STIR in conversation with David Kohler and Daniel Arsham

Divided Layers, a large-scale installation put together by Kohler in collaboration with contemporary American visual artist Daniel Arsham was an immersive art experience and a part of the FuoriSalone exhibit during Milan Design Week 2022. The site-specific installation is a manifestation of the previously released Rock.01, a 3D printed sink that Arsham designed in collaboration with Kohler in 2021. Located within the courtyard of a Milanese Palazzo, the installation is a stark presence that draws the eye towards every curve and detail of Arsham’s work.

Arsham is known to work across art, architecture, and performance. His work has been exhibited widely at galleries and museums worldwide. In 2007, Arsham co-founded the architectural practice Snarkitecture with partner Alex Mustonen. Throughout his career, Arsham has collaborated with numerous brands and people including Adidas, Dior, Pharrell Williams and Pokémon.

The immersive installation is made of a series of stacked panels combined to form a walkable tunnel. When developing the 3D sink Rock.01, Arsham was inspired to create Divided Layers to give guests the ability to move through the sink. Each panel references a single plane of the 3D printed clay that layers together to form the sink. In an interesting contrast, while 3D printing creates by adding, Divided Layers creates a tunnel by subtracting or cutting away. The change in scale and construction method while referencing each other are the products of opposing actions. The hollow of the tunnel, that is the product of taking away portions of the overall mass, gives way to the volume the visitor can walk through.

Surrounding the frames that create the tunnel is a pond that acts as a mirrored surface to create a double. Arsham's intention was for visitors to contemplate the acceptance of space and its malleability, understanding the relationship between the volumes of the tunnel and the surrounding architecture. “The flow of water is experienced in both negative and positive space, regardless of a form’s ‘function’. In Divided Layers, visitors experience being within the sink, rather than a user of a functional piece,” says Daniel Arsham.

The product that inspired the installation, is a marriage of creative innovation and expert craftsmanship. Rock.01 which debuted at Design Miami/ 2021 is a limited-edition 3D-printed sink. Like much of Arsham’s work, Rock.01 is an homage to time. Composed of 3D-printed vitreous china and hand-poured brass, the sink’s vessel blends modern-day technology with Kohler’s nearly 148-year manufacturing legacy to create functional high art.

The method of 3D-printing vitreous china is at the forefront of innovation in the industry, and is part of Kohler’s revolutionary technology. “Rock.01 melds the future of 3D-printing technology with the most basic methods of hand-cast brass. It is literally the new resting on top of the old, and I find that incredibly poetic. Kohler was the ideal partner to bring such a complex and futuristic design to life,” said Arsham.

During Milan Design Week 2022, David Kohler, President and CEO of Kohler Co., and Daniel Arsham took a moment to engage in a conversation with STIR about the installation, and its inspiration. To listen to the conversation, tap on the lead image.