Artek - Rocket white lacquered oak bar stool
Rocket Bar Stool has a strong and playful character. Crafted in solid oak and originally created for Finnish designer Eero Aarnio’s home kitchen, the bar stool has proved very popular since its introduction by Artek. Aarnio has created many remarkeble pieces over a career that spans five decades. While Aarnio is not mainly known for his wood products, Rocket is a testament to his mastery of the medium. A smaller version is also available.
Eero Aarnio
Eero Aarnio (born 1932) is one of the great innovators of modern furniture design. Responsible for an array of distinct and visually striking work. Aarnio helped establish Finland in the international design market. A one-man workshop, his work consists of interior design, industrial design, graphic art, and photography.
In the 1960s, Aarnio began experimenting with plastics, vivid colours, and organic forms, breaking away from traditional conventions. His now iconic plastic creations include the Ball (1963), the Pastil (1968), and the Bubble (1968), pop art chairs that captured the spirit of the age.
Today, Aarnio’s work is included in the collections of the world’s most prestigious museums, including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the MoMA in New York, and the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein.
Artek was founded in Helsinki in 1935 by four young idealists: Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl. Their goal was "to sell furniture and to promote a modern culture of living through exhibitions and other educational means. "In line with the radical spirit of its founders, today it remains an avant-garde character in the world of modern design, developing new products by joining design, architecture and art. The collection consists of furniture, lighting and accessories designed by Finnish masters and international designers. It stands for clarity, functionality and poetic simplicity. The name Artek is a synthesis of "art" and "technology", such as central concepts for the international modernist movement that came to prominence in the 1920s. From the beginning, the mission was to achieve a great synthesis of the arts, eroding the boundaries between fine arts, architecture and design. Artek’s manifesto outlines the vision of the four founders of the company. With titles such as Modern Art, Industry and Interior Design, Propaganda, the manifesto clarifies the company’s goals: to achieve a synthesis of the arts, to improve everyday life and to bring modernism to Finland - while spreading Alvar Aalto's Nordic interpretation of these principles to the world. Artek furniture is made in line with the original vision of Alvar Aalto to combine modern production methods with skillful craftsmanship and carefully selected materials. Regional supply and security are always priorities for both Artek and its partners, ensuring ethical production and lasting quality.
