The World Poker Tour is constantly looking for new ways to energize, enhance, and add excitement to the game we all love. Their newest partnership may be the most creative one to date.
They've partnered with renowned American Artist Daniel Arsham for a multi-faceted project for Season XXI. Arsham-designed trophies and stage sets will be featured throughout the year.
“In the history of WPT, this may well be the most creative partnership we have ever taken on,” said WPT CEO Adam Pliska. “Daniel is an incredible artist that melds well with the contemporary lifestyle that poker fosters. We are honored to award a true work of art to all 2023 WPT Champions.”
Arsham is a contemporary artist who uses a wide variety of mediums, including drawing, film, architecture, sculptures, and more. He's represented by Perrotin and galleries all over the world, including New York, Paris, Hong Kong, South Korea, Brazil, and The Netherlands. Now, he brings his talents to the World Poker Tour.
Like always, Main Event winners will have their names engraved on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup. Thanks to this new partnership, winners will also get a unique Arsham-designed trophy. A name on The Cup and a trophy to take home, that's even more reasons to vie for a WPT title this season.
In addition to the trophies, other artistic pieces Arsham sets to create are a custom chipset, a chip case design, and feature table stage designs for WPT events. The collaboration speaks to Arsham's longstanding desire to connect his art to contemporary culture.
“It is exciting to explore and apply my artistic sensibility to the World Poker Tour universe,” said Arsham. “I studied at Cooper Union, and it formed a foundation for my art education. I’ve actively looked for ways to further Cooper’s mission of providing free education for everyone in the arts. I also relish the prospect of giving back to The Cooper Union through this project with WPT.”
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is one of the nation's oldest and most distinguished institutions of higher education. In the spirit of that organization, Arsham and the WPT look to give back to the people and use their platform to benefit others through art and cards.
Perrotin's New York Gallery will host a charity event later this year to mark Arsham's twentieth-anniversary exhibition with the contemporary gallery. More details on that event will be provided at a future date.