‘RON ARAD 69’ features early works from the 1980s and 1990s alongside pieces from the past two decades, including unseen releases for 2020, presented against the historic backdrop of the gallery’s Georgian townhouse setting. Timed with the artist’s 69^th birthday this year, the exhibition features approximately 50 studio pieces, many of which have been exhibited around the world, including at the Centre Pompidou, Paris; The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa), New York; the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London; and the Royal Academy of Arts, London alongside works that have never been showed publicly before.

Ron Arad is one of the all-time greats in the world of design and architecture, similar to the way Helmut Newton – the subject of our previous exhibition at Newlands House – was in photography. I greatly look forward to seeing the contrast between the 18^th century architecture of the gallery and the resolutely 21^st century feel of Arad’s dazzling and bold works –

Simon de Pury, Artistic Director, Newlands House.

Prominent works within the exhibition include Now What, 2020, which makes its first public appearance following a virtual launch earlier this year. Otherwise known as the ‘Brexit chair’, Now What commemorates the day the UK left the EU, with every single newspaper published on 31^st January 2020 printed across the chair’s surface. Recognisable pieces from the 2000s, such as Gomli, 2008 (red gelcoat), Gomli, 2009 (polished stainless steel), are exhibited outdoors, in the grounds of Newlands House while the galleries 12 rooms will exhibit iconic works in stainless steel and polished aluminium from throughout his career.   Works from Ron Arad’s collaboration with Murano glass masters Venini, several presented here for the first time, are also on show at the gallery.