Skyviewing Sculpture (1969) – Isamu Noguchi

Who is Isamu Noguchi?

Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was an American-born artist and sculptor, originally hailing from Los Angeles, CA- though he lived in both Japan and Indiana for most of his formative years. Noguchi has Irish, Japanese, and American heritage. Initially, Noguchi was primarily interested in pre-medicine; which he studied at Columbia University in New York. However, he quickly became interested in sculpture through his own pursued passion, which eventually lead him to study modernism and abstract-ism in Paris, France. Throughout his life and his work, Noguchi also seemed to have a strong, underlying interest in nature and the natural form. Noguchi believed that the use of sculpture was key to understanding the human struggle with nature.

About the “Skyviewing Sculpture” and “Skyviewing Series”

The “Skyviewing Sculpture” was Noguchi’s creative way of combining elements of minimalism, nature, geometry, and traditional architecture. Noguchi worked hard to combine elements from both “East” and “West” by drawing on different cultures for inspiration; such as ancient Greco-Roman and Egyptian architecture. Noguchi also incorporated the Japanese tradition of celebrating various seasons, such as “snow viewing” or “blossom viewing.” The Skyviewing sculpture is truly a unique mosaic of new and old, and has a clever way of engaging the audience with nature.

This interest in the passage of time or “viewing” is what inspired the creation of “Skyviewing Series.” When the viewer gazes through each “window” of the “Skyviewing Sculpture”, they see a portion of the sky. As a viewer, you could even imagine watching the seasons change or night fall as you gaze through the sculpture up to the sky. The Three times of day (day, sunset, and night) in the “Skyviewing Series” signifies the the three windows of the Skyviewing Sculpture.

Biblography

“Biography.” Biography | The Noguchi Museum, The Noguchi Museum. Web.

Clark-Langager, Sarah, and Michiko Yusa, editors. Isamu Noguchi. Western Washington Publishing Services, 2004. Print.

Hunter, Sam. Isamu Noguchi. Seattle: Bryan Ohno Gallery, 2000. Print.

“Isamu Noguchi.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 23 July 2015. Web.

“Skyviewing Sculpture – Isamu Noguchi .” Rachel Alexander, React Research Execute, 12 May 2017. Web.

Group Members

Megan Meadows and Bjorn Stai