassis reveal clusters of pyrite crystals.
Deep cavities in the car's chassis reveal clusters of pyrite crystals.
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
Seats and interiors have been painstaking eroded in the artist's New York studio.
Seats and interiors have been painstaking eroded in the artist's New York studio.
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
Arsham's "Future Relic" project has seen him imagining how recognizable objects might appear to archeologists of the future.
Arsham's "Future Relic" project has seen him imagining how recognizable objects might appear to archeologists of the future.
Daniel Arsham
Arsham describes the items as works of "fictional archeology."
Arsham describes the items as works of "fictional archeology."
Daniel Arsham
A Polaroid camera reimagined as a archeological find in the far future.
A Polaroid camera reimagined as a archeological find in the far future.
Daniel Arsham
Arsham's studio suggests that buyers handle the fragile items with gloves.
Arsham's studio suggests that buyers handle the fragile items with gloves.
Daniel Arsham
Arsham's studio advertises this cassette as having been "excavated" in the year 2065.
Arsham's studio advertises this cassette as having been "excavated" in the year 2065.
Daniel Arsham
A keyboard sculpture from Arsham's "Future Relic" series.
A keyboard sculpture from Arsham's "Future Relic" series.
Daniel Arsham
Items from Arsham's "Future Relic" series.
Items from Arsham's "Future Relic" series.
Daniel Arsham
Daniel Arsham pictured with his "future" DeLorean.
Daniel Arsham pictured with his "future" DeLorean.
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
The DeLorean's famous "gull-wing" doors remain operational.
The DeLorean's famous "gull-wing" doors remain operational.
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the Daniel Arsham & Perrotin.
Daniel arsham future cars

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Built around an original DeLorean DMC-12 – one of fewer than 10,000 ever produced – the sculpture has been made using volcanic ash, selenite and quartz (materials that we “associate with geological time,” Arsham said in a phone interview). The car’s chassis has been ruptured with deep cavities, revealing clusters of pyrite crystals, while seats and interiors have been painstaking eroded in the artist’s New York studio.

“Taking the whole thing apart was a bit of a childhood dream,” Arsham said in a phone interview. “It’s just a beautiful and immediately recognizable object.

“Part of the challenge was coaxing the materials to do what I wanted them to, so that it looks like it’s falling apart without it actually doing so.”