Ron Arad - Design London Wednesday, April 23, 2008 | Phillips

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  • Exhibited

    'Von Mensch zu Mensch', Sparda Bank, Munster, 5 September - 19 October 2003

  • Literature

    Dejan Sudjic, Ron Arad: Restless Furniture, London, 1989, p. 111; Alexander von Vegesack, Ron Arad: Sticks and Stones, One Offs & Short Runs, 1980-1990, exh. cat., Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, 1990, p. 81 for a similar example; Museu do Design: Luxo, Pop, Cool, De 1937 Até Hoje, exh. cat., Museu do Design, Lisbon, 1999, fig. 223 for a similar example

  • Catalogue Essay

    The ‘Big Easy’ designs of the ‘Volumes’ series began development in 1988 with a progression of hollow and crudely welded chairs with cartoon-like oversized features.  The design heralded a change for the One Off studio which until then had not incorporated welded steel into its material repertoire.  Beginning with the ‘Volumes’ works, Ron Arad’s designs became more sculptural in appearance and less rooted in the need for functional and practical purposes.  Having limited knowledge of the steel-welding process, Ron Arad’s first attempts with the  material were executed very crudely with visible seams.  Over time the pieces became more polished, advancing from its primitive state into slick, gleaming examples.

  • Artist Biography

    Ron Arad

    Israeli • 1951

    Ron Arad's work and career is characterized by his movement between modes and constant experimentation. Arad was born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1951 and studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Art before moving to London in 1973. He began his practice in London in the early 1980s and set up One Off Ltd, focused on limited edition objects, with his partner Caroline Thorman. A decade later he had moved to industrial production techniques and collaborations with large design firms such as Vitra and Kartell.

    A persistent theme throughout his work is innovation and the idea of the "new." Still producing work today, Arad uses the latest technology to produce his designs and also integrates it within his pieces, such as his Lolita Chandelier (2004) that can receive and display text messages. Arad also continually experiments with materials and has an exceptional skill to coax volume and undulation out of them, with a particular affinity for metal. His works such as The Big Easy chair (1988) walk the line between design and sculpture. Once an outsider, Arad's relentless energy to design, build and collaborate has placed him firmly within the highest ranks of the design world.

    View More Works

167

Early ‘Big Easy Volume 2 for 2’ sofa

c. 1989
Polished stainless steel.
101.6 x 211.8 x 104.1 cm (40 x 83 3/8 x 41 in.)
Produced by One Off Ltd., UK.  Number three from an edition of 20.  Together with a certificate of authenticity from Ron Arad Associates Limited.

Estimate
£60,000 - 80,000 

Sold for £90,500

Design

24 Apr 2008, 2pm
London