FOLLY

Ron Arad (Tel Aviv) studied at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem (1971–1973) and at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London (1974–1979). His design career began with the iconic Rover Chair, created from a leather seat salvaged from a Rover V8 2L and mounted onto a tubular steel frame. In 1981, he co-founded the design and production studio One Off in London. In Italy, he established Ron Arad Studio in Como, which was active from 1994 to 1999. His relentless experimentation with materials and technologies, along with his radical reinterpretation of form and structure, places him at the forefront of contemporary design and architecture. In 2002, Arad was awarded the title of Royal Designer for Industry in the United Kingdom for “sustained excellence in aesthetic and functional design for industry.” He received the London Design Medal in 2011. From 1994 to 1997, he taught design at the Vienna University of Technology. Until 2009, he was head of design products at the Royal College of Art in London, where he now holds the title of Professor Emeritus. In 2013, the Royal Academy of Arts in London elected him Royal Academician. Ron Arad has created furniture and objects for some of the world’s most renowned design companies, including Magis, Vitra, Kartell, Moroso, Alessi, and Swarovski. His work has earned numerous international awards and is part of many major public collections. It has also been featured in major exhibitions at institutions such as MoMA in New York, the V&A in London, and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.