Oh Void 2

Industrial designer Ron Arad likes to experiment with new and unusual materials and techniques. In Oh Void 2 he used a new material, but a tried-and-tested shape: a figure 8, slightly bent and lying on its side. His oeuvre contains variations with a similar shape made in other materials, including metal, carbon fibre and silicones. The synthetic material Corian, which has been used for this piece, was until recently employed mainly for working tops, bars, and similar items. Arad had a large number of Corian sheets glued together and milled to make a rocking chair. The combination of colour, interplay of lines and design gives the object the allure of a sculpture. Beside that the chair is pleasant to sit in. Arad’s experimental series often result in mass-produced items, in this case the 2005 polyethylene version made by the Italian furniture company Magis. The Oh Void 2 fits excellently in the museum’s furniture collection, in which design innovation through the use of new materials and new techniques is well represented.