Isamu Noguchi

Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was a Japanese-American sculptor, designer and landscape artist whose work consistently blurred the boundaries between art, design and architecture. Born in Los Angeles to an American mother and a Japanese father, Noguchi grew up between cultures—a duality that would profoundly shape his artistic vision throughout his life.

After initially studying pre-medical sciences, Noguchi chose the path of art and in 1927 moved to Paris to work in the studio of Constantin Brancusi. This formative period sharpened his understanding of pure form and material, ideas that would remain central to his work. Extensive travels during the 1920s and 1930s further expanded his outlook, exposing him to traditional crafts, ancient landscapes and non-Western concepts of space.

Although Noguchi began as a sculptor, he rejected rigid definitions of artistic disciplines. “Everything is sculpture,” he famously stated, considering any material or idea shaped in space to belong to sculpture. This philosophy led him to work across an extraordinary range of fields: stone and metal sculpture, furniture, lighting, stage sets and landscape design.

From 1935 onwards, Noguchi collaborated extensively with modern dance pioneer Martha Graham, designing more than twenty stage sets. These environments were conceived as active sculptural elements, enhancing movement and drama rather than serving as mere backdrops. Light, space and motion became inseparable components of his artistic language.

Noguchi ’s engagement with light as a sculptural medium deepened during and after the Second World War. Earlier experiments with internally illuminated sculptures—such as Lunar Infant —can be seen as direct predecessors of his later lighting designs. For Noguchi, light was not just functional illumination, but an emotional and spatial force, capable of transforming environments and human experience.

In parallel with his sculptural practice, Noguchi created influential furniture designs, including the glass-topped coffee table for Herman Miller and the Cyclone dining table for Knoll. These works share the same organic, sculptural logic found in his art.

By the time of his death in 1988, Noguchi had established himself as one of the most original and multidisciplinary figures of twentieth-century design. Today, his work is represented in major museum collections worldwide, and his ideas continue to influence contemporary art, design and architecture.

Akari Tripod Floor Lamp – 1950s Catalogue Picture

Akari Light Sculptures – Company & Production

The Akari light sculptures were conceived by Isamu Noguchi in 1951, following a visit to the city of Gifu, Japan —a region renowned for its centuries-old tradition of lantern making using bamboo and mulberry bark paper. During this visit, Noguchi was invited to help modernise the traditional paper lantern and introduce it to an international audience.

Noguchi named his creations Akari, a Japanese word meaning “light” or “illumination,” but also suggesting lightness and weightlessness. The written characters combine the symbols for sun and moon, perfectly reflecting Noguchi’s intention: to transform harsh electric light into something warm, natural and atmospheric, akin to sunlight filtered through shoji screens.

Since their inception, Akari lamps have been produced in Gifu by Ozeki & Co., a manufacturer specialising in traditional lantern craftsmanship. Production has remained continuous since 1951 and still follows largely unchanged, hand-crafted methods. Each lamp begins with the making of washi paper from the inner bark of mulberry trees. Bamboo ribs are stretched over carefully carved wooden moulds, forming the sculptural framework. Strips of washi paper are then glued to both sides of the structure.

Once dried, the internal wooden mould is removed, leaving a resilient yet lightweight paper form. This construction allows the lamps to be collapsed and packed flat for transport—an elegant fusion of practicality and poetry. When assembled, the paper softly diffuses the light source, eliminating harsh shadows and creating an even, ambient glow.

Noguchi deliberately avoided calling Akari “lanterns,” seeing them instead as light sculptures. Their forms range from traditional spherical shapes to elongated, angular, zigzagging or cloud-like silhouettes. Over time, more than 100 different Akari models have been introduced, including pendant, table and floor lamps, as well as the later UF series developed in the 1980s.

Initially, Akari lamps were met with scepticism in Japan, where critics considered them distorted versions of traditional Gifu lanterns. However, international recognition soon followed, and the lamps gradually became icons of modern design. Their combination of traditional materials, modern form and timeless warmth has ensured their lasting relevance.

Today, Akari lamps are still handmade by Ozeki & Co. in Japan and are distributed worldwide, remaining one of the clearest examples of how traditional craftsmanship can be reinterpreted through modern design without losing its cultural essence.