Before Summer

1992

Ron Arad English, born 1951

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About the Artwork

Architect Ron Arad specializes in designing chairs that are both furniture and sculpture, often using material outside the domain of typical furniture production. Before Summer is from a series of chairs made in the 1990s based on a simple U-curve. Here he uses sheet steel, exploiting the possibilities of the material to the fullest extent. The edge forms a single line that thickens in the center and tapers at the ends. The chair is meant to be used. Though the rocking base might appear too small to support movement, it is made stable by heavy internal weighting. The mirror finish activates the chair’s surface with reflections of its surroundings, effectively dematerializing it. Arad says that in works like this he is exploring the language of painting, which he defines as flowing line, weightlessness of material, and abstract gesture.

From Bulletin of the Detroit Institute of Arts 89 (2015)

Title Before Summer

Artwork Date 1992

Artist Ron Arad

Life Dates born 1951

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. English

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. ----------

Medium Stainless steel

Dimensions Overall: 52 × 71 × 14 inches (132.1 × 180.3 × 35.6 cm)

Classification Furniture

Department Contemporary Art after 1950

Credit Gift of A. Alfred Taubman

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 2008.587

Markings

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Provenance

A. Alfred Taubman (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA);
2009-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

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Exhibition History

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Published References

"Notable Acquisitions, 2000-2015." Bulletin of the DIA 89, no. 1/4 (2015): p. 57 (ill.).

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Catalogue Raisoneé

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Credit Line for Reproduction

Ron Arad, Before Summer, 1992, stainless steel. Detroit Institute of Arts, Gift of A. Alfred Taubman, 2008.587.

Insertion Band

American

early 20th century

No Available Image

Pattern and Sample Book for Girl's Clothing

Mary Cummings

between 1910 and 1935

No Available Image

Scarf

American

1925

No Available Image

Pink Bouquet

Anonymous

1928

No Available Image

Coat

Elizabeth Hawes

1937

No Available Image

Dress

Elizabeth Hawes

1937

No Available Image

Dress

American

c. 1947

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Before Summer

About the Artwork

Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Published References

Catalogue Raisoneé

Credit Line for Reproduction

Related Works

Insertion Band

Pattern and Sample Book for Girl's Clothing

Scarf

Pink Bouquet

Coat

Dress

Dress

Feedback