Isamu Noguchi Museum: Idea of ‘Place’

 

 

While travelling in the US, I went to the Isamu Noguchi Museum in New York. I have done research on him previously for my sculptures so I was very excited to see his sculptures in person.

I was absolutely astonished and overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of his work. It was actually a very moving and emotional moment for me, as I really felt like I understood what he was trying to achieve with his sculptures in creating an environment of his own. I watch a documentary about him and his work, which made me appreciate his work even more, and answered a lot of the questions I had about my own work.

The Zen garden and Japanese architecture influence in my work came from me growing up in Japan, however through watching his documentary I realised that as much as I am Japanese, I have a massive influence by the western culture which makes my work not just a contemporary version of a Japanese garden, but something that I can only create because of my bicultural background.

Noguchi Grew up in Japan as a child and moved to New York as a teenager. Studying to become an sculptor in New York and Paris in the 40’s, he was never comfortable in either culture as he was different from others. I can relate to this factor, however I can imagine how it was more significant 60 years ago.

His early work made in the 40’s and 50’s was critiqued as being common, or not original, which resulted in him going back to Japan his heritage, to gain inspiration of his own. A lot of his famous work is created after visiting Japan, as he based his sculptures from the natural elements of the Japanese landscapes and simplicity of living compared to busy and extravagant mid century style work in the US.

Noguchi’s  Japanese influence in his work is what made him so successful, but I appreciate that his work is not obvious or a direct translation of Japanese art or culture and that is what I want to achieve in my work as an artist. I want to keep my heritage close to me, although I don’t want my work to be all about Japan, as I think I can offer more through my western influences and the way I see both cultures simultaneously.

What moved me the most in my visit was Noguchi’s wish to make the museum his own place, where its nor Japan or the USA, it is his own place to be. After knowing that factor, it felt like I was in a different place; I entered a world of Noguchi. That feeling with no outer distractions was what I liked most about visiting this beautiful place. In terms of my Garden, ideally I want that virtual ‘wall’ for people to go into, to be in a place of my own.

In Alexander Calders Exhibition at Tate Modern, I felt that I was immersed into his world of sculptures and Mobiles, which made me forget about the outside world. Same with Ai Wei Wei.

In the degree show, I will be presenting next to other people, but if I ever do have a solo exhibition I hope that people will feel that they have entered a world of Anna Ling.

I saw these and was immediately drawn to them because it looks like my small maquettes! Next to the full scale sculptures, it is nice to see how they started out as.

The architecture of the museum was an art on its own – The outside and the inside were not completely divided but there were walls in-between which made me think of the ‘intermediate’ (of exterior and interior) of Japanese architecture.

I loved how the plinths were custom made for each piece, the wooden pieces were joined with no nails just like how traditional Japanese houses were made. I liked that it wasn’t on a white plinth, the wooden ones becomes apart of the object.

There was an outside garden area with his sculptures, which felt really close to me because of my project. The cherry trees and the bonsais were placed very strategically and blended in with the sculptures.

Bronze cast, just beautiful.

This was a table full of random bits of ceramic. Reminded me of what our material table might look like. Also reminds me of Anne Gibbs work. Everything was curated to beautifully.

 

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