NOGUCHI
Our take on Barbican's major new exhibition focusing on the spellbinding work of Isamu Noguchi...
By
Chioma Ince
October 12, 2021
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
Noguchi is a celebration of the prolific career of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) whose six-decade long career has seen him create furniture, theatre sets, costume, lighting, political public art and landscape design. By employing an expansive interdisciplinary visual language throughout his practice he was keen to explore, the vital role sculpture has in improving and expanding the way people live.
Sculpture in many senses is everywhere we look; it is ingrained in the materiality of our personal and societal lives and Noguchi brings this to the forefront of our minds. As you enter the exhibition you are met with a softly lit stairway leading you into his spatial, political and imaginative landscape.
Isamu Noguchi’s ability to hold meaning in his sculptures gives his art purpose and agency. Containing universes, wars, dance, history and cultural development, Isamu’s art is a vacuum of endless possibilities. [In this kaleidoscope collection of works it is impossible for a connect not to be formed]. Themes of politics, identity and social activism are prevalent as you journey through the show. We are shown pieces created in support of the NAACP fight against lynching, as well as Noguchi’s famous mural History Mexico (1936), which addresses the rise of fascism and labour movements across the US and Mexico.
When walking through the 13 rooms, we learn how Isamu became a sculptor, his international studies, teachers, influences and moments that shaped his life and art. After seeing the show, you understand that the Japanese American artist has an eye for finding the contours of society, in both the natural as well as the spiritual world. When I say spiritual, I am referring to one’s soul and compass rather than religion. When experiencing this thoughtfully curated exhibition and reading the quotes on the walls, the mindset of Noguchi unfolds. You follow the materiality of his self-discovery, his words almost read like a diary; the works become clearer as you discover the ideology and influences behind them. There is a consciousness to the show that is simply sublime.
“My works in this vein are landscapes really, a sculpture of the whole, not an assemblage of parts of props, as with this theatre. High, low, horizontal or vertical, they are a landscape of the mid.”
At times, Noguchi is sculpting through light and it is utterly beautiful! I loved the relationship light, form and construction had in relation to one another. If you are into your interior design then this show is a must. You’ll leave wanting on the gorgeous array of washi paper bamboo lanterns. Little, large, circular, rectangular there is magical light display for all. Not only do these pieces bring a warmth to the [brutalist] Barbican building but they also light the show itself and add to the tranquil atmosphere.
The exhibition itself was almost therapeutic in its ability to engage with viewers on an emotional, cognitive and artistic level. The expansive and cohesive tone of Noguchi’s work throughout his career is inspiring and breathtakingly explored in this exhibition.
Noguchi is on show at the Barbican until the 9th January 2022.
