Over the Influence is pleased to present Don’t F**k With The Mouse a solo exhibition of new works by influential designer and artist Ron Arad.
The exhibition open from 22 August – 20 September 2020 will present two new chair series and a set of tapestries inspired by the world’s most famous mouse.
Originally created in 1988, Ron Arad’s iconic Big Easy armchair has undergone numerous metamorphoses over the years – from a colorful lacquered version from the early ‘90s to a plush upholstered Soft Big Easy edition. Nicknamed “Mickey” as the large, round armrests made it resemble the Disney character, the Big Easy is one of the most recognizable of Arad’s designs.
Arad once again turned to this silhouette with a new take – Don’t F**k With The Mouse or D.F.W.T.M., a new series of chairs that pays homage to the Big Easy and in turn Mickey Mouse.
To create the new series, Arad has returned to working with a brush and paint like he did for the ‘New Orleans’ his lacquered version of the Big Easy made in the ‘90s. Arad creates the pieces by painting numerous translucent layers in polyester paint directly into the gel-coated mold The pieces are then reinforced with layers of fibreglass. Each piece is unique and effectively made out of Arad’s painting. “I knew I couldn’t call it Mickey Mouse,” Arad said. “I called our IP lawyer and asked him. The lawyer confirmed that this was a bad idea, reciting the legal saying “Don’t f**k with the mouse.” That was, perhaps, the better title anyway.
Alongside ten new D.F.W.T.M. chairs, Arad will present three new One Point of View chairs also derived from the silhouette of the Big Easy. Each of the new chairs is adorned with a saying seen only from a single point of view questioning the notion of traditional storytelling. Though the message can only be seen from one perspective, the essence of the artwork can be understood from many.
Hung along the walls are four new tapestries inspired by Mickey Mouse themed artworks by famous artists. Each artwork – by Damien Hirst, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, and Andy Warhol – has been reimagined in the form of a unique hand-woven tapestry designed by Ron Arad and produced in Belgium. The tapestries are hung on the wall as if concealing the original artworks beneath them, taking the form and shape of the original frames and sculpture.
Viewed together, Ron Arad’s exhibition of new works pays tribute to an international icon who inspired some of art history’s most recognized practitioners including the artist himself
