Early Martin Visser & Joke van der Heyden Rare 'Carol' Table in Metal 243.5cm/95.87in.

Martin Visser and Joke van der Heyden for 't Spectrum, 'Carol' table, model 'TE20', lacquered steel, aluminum design 1987-1988

The Carol table (1987–1988) is among the most sculpturally expressive works of Martin Visser's career, rooted in his longstanding friendship with the American conceptual artist Sol LeWitt. Their relationship extended far beyond professional admiration. During his frequent visits to the Netherlands, LeWitt stayed with Martin and Mia Visser at their Gerrit Rietveld-designed house in Bergeijk, while several of his monumental sculptures were fabricated nearby by the local metalworks Nebato. Preserved in the archives of the Kröller-Müller Museum, the extensive correspondence between the two reveals a relationship that combined artistic collaboration with genuine personal friendship, ranging from discussions of projects to travel plans and New Year's greetings. Against this backdrop, LeWitt's monumental grid sculptures became the conceptual point of departure for the table's architectural aluminum base.

The series also comprised two other tables developed around the same concept, each distinguished by a different tabletop shape and size, and was named in tribute to LeWitt's family: Carol after his wife, and Eva and Sofia after their two daughters. Of the three designs, Carol is the largest and most monumental variant.

This particular example is especially significant as it belongs to the early production. In the first editions, the rubber spacers separating the base from the floor and the tabletop from the base were concealed entirely from view. By visually detaching each element, Visser created the striking illusion that both the heavy aluminum structure and the tabletop float effortlessly above one another. A remarkable sense of weightlessness that was later diminished when the spacers became visible in subsequent production.

Developed in collaboration with his wife, textile designer Joke van der Heyden, the series represents a notable shift in Visser's design language. Whereas his earlier furniture was characterized by restraint and minimal use of colors, Van der Heyden introduced color and decorative detailing as integral components of the design. The monumental aluminum base supports a perforated lacquered steel top, whose shaped outline recalls the irregular formats of contemporary abstract painting. Designed by Van der Heyden, the perforation pattern reinforces the tabletop's geometry while subtly indicating seating positions. The exceptionally rare bright yellow finish of this example further underscores the expressive use of color that defines the series.

The Carol table ranks among the most conceptually ambitious designs of Martin Visser's later career. Created independently of commercial commissions, it reflects an uncompromising exploration of geometry, proportion and spatial perception. Produced only in very limited numbers, the series remains exceptionally rare today. Its significance is further underscored by the inclusion of the Carol table in the permanent collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.