One of the great privileges of living in New York is that I work 2 blocks away from the famous Museum of Modern Art. You can find me there at least once or twice a month, but last week I was particularly excited about attending the Ron Arad -No Discipline exhibit.  Ron Arad is one of may favorite architects an industrial designers who has lines with the likes of Kartell, Vitra, Moroso, Fiam, Driade, Alessi, Cappellini, Cassina and Magis among others.

The show is a well-edited collection of his firm’s architecture, studio pieces, and mass produced work. His constant experimentation with the possibilities of materials such as steel, aluminum or polyamide and his radical re- conception of the form and structure of furniture has put him at the forefront of contemporary design.

The exhibit’s central spine is a masterpiece in itself, which showcases his various works, including one of my all-time favorites, the Big Easy:

One of a Kind Big Easy

The ever practical Tom-Vac chair:

Tom Vac in funky colors

The Ripple chair:

Note the Ripple chair with a POC - by Issey Miyake, which can also be warn as a jacket.

In addition to Arad’s mass-produced pieces, there are one-of -a kind studio pieces as well:

Thick Vac (chunky version of the Tom-Vac)

Narrow Papardelle

Gomli

At the centerpiece of the “spine” were some amazing versions of Big Easy, topped with a chandelier made specifically for the MOMA installation.

Also very interesting were the architectural models interspersed throughout the exhibit.

A fantastic video of Arad’s design for the Olympic Bridge in London:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG9cPyJ1Lhg[/youtube]

The exhibit runs through 19-October.