{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O50989"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O50989/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU2831/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AU2831/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AU2831","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AU2832","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O50989","accessionNumber":"W.18-1993","objectType":"Bookcase","titles":[{"title":"This Mortal Coil","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"This book case is constructed from a single strip of mild steel, coiled to form a spiral. The 'rings' of the coil are space with mild steel dividers, hinged at both ends to allow the bookcase to move slightly. The dividers are riveted to the coil at one end and bolted at the other, which allows them to be released so the coil can be tightened and reduced in size for transportation or storage. The dividers vary in length which determines the various sizes of the 'shelves'.\r\n\r\nThe mild steel used for the bookcase was immersed in oil in production to allow it to cool at a determined rate which ensures its spring. The process also produces the surface finish which can be maintained with a conventional wax-based spray-on furniture polish.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Arad, Ron","id":"A5410"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"One Off Ltd","id":"A5521"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"low-carbon steel","id":"AAT10911"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Mild steel","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Furniture","id":"THES48948"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2006AU2831","2006AU2832"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A002","id":"THES384090"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bookcase","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1993","earliest":"1993-01-01","latest":"1993-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"228.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"212","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"33","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"model This Mortal Coil; British 1993 des. Ron Arad man. One Off Ltd (books displayed with bookcase stored at BH/FF15/ALCOVE7)","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Section text and caption from <font -b>Ron Arad: Before and After Now</font> exhibition, 12 June - 1 October 2000:\r\nSprings and Coils\r\nFlexibility and movement are the keys to these pieces.\r\nAfter the <i>Well Tempered Chair</i>, which was constructed out of four 0.8mm sheets of stainless tempered steel, bent and bolted by wingnuts, Arad embarked on experiments with coils of thicker tempered steel (1.5mm).  Initial explorations of the nature of the material developed into pieces of furniture with a new type of movement (pieces such as <i>Beware of the Dog</i> and <i>This Mortal Coil</i>) and new types of free-form lines (as in the <i>Bookworm</i>).  \r\nSome of the spring pieces made initially by  One Off were later translated into industrial production pieces for Moroso (<i>Spring, Off Spring</i>) and the <i>Bookworm</i> was translated into a plastic extruded version by Kartell.\r\n\r\n<i>This Mortal Coil</i> (Black)\r\nFree-standing spiral bookshelf\r\nTempered Steel\r\nMade by One Off Ltd, London\r\n1993\r\nV&A Museum Number: W.18-1993","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"'THIS MORTAL COIL' BOOKCASE\r\nDesigned by Ron Arad (Israeli, born 1951)\r\nMade by One Off Ltd, London, 1993\r\nMild steel\r\n\r\nArad trained at London's Architectural Association and began making furniture from salvaged materials in the early 1980s. He has become one of the most influential designers working today. This is made of a single strip of unfinished mild steel, clearly expressing its structural joints. However, its use for book storage can be seen as secondary to its sculptural impact.\r\n\r\nW.18-1993","date":{"text":"1993-2006","earliest":"1993-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["W.18-1993"],"accessionNumberNum":"18","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1993,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2021MU9738"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-15","recordCreationDate":"2001-01-03","availableToBook":false}}