John Margaritis to open ‘High Tide’ installation at Art Basel in Miami

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Nov 25, 2015

John Margaritis, a New York-based artist and founder of fashion label, New York Sunshine, will open a new installation at Miami's Art Basel 2015, ‘High Tide.’ The new installation is the artist's follow up to his 'Hoop Dreams' series in 2014.

‘High Tide’ features 132 hand-dyed indigo shirts that transition from white to deep indigo blue and hang from wavy wooden shelving that is designed Margaritis. The installation is based on a photograph of a basketball hoop in the ocean from Margaritis’ 2014 ‘Hoop Dreams’ series. The artist transformed the 700-square-foot space into his view of the shoreline and ocean and the feeling he receives while on the beach.
 
“This project has allowed me to take myself back to the beginning,” said Margaritis. "I started out doing everything by hand, and, as the brand grew, I wasn't able to do that anymore. When I first began conceiving of High Tide, the one thing I was most excited about was getting very hands on again. Each shirt was individually hand-dyed and the shelves hand- made in a studio in New York.”

John ‘ Sunshine’ Margaritis grew up in New York and spent much of his time around art, fashion and the ocean. At age 16, he launched New York Sunshine with a family friend and began offering hand silk-screening t-shirts. The brand has since garnered international attention throughout the US, Japan and Paris.

‘High Tide’ will be located at 187 NW 27th Street in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami. The installation will open on November 30 and will remain through January.