Joris Laarman

Anita Star, ed., Joris Laarman Lab, exh. cat., Groningen, 2015, pp. 16, 102-106

Overall very good condition. Minor scuffs to the insight to the back rest and to the very bottom corners of the rocking legs. Scattered lighter spots which appear to be inherent to the production of the piece. One darker spot on the left hand proper armrest, approximately 3cm in length which appears to be inherent in the production of the piece and is not visually distracting.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The designs of Joris Laarman meet at the intersection of technology and craftsmanship. From within his Lab, each work is created from a process of relentless experimentation and refinement, seeking out new technologies and combining them with the artistry of the human hand. Bone Rocker is the last in a series of four discrete chairs produced in the Bone Furniture series which includes Bone Chair Aluminium, Bone Chaise and Armchair, as well as Branch (shelf) and Bridge (table, lot 24). For this series, Laarman implemented early topology optimization algorithms to generate each work. This technology was based on the scientific research by Professor Claus Mattheck and Lothar Harzheim. The latter previously employed by Adam Opel GmbH, to produce lighter and stronger engine mounts for cars, the software relies on algorithms which echo the natural world in which bones are able to add and more importantly remove excess material whilst optimising their strength. Notes Laarman: ‘Where trees have the ability to add material where strength is needed, bones have the ability to also reduce material where it is not. ‘Using Mother Nature’s underlying codes’ these algorithms don’t merely result in more efficient form but also in highly sculptural manifestations of how industrial times evolve into the digital era. For this work Belge Noir marble, a now rare material available only in small quantities, was mixed with resin and cast into a 3D printed mould which was assembled from multiple parts. When the final form was released from its mould, the entire chair was then painstakingly polished by hand. The model is held within the permanent collections of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Further examples from the Bone Furniture series are held within the the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Centre Pompidou, Paris, and many others.