From 26th March to 29th May 2004 The Aram Gallery hosted an exciting new exhibition, Rotations, situated on the third floor of the Covent Garden store.

 

As part of The Aram Gallery’s ongoing commitment to promote experimental design, Rotations will explore innovative design in rotational moulding, presenting recognisable work by designers such as Tom Dixon, Denis Santachiara, Ron Arad, Inflate and El Ultimo Grito, plus experimental work from a hotbed of new design talent. 

 

Rotation moulding is the process of forming material in a closed-shell custom-constructed mould.  The mould is turned in a tumbling action until the material adheres to and coats the inner surface, creating a well-defined container.  Be it plastic or chocolate, the products are distinct, hollow forms with a tendency to curved surfaces, like water tanks, roadside grit salt bins, floating marker buoys and Easter Bunnies.

 

The benefit of rotation moulded plastic products is that they require relatively low-cost tooling, allowing for more experimentation at much lower costs than those of blow moulding and injection moulding tools. Rotation moulding offers an affordable entry point into the world of design production.

 

Time and again someone rediscovers this process, often a young designer with a keen sense of production venturing into small batch technology, but also leading designers innovating more freely due to the attractive low production costs. Then the same low-resolution characteristics serve to inspire these designers in their work, and bring them to the discovery of new qualities.