The experience of viewing fine art in a design setting is rare and extremely intimate. Art has the power to define a space, to create a mood, to add personality to an interior. Artworks continually transform based on their surroundings, so working within the cross section of fine art and design is incredibly special. The artwork showcased at the aspire Showhouse was painstakingly selected by Don Christiansen, founder of the Chelsea Art Group, and Matthew McCardwell, associate director of Perrotin New York.
“For the aspire Showhouse, it has been a pleasure to imagine our own space,” McCardwell offers, “and to collaborate with such a diverse range of designers to create environments that have a synergy among the many Perrotin artists’ works on view and the textures, colors, and surfaces imagined by each designer.”
Christiansen explains, “Each space has been carefully curated to highlight the unique vision and creative energy these remarkable individuals bring to our community. From vibrant canvases to intricate installations, their works transform the rooms into immersive galleries, inviting conversation and sparking inspiration at every turn.”
Nine artists from Perrotin’s roster appear in the Showhouse, including Daniel Arsham, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Mathilde Denize, John Henderson, MSCHF, Paola Pivi, Josh Sperling, Xavier Veilhan, and Pieter Vermeersch. Chelsea Art Group will showcase more than 50 artists, including Ricardo Mazal, Ching Ho Cheng, Damien Hirst, and Emil Lukas.
Christiansen expresses pride and enthusiasm for all of the artists from the Chelsea Art Group that he was able to procure for this project. Here, in his own words, he spotlights a few artists who are having major exhibitions or whose language is especially interesting to experience.
Jorge Yázpik, Set of three sculptures in solid clay and gold leaf
Every February, we try to attend the Zona Maco Art Fair in Mexico City with a group of clients. Our experience this year was truly inspirational, and I came back with knowledge of new artists and a new appreciation and understanding for artists I knew of but didn’t know much about. Three of these Mexican artists can be found in the Showhouse: JORGE YÁZPIK is an amazing sculptor, harvesting stone and natural materials from the Mexican landscape and organically carving the materials into beautiful sculptures.
Ricardo Mazal, Ba Zasa Green 2, 2023, oil on linen
I was introduced to RICARDO MAZAL at the fair and was stunned by the simplicity and natural beauty of his spiritual, vibrant compositions. His works featured in the Showhouse center on ideas of movement and migration; these vibrant paintings stem from the artist’s return to his birthplace, Mexico City. Mazal was inspired to begin this series after encountering a large flock of migrating birds. The dramatic scene of thousands of wings silhouetted against the clear sky resonated with him as he himself was migrating southward.
Gabriel de la Mora, 960 | As.Le., 2024, Asterope leprieuri butterfly wings fragments on museum cardboard
I was impressed by GABRIEL DE LA MORA, whose compositions resemble stained glass and comprise thousands of butterfly wings, meticulously positioned to create an artwork— these are incredible to behold! The prolific artist is the subject of five major museum shows over the next year.
Ching Ho Cheng, Untitled, 1984, Torn Works series, charcoal, pastel, and graphite on paper
Cuban-born Chinese American painter CHING HO CHENG was a vital figure in New York’s cultural scene from the 1960s through the ’80s, living and working at the Chelsea Hotel. Well-known for creating psychedelic posters, he primarily worked on paper and had four major bodies of work: Psychedelics (late ’60s-early ’70s), Gouache Works (mid-to-late ’70s), Torn Works (early ’80s), and Alchemical Works (mid-to-late ’80s). His Torn series, on view here, layers geometric forms with spiritual symbolism, reflecting his explorations of Daoism, the subconscious, and his experience as a gay Asian artist in New York City. Recently spotlighted by David Zwirner, Cheng’s work is being critically reexamined, with a major retrospective opening at the Addison Gallery of American Art in 2027.
(left) Magdalena Abakanowicz, Pink Small Figure I, 1993, burlap, resin, and iron rods, in 2 parts (right) Gary Hume, Early Learning, 2023, enamel paint on aluminum
We are very honored to have some historically important artworks by modern and contemporary masters, which have been shown in museums around the world. MAGDELENA ABAKANOWICZ, JEAN ARP, NELL BLAINE, and LARRY RIVERS are present in the house along with a never-before-seen work by SAM GILLIAM. We also have works from the YBAs school (Young British Artists), artists GARY HUME (a personal favorite!), Julian Opie (video), and DAMIEN HIRST.
