The Punkists: Ron Arad and Danny Lane

Thematic design auctions have emerged in recent years, providing a broad narrative and context for collectors, and elevating the exhibitions into museum-quality events. The French auction house Leclere will be holding an auction next week devoted to the two leading figures in the British avant-garde of the 80s, Ron Arad and Danny Lane, closely associated with the Punk Movement. While Punk, which emerged in London in the 70s is mostly known for its music and fashion which were equally provocative and offended, challenging notions of good taste and confronting society order, it was voiced in furniture design as well. In fact, Punk, which had been absorbed by furniture designer, seeking to create pieces motivated by deconstruction, do-it-yourself, and anti-establishment style, came to offer counterpart to the rubber, chains, ripped jeans, and dresses made of black plastic garbage bags immersed by the fashion world, both on street and couture levels. Ron Arad (b. 1951) and Danny Lane (b. 1955), both trained as architects and both based in London at that time, focused on furniture during the 80s, created pieces which challenged the notion of furniture design, and marked the beginning of the collectible contemporary furniture market. Lane, who has somewhat been forgotten and therefore his work is still relatively affordable, yet, equally important historically, used stacked broken glass. Arad, who in the 90s and early 2000’s became the star of the emerging design movement, explored with metals, reconceptualized forms and structures.