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Vodöl Armchair

An armchair in seafoam green with asymmetrical lines balanced on a blue I-beam, a curved metal pole extending to the right.

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  • An armchair in seafoam green with asymmetrical lines balanced on a blue I-beam, a curved metal pole extending to the right.

Date:

1989

Artist:

Coop Himmelblau
Austria, founded 1968
Manufactured by Vitra International
Switzerland, founded 1950

About this artwork

Coop Himmelblau has aimed not only to lighten and dematerialize architecture but also to blur the boundaries between design and art. This piece unhinges and deconstructs Le Corbusier’s iconic Fauteuil Grand Comfort Chair (1928) by placing the seat on a repurposed I beam. Aligned with the Deconstructivist principles of asymmetry, contradiction, and unsettlement, Vodöl has been interpreted as a satire of modern furniture. Its name—after the word in the Viennese dialect for armchair, which in French is fauteuil—reinforces the connection to Le Corbusier.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

Coop Himmelblau (Designer)

Title

Vodöl Armchair

Place

Austria (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1989

Medium

Painted steel, chromed tubular steel, and vinyl upholstery

Dimensions

82.5 × 195.5 × 106.7 cm (32 1/2 × 77 × 42 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Gordon L. Pirie and Mrs. Joseph T. Zoline

Reference Number

1991.319

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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