Member Article

Acorn makes stairlifts a work of art!

German artist Matthias Sohr was saved by a Yorkshire stairlift manufacturer as he prepared his ‘Life Is A Staircase’ exhibition at the Strand’s Korean Cultural Centre UK this month.

Just hours before the opening of Koo Jeong A’s exhibition ‘Riptide’ in London, internationally acclaimed participating artist Matthias Sohr was told his stairlift centrepiece was stuck on its way from Italy, leaving his ground breaking artwork without its uplifting focal point.

World leading manufacturer Acorn Stairlifts answered an SOS call from the installation artist and a stairlift was delivered just four hours later to its location on The Strand in London. To reflect their efforts, Acorn Stairlifts asked that a contribution be made by the Centre, to the Sue Ryder Manorlands hospice in Keighley.

Exhibition curator, Je Yun Moon said: “All the eyes of the international curating elite are on Matthias who is at a pivotal time in his art career - this exhibition simply could not open without his stairlift! In desperation and with less than 24 hours to go, we found the website of UK manufacturer and supplier, Acorn Stairlifts and made the SOS call. They acted immediately and within four hours a gleaming new stairlift arrived and the exhibition was back on track!”

She added: “This means so much to the centre and allowed us to put on a great exhibition. We were let down at the very last minute by another stairlift manufacturer who promised but could not deliver. We were so impressed with the level of communication at Acorn Stairlifts and extremely grateful for how quickly they managed to get here. The stairlift is a vital part of a unique, eye-catching installation which tries to gain access to a very material effect of contemporary artist, Koo Jeong A’s drawings, notably to the use of colour. It has definitely turned the heads of many of our visitors.

“Thanks to Acorn’s quick action and generosity, Matthias Sohr’s situation went from being our biggest art disaster to this exhibition’s biggest success story.”

Matthias Sohr is inspired by the importance of assistive technology in modern society and working with mobility equipment is an instrumental part of his installations. In ‘Life Is A Staircase’, the rail of the Acorn stairlift doubles as the ‘frame’ for his work.

Acorn Company Secretary Dave Belmont, said: “We were thrilled to be able to help such an exciting, unique project – it’s like nothing we’ve ever been involved with before. Acorn can install a stairlift within hours of receiving an order, even on special curved staircases, so getting to London on time was an easy task for us.

“We donate scores of stairlifts each year to charities, hospices and people in need,” Dave added. “We know our stairlifts are good but this is the first time they’ve been considered a work of art!”

The ‘Koo Jeong A: Riptide’ exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in London will be open to the public until 19 November 2016.

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