Vik Muniz, Mnemonic Vehicle No. 1, 2015, composite, polyurethane, Plexiglas, and aluminum
An international favorite is Brazilian artist VIK MUNIZ, whose mixed-media works recreate historical artworks and events with unusual materials; he then photographs the results. We have a work from the Postcards from Nowhere series from the Guggenheim Museum. It’s set over the banquette in the kitchen, uniting the Brazilian craftsmanship of the custom cabinetry, the art theme of the home, and the creativity of the artist. He is also the artist responsible for the life-size Matchbox Ferrari sculpture on the front lawn.
Michael Lin, Untitled, 2023, acrylic on canvas
An artist from the Asian diaspora, MICHAEL LIN has recently gained recognition both in New York City and internationally. His work explores themes of culture, nature, and daily life. Born in 1964, Lin is based in Taiwan and Brussels. He currently has a solo ongoing exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, following major installations at MOCA Toronto, Jumex Museum in Mexico City, and the lobby of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York.
Emil Lukas, Double Event (Thread) 1913, 2020, screenprint monoprint
I’ve always admired EMIL LUKAS and am excited to display his works in the upper hallway and wine room. Lukas uses diverse materials like string, bubble wrap, studio residues, and natural resources, blending painting and sculpture. Notably, he employs techniques such as live fly larvae, moving ink, and cast-plaster pieces with honeycomb cells. His renowned Thread paintings feature layered threads over shallow supports, exploring color theory and delivering striking visual experiences.
Sharon Louden, Windows, 2015, oil and enamel on stretched paper, on panel
We are also so enthused about SHARON LOUDEN being on view in the home. Known for bold use of color and abstract linework in the form of paintings and drawings, her work has evolved into sculpture, animation, and creating physical environments and installations. With work being held in major public and private collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and National Gallery of Art, among others, Louden will have an installation across from the Pérez Art Museum Miami during the Art Basel Miami Beach fair in December.
Didier William, BedRest: New Arrival, 2022, acrylic, wood carving, ink on panel
This was a real coup to have amazing work in the house from one of today’s most interesting artists: DIDIER WILLIAM. He has created a language that combines painting, sculpture, and carving with themes from his Haitian heritage. He had incredible reviews of his presentation at Art Basel Switzerland this year, and he opens an important exhibition at Prospect 6 in New Orleans this November. It’s super-cool stuff and worth the ticket price alone!
Within the Perrotin gallery (pictured above), highlights include a striking installation of Josh Sperling’s vibrant paintings alongside his newly debuted furniture series, evocative canvases by French artist Mathilde Denize, and a dynamic collaboration with designer Leyden Lewis, who has orchestrated the display of a suite of works by Pieter Vermeersch. Here, Perrotin’s McCardwell reflects on what makes these artists such distinguished voices within the Showhouse.
Josh Sperling, Sit & Wonder S, 2024, Maharam wool, plywood, foam
We worked with artist JOSH SPERLING to create an installation of his paintings alongside a new body of furniture works, displayed for the first time in a domestic setting. Throughout his artistic practice, Sperling has referenced the architecture and design world as inspiration for his sculptural works on canvas. Sperling comes from three generations of traditional furniture makers, which forms the foundation of his practice. The tension of his work is that it is immaculately constructed through tedious craftsmanship, while denying the aesthetic of the handmade. With his first foray into furniture design, Sperling has translated his painting language into full-bodied design objects that turn functionality into aesthetic experiences.
Mathilde Denize, Sound of Figures, 2024, acrylic and watercolor on canvas, pigments
Because French artist MATHILDE DENIZE started her career in set design, she is heavily focused on how her paintings move in a space and the scenography of her exhibitions. Denize often uses surplus pigments from film sets as the basis of her paintings and then imagines the abstract forms based on the movement of colors and the shimmering quality of some of her media. We are very pleased to introduce these works into the Showhouse context and see how the textures and imagery respond to the surrounding environment.
Pieter Vermeersch, Untitled, 2024, silk screen print on agate
Throughout the house, we have collaborated with a number of designers, including Leyden Lewis, who selected eight works by PIETER VERMEERSCH to create a unique display of the artist’s recent series of gradient-painted agate works. Vermeersch often works in large-scale spatial interventions, creating immersive environments that interact with the space in which he is exhibiting. In Vermeersch’s installations, the exhibition scenography is integral; the architecture of the space and the works inside it work together to extend the artist’s ongoing exploration of materiality, time, space, and color. We look forward to seeing how the works interact with the environment designed by Lewis.
Purchase tickets to tour The Art of the Home here.
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