Museum Visit: The Noguchi Museum

Amy Feezor — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:59:09 +0000

Sculptor Isamu Noguchi‘s relationship with Herman Miller began when one of his designs helped illustrate “How to Make a Table,” an article written by our then-Design Director George Nelson. That design became Noguchi’s well-known — and well-balanced — coffee table, originally introduced in 1947 and later reissued in 1984 (see it in our store here).

This artist’s diverse body of work ranged from furniture and gardens, stone-carved designs and lighting, playgrounds and plazas, and even stage sets for dancer-choreographer Martha Graham. He used any medium he could get his hands on: stone, metal, wood, clay, bone, paper, or a mixture of it all. “Everything is sculpture,” he said. “Any material, any idea without hindrance born into space, I consider sculpture.”

Today you can experience much of this work at the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, NY. Conceived and designed by Noguchi himself, the gallery is located in a 1920s industrial building across the street from where the artist had established a studio in 1960. The space contains a permanent collection of works selected and arranged by Noguchi, as well as an outdoor sculpture garden — a serene oasis in the middle of a very busy city. Take a look inside the museum with a selection of photos from our recent visit.

Pieces on the first floor of the space were chosen and arranged by Noguchi himself.

Eames Molded Plastic Chairs provide seating in the cafe and gift shop.

The outdoor garden is a welcome oasis.

The Noguchi Museum is located at 9-01 33rd Road, Long Island City, NY 11106. Get details, including more info on its upcoming exhibit “Hammer, Chisel, Drill: Noguchi’s Studio Practice,” at noguchi.org.

Photos: Amy Feezor. Used with permission from the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum.

Herman Miller blog: Lifework » Noguchi Museum

Museum Visit: The Noguchi Museum