{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O122406"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122406/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN4277/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AN4277/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AN4277","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O122406","accessionNumber":"W.13-1996","objectType":"Chair","titles":[{"title":"Rothko chair","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"The Rothko chair was designed at a time in the early 1990s when awareness of the ecological impact of making furniture was at its most pronounced. It is entirely made of a composite material called Maderón, a mixture of resin and ground almond shells developed by a chemical engineer, Silio Cardona, from 1980. The shells were a waste product of the Spanish almond industry.\r\n\r\nThe Argentinian architect Alberto Lievore developed the chair for the Rothko Bar in Barcelona, named after the American abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970), and the chair's colour also evokes Rothko's work. Lievore's original design updated a conventional bentwood cafe chair to be made in plywood, but over time it developed into this one-piece chair.  In fact the Rothko chair is formed of two pieces of moulded Maderón: the front legs and seat are one piece and the back legs and seat back are made as another piece. They are joined together under the seat.","physicalDescription":"One-piece red-lacquered chair with four legs and a U shaped back","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Lievore, Alberto","id":"A17354"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Indartu","id":"A17355"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"composite material","id":"AAT14627"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Moulded","id":"x30076"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Moulded 'maderon' composite material","categories":[{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"},{"text":"Plastic","id":"THES49026"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AN4277"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES342452"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Chair","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Spain","id":"x29170"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1989-1994","earliest":"1989-01-01","latest":"1994-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1996","earliest":"1996-01-01","latest":"1996-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the Maderón Promotion Agency","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"730","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"535","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"490","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured on 15/9/2010 by LC.","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The chair was originally desigend for the Rothko Bar in Barcelona, hence its name and colour. The design originated as a reworking in plywood of a traditional bentwood chair, but evolved into this design, formed from two pieces of moulded maderon composite material.\n\nHistorical significance: The Rothko chair was designed and made at a time of increased environmental consciousness and was made entirely of maderon, a composite derived from waste almond shells.","historicalContext":"Maderon is a composite material combining resin with ground almond shells and was developed from 1980 by a chemical engineer, Silio Cardona.","briefDescription":"Rothko Chair, designed by Alberto Lievore (Argentinian, born 1948), 1989-1994, manufactured by Indartu, Spain, 1996, made of Maderon composite material, given by Maderon Promotion Agency.; Spanish, 1996","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Domus</u> 780, March 1996, pp.56-58"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design</u>, MOMA, New York, 1995, p103"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"103-6\r\n\r\n‘ROTHKO’ CHAIR\r\nDesigned by Alberto Lievore (Argentinian, born 1948), 1989-94\r\nMade in Indartu, Spain, 1994\r\nMaderòn composite material\r\n\r\nThe chair, which was designed for the Rothko bar in Barcelona, is based on the form of a bentwood café chair. Maderòn is made from a compound of ground almond shells and natural resins which are mixed to form a paste that is injection moulded. It exploits scientific skills of engineering and mass-production applied to a wholly renewable and sustainable source material. \r\n\r\nGiven by the Maderòn Promotion Agency\r\nW.13-1996","date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.13-1996"],"accessionNumberNum":"13","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1996,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW1771"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2006-03-28","availableToBook":true}}