The Brooklyn Museum’s 200th Anniversary “Solid Gold” exhibition currently features “Path to Nine,” an installation by artist Zadik Zadikian. This piece exemplifies Zadikian’s ongoing exploration of structure, repetition, and transformation through his preferred medium of gold.
The Installation
“Path to Nine” consists of 18 towering stacks of gold-leaf gilded ingots arranged in a checkered pattern. The 999 plaster ingots, reinforced with stainless steel rods, represent Zadikian’s investigation into the mathematical and mystical properties of numbers, particularly the number nine. This installation continues the artist’s long-standing fascination with gold, which he views not merely as a precious metal but as a symbol of endurance, purity, and cosmic witnessing.
Artist Background
Born in Soviet Armenia in 1948, Zadikian fled the USSR at 18, embarking on a journey of artistic and personal reinvention. His education includes studies at the Art Academy of Erevan, Istanbul Art Academy, and the Art Academy of Rome. Zadikian’s artistic career gained momentum in San Francisco, where he assisted sculptor Benjamin Bufano, and later in New York, where he collaborated with Richard Serra.
Artistic Evolution
Zadikian’s work with industrial gold began after his collaboration with Serra. He transformed his studio by covering it with industrial gold, creating a singularly radiant space. In 1978, Zadikian produced “1,000 Bricks gilded in 24 Karat Gold Leaf,” marking the beginning of his focus on repetition as a tool for transformation.
The early 2000s saw Zadikian move to Los Angeles to pursue large-scale public works. His Caravan Project, a mobile public art exhibition, allowed him to deconstruct the traditional white box art gallery concept.
Current and Upcoming Projects
The “Solid Gold” exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, featuring “Path to Nine,” runs from November 16, 2024, to July 6, 2025. Concurrently, Zadikian is preparing for “Layering Reason,” a site-specific monument for the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in Yerevan, Armenia. This project, scheduled for display from April 2025 to April 2026, will honor soldiers who fell during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. The monument will combine cascading black acrylic panels with thousands of abstract gold portraits, addressing themes of loss, memory, and resilience.
Zadikian continues to work from his 5,000 sq/ft studio in Los Angeles’ arts district, where several site-specific installations are on display, including a 50′ diameter golden disc and an all-gold studio space.
Zadik Zadikian’s work, as exemplified by “Path to Nine,” demonstrates a consistent engagement with the properties of gold and the concepts of repetition and transformation. His installations and public works contribute to the ongoing dialogue in contemporary art about materiality, symbolism, and the nature of space.
[For more information on the “Solid Gold” exhibition, visit the Brooklyn Museum website]
