One of Arne Jacobsen’s most popular creations, the Series 7 chair from Fritz Hansen, gets a splash of color to mark its 60th anniversary. To honor the 60th anniversary of Arne Jacobsen's Series 7 chair, Fritz Hansen solicited the artistic talents of Tal R, who devised more than a dozen new colors for the design. Courtesy Fritz Hansen/Ditte Isager The Helsingborg Exhibition 1955 was the last World’s Fair to be held in Sweden, but it’s particularly memorable for another reason. It was there that one of the most iconic chairs in history debuted: Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7 chair for Fritz Hansen. Long before designers paid serious heed to ergonomics and anatomy, Jacobsen took the curves of the human body into account. The gentle give in the Series 7’s plywood back accommodated different postures, while the waterfall seat edge provided unobtrusive support to the thighs. “Jacobsen took two resilient materials—laminated wood and steel tubing—and put them together in such a way that preserves that resilience, so that the seat and base flex slightly as we shift position in the chair,” says Michael Sheridan, author of Room 606: The SAS House and the Work of Arne Jacobsen (Phaidon, 2011).
“The connection between base and shell is rigid, but he used rubber bumpers to support the shell above the steel legs. These bumpers allow the shell to move slightly, responding as we shift our weight in the chair.” Even though the chair has been blatantly copied, it’s hard to match the original. A 2012 video by Fritz Hansen exposed the vast difference in quality between the original and knockoffs by having a man unceremoniously jump on the bend of the plywood back of a true Series 7 and two copies. Both copies broke easily, while the real version held fast. In celebration of the Series 7’s 60th anniversary, Fritz Hansen sought the talents of Danish artist Tal R—known for his sharp eye for chromatics—to pick nine new colors for the chair. While creating the various hues, Tal R approached the task from a purely artistic perspective. “Art is the only field where mistakes, misunderstandings, and contradictions can be productive. So I wanted to introduce that into the colors and chairs—narratives,” the artist says.
“When I came to red, for example, I wanted to think about Shanghai, and my imagination and misunderstanding of it. I wanted to find the color that resonated with that memory and that narrative. Colors need to be about necessity and obsession.” The ensuing spectrum injects a revitalized spirit into the classic, making it relevant to new audiences. Among the colors pictured below are nine chosen by Tal R: Chevalier is an aristocratic orange Egyptian Yellow harks to the past Alstadt Rose is a Tal R signature color AI translates to indigo blue in Japanese Chocolate Milk Brown is a note of indulgence Evren Purple is named for the artist’s wife Opium Red evokes 1930s Shanghai Trieste is the blue loved by the Impressionists Hüzün Green comes from the streets of IstanbulChair 13Pouf ChairColours Coming7 ColoursObject FurnitureDesign FurnitureModern Furniture7 LoverHansen PresentsForwardFritz Hansen presents: New colours for the Series 7™ by Tal R.
The Series 7™ is designed by danish architect Arne Jacobsen in 1955. In 1955, Arne Jacobsen set a new standard for chair design when he created Series 7™ - a design fit for the future. For eternity, some would say. The most sold stackable chair in design history, it has become a style icon and is seen by many as one of the finest examples of timeless design. It has remained popular for six decades – a period of profound changes in technology, culture and lifestyle. Series 7™ has now reached its 60th anniversary and is still in perfect shape to continue its journey towards new generations with new demands and new standards for design. W:50 x D:52 x H:82cm (Seat height: 46cm) All chairs are made of laminated moulded sliced veneer with a chrome base. The base is 14 mm chrome steel tubes with 4 legs with leg ferrules of black-grey synthetic material. Also available with front upholstery or fully upholstered with fabric, leather or welted leather. Trieste: Named after the port city in north-eastern Italy, Trieste is the impossible blue that has been used by so many artists over the decades, especially the impressionists.
Trieste lies somewhere between violet and blue, strong forces pulling it in both directions. Opium red: For Tal R, Opium Red sparks associations to Shanghai of the 1930s. With its decadent expression, Opium Red symbolizes the mystique of the Far East. Ai Blue: Ai, Japanese for indigo, is a deep shade of blue drawn towards black. At first glance, the colour appears a dark, rich blue, but after some time it darkens further and takes on an amazing sense of depth. Evren Purple: Evren Purple is named after Tal R's wife. When he looks at her, he sees the colour purple. To him, she is the essence of that colour, embracing it in every way – attractive and passionate, like the colour itself. Hüzün Green: Hüzün is Turkish for wistful, a word that captures the dreamy mood of the colour with its bittersweet touch of nostalgia and yearning. The unique quality of this green is its faded character. Chocolate milk brown: Chocolate Milk Brown is an indulgent brown with a touch of creamy white.
This colour is drawn between brown and rose and is like a warm embrace with an appeal that enchants the eye. Altstadt rose: Altstadt Rose is one of Tal R's signature colours, as he always includes a rose in everything he creates. The rose expresses impermanence and fiery beauty. Chevalier orange: Chevalier is an oriental orange. With its air of aristocracy and fine riding horses, Tal R describes it as the most exclusive colour on the new scale. Egyptian yellow: Egyptian Yellow is a rich and saturated colour that sparks associations to ancient Egypt. The colour has a touch of lead which gives it a highly characteristic and distinctive tone. Nine grey: Nine grey is a new grey shade obtained by mixing the nine colours defined by Tal R. Thus this grey shade does not simply imply a blend of light and darkness. Rather, it resembles all nine of Tal R's colour interpretations. Made to order item Arne JacobsenTrained as an architect in Copenhagen, Jacobsen took up the profession already in the 1920s.