« I have never liked the boundary between art, design, and architecture.»
Ron Arad (born in 1951) is one of the major figures in contemporary design. Trained as an architect, he rose to prominence in the early 1980s through an experimental approach to furniture, in which steel, aluminum, and industrial materials became the basis for an unprecedented sculptural exploration. Through iconic creations such as the Rover Chair, the Well Tempered Chair, the Big Easy, and the Bookworm bookshelf, Ron Arad profoundly transformed the language of international design by blurring the boundaries between art, architecture, and functional objects. The Ketabi Bourdet gallery presents a selection of historic works illustrating this formative period in his practice and his lasting influence on collectible design.
“Materials never dictate a form; they simply open up new possibilities.”
Ron Arad (born in 1951 in Tel Aviv) is an Israeli-British designer and architect whose work has profoundly transformed the history of contemporary design. Trained at the Jerusalem Academy of Art and later at the Architectural Association in London, he founded the One Off studio in 1981 with Caroline Thorman, where he developed an experimental approach to furniture based on repurposing, craftsmanship, and an exploration of the properties of materials.
His career began with the Rover Chair (1981), made from a Rover car seat mounted on a tubular steel structure. This iconic work, which became one of the symbols of 1980s design, marked the emergence of a new generation of designers who viewed furniture as a sculptural form as much as a functional one. It was quickly acquired by major collectors and helped establish Ron Arad on the international scene.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Ron Arad continued his research into steel, aluminum, and new manufacturing technologies. Works such as the Well Tempered Chair, the Big Easy, the Bookworm bookshelf, and the Tom Vac demonstrate his ability to push technical boundaries while developing an immediately recognizable formal vocabulary based on curves, fluidity, and experimentation.
Alongside his limited-edition creations, Ron Arad has collaborated with some of the world’s leading international manufacturers, including Vitra, Kartell, Moroso, Cappellini, Cassina, Alessi, Driade, and Magis. His practice also extends to architecture, scenography, and monumental installations, asserting a multidisciplinary approach in which the boundaries between art, design, and architecture dissolve.
Today, Ron Arad’s works are held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the Vitra Design Museum. His early creations produced by One Off remain among the most sought-after pieces of collectible design, both for their rarity and their historical significance.
The Ketabi Bourdet gallery presents a selection of historic works by Ron Arad, highlighting this experimental period of the 1980s and 1990s. Through its exhibitions and participation in leading international design fairs, the gallery contributes to promoting a body of work that occupies an essential place in the history of contemporary design.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Ron Arad: No Discipline (MoMA)
- Ron Arad
- Ron Arad: Restless Furniture
- Publications by Domus, Wallpaper*, Architectural Digest, Dezeen, and the Design Museum
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
- Museum of Modern Art, New York
- Centre Pompidou, Paris
- Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres
- Vitra Design Museum
- Design Museum Holon