Ron Arad Turns iPad Drawings Into Diamond-etched Glass Paintings

Ron Arad's etching

Inspired by the memory of seeing a stranger scratch drawings onto a train window with his ring, Ron Arad has created Last Train for this year's Venice Biennale. Using an iPad app to create the drawing, these are then etched onto a glass panel with a diamond ring using a custom built machine designed to look like Arad's fist.

As well as creating a drawing himself, Arad invited other artist to create something too--as such the work becomes a performative piece as well as exploring the strength of diamond as a raw material.

Some of the designs are reminiscent of Picasso's elegant and simple light paintings, as well as pointing towards the long history of people etching messages and creating images using diamonds since the introduction of glass panes in the 16th century.

Anthony Gormley's etching

David Shrigley's etching

AI Wei Wei created an etching remotely from Beijing

The installation room