Joris Laarman

“At the beginning of the new millennium our dawning digital age made it possible to for the first time work in collaboration with artificial intelligence on sculpting a work of design using the underlaying code of evolution.”

Such was the inspiration for Dutch designer Joris Laarman’s extraordinary “Bone” furniture series. Centuries of artists and designers have drawn from nature for decorative motifs. Laarman took this concept a step further by employing naturally occurring algorithms to determine the physical structure of his designs. He adopted an automotive manufacturing software that simulates the biological growth of bone tissue: as stress is applied to a virtual three-dimensional model, its mass increases where strength is needed and decreases where it is not. Applied to the creation of furniture, the software serves as a highly precise sculpting tool that optimizes the amount of material used to create the strongest possible design.

Laarman’s first “Bone” chair was cast in aluminum, but for this second design in the series he sought out a softer material. He selected a UV-resistant polyurethane casting resin, the smooth texture of which invites the sitter to recline while its almost translucent, icy gray tone perfectly suits the futuristic form. Another new aspect of the chaise was its asymmetrical shape, which added more unpredictability within the algorithm. The final skeleton form of the present lot demonstrates a seamless collaboration between the designer and his technology, as Laarman took the initial computer model and input his own ideas to make sure the seat would be as equally comfortable as it is mathematically precise. 

Two years after its creation, the “Bone” Chaise was featured in the groundbreaking exhibition Design and the Elastic Mind at the Museum of Modern Art. Other examples of the “Bone” Chaise are held in the permanent collections of the Groninger Museum, Centre Pompidou, Victoria & Albert Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Appearing at auction for the very first time, the present “Bone” Chaise by Joris Laarman is an unparalleled opportunity for collectors to acquire an icon of contemporary design.