Taking Shape / The Akari Light Sculptures of Isamu Noguchi

On my recent trip to New York I was able to see Taking Shape:The Akari Light Sculptures of Isamu Noguchi exhibition curated by Adam Edelsberg for Wright. The auction already happened and was a major success. There was also a wonderful catalog produced. It written by Glenn Adamson, with an intro by Edelsberg. The collection included examples of the earliest Akari lamps produced from the 1950's through the 1970's. The fact that any of these early paper shades have survived is incredible. How Adam was able to assemble this many is a major testament of how good he is at what he does. 

Isamu Noguchi traveled to Gifu, Japan in 1951 where he visited the Ozeki lantern factory. He then started working on his own designs utilizing the craft. In 1954, Chuo Koron Gallery in Tokyo held the first exhibition of Noguchi’s Akari designs. Over the next decades Noguchi designed an incredible number of base and shade variations. 

The earliest Akari mark with just the sun and moon. Later Japan is stamped on the shades. The newer shades have Noguchi's signature.