The art of sitting by Ron Arad제니카페<cafe.naver.com/writergeni>

Design goliath Ron Arad`s rise to fame started with a fateful lunch.

Fresh out of school and working for "some other genius," Arad decided not to go back to work after his lunch break.

one lunch time I didn`t come back and I designed a piece of furniture right then and there," said the industrial designer at a press conference held at the Gana Art Gallery in Seoul last week.

Born to break barriers in the world of design, Arad went on to establish one-Off Ltd. -- a design studio, workshop and showroom -- with Caroline Thorman in 1981.

His innovative furniture and interior structures, which used tube and cast iron fittings, got him noticed.

Arad catapulted to fame, founding his own design practice in 1989, garnering 11 awards and showing his works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Vitra Design Museum in Basel.

He is also one of 200 designers to hold the distinction of Royal Designer for Industry. Considered the highest honor in the field of industrial design in Britain, it is a lifelong award.

Arad nabbed this award in 2002. And judging from how chipper he looked last Wednesday, he shows no signs of stepping down anytime soon.

But if a clean bill of health isn`t enough to keep him going, then his continual ability to forge ahead with something new promises to keep Arad at the forefront of design.

So how does he do it?

"Drugs and television," the designer answered with a deadpan face. "Ideas are cheap ... a lot of it comes from the work itself."

But the designer`s former pupil Paul Cocksedge thinks differently. In an interview with the British newspaper the Independent, in May 2007, Cocksedge stated: "Ron`s got quite a short attention span, so he`s always looking for new things that are inspiring, and he wants his students to push themselves."

When asked about Cocksedge`s statement, Ron responded, "Boredom is the mother of creativity. Everything we do is to avoid boredom. So, I`m basically very, very lazy. That`s why I do so much, because I get bored very fast, I have to do something else."

Looking at the 56-year-old designer, decked out in jeans, a plaid flannel jacket, brown hat and sneakers, it`s not hard to imagine him getting bored quickly. Inventing on a spur of whim, a flight of fancy.

Now Seoulites get the golden opportunity to see his groundbreaking creations at his first Korean solo exhibition.

Running at the Gana Art Gallery until April 20, Arad is showcasing 10 limited edition pieces alongside about 20 other works.

Most of the works on display are chairs made out of metal. Cold to the touch, they are all surprisingly comfortable. one of his latest pieces, "Afterthought" (2007), is particularly snug.

When asked why he designed so many chairs, Arad answered, "It`s interesting to work within a given framework ... We all know the height of the chair."

Quick to discount himself though, he added, "A chair is about sitting ... Nothing important about sitting (people) on chairs ... If it is a chair it has to be comfortable ... They are not practical chairs."

Arad is absolutely correct. His cold chairs fuse comfort and impracticality to create aerodynamic, neo-modern sculptures. More fit for a museum than a house, they are definitely chill.

But more importantly, they reflect Arad`s wonderful sense of light ingenuity.

Take the "Bodyguard" for instance. Arad`s version of a rocking chair, it looks physically impossible to sit on. one wrong move and the whole thing might tip over. Bodyguard seems like a misnomer, more like "use at your own risk."

But a leap of faith is all that is required. Tip back into it, let it rock and roll, and soon you are as snug as a bug. Safe and sound in his metal cocoon.

To test drive his works yourself, if the docents let you, head on over to the Gana Art Gallery. To get there go to Gyeongbok Palace Subway Station Line 3, Exit 3. Then take bus No. 1020 or 1711 and get off at the Lotte Apartment stop. Tickets cost 10,000 won for adults and 8,000 won for students. Opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. For more information call (02) 720-1020 or visit www.ganaart.com

By Jean Oh

(oh_jean@heraldm.com)

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