Museum Visit: The Noguchi Museum

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. Read more