Akari, floor light, model T3-31N
(c. 1969) {shade designed}; (c. 1979) {stand designed}
Medium
Japanese paper, bamboo, porcelain, cast iron, electrical components
Measurements
190.5 × 32.6 cm diameter
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Decorative Arts, 2023
© Isamu Noguchi/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
In 1951, following a visit to Gifu and the Ozeki manufactory for traditional paper lanterns, or chōchin, Isamu Noguchi recognised the potential for creating contemporary light sculptures that could be incorporated into the domestic living environment. Noguchi’s ideas for sculpture were uninhibited by conventional boundaries and he experimented with new designs, producing his first range of lighting designs, or sculptures, the following year. He called them Akari, meaning illumination but also implying a sense of lightness.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Gifu, Japan
Inscription
inscribed in brush and red ink u.c.: (sun) (crescent moon)
Accession Number
2023.587
Department
International Decorative Arts