Isamu Noguchi – Skyviewing Sculpture – React. Research. Execute!

BACKGROUND

Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) was an internationally acclaimed sculptor, and his works have been featured and displayed in many high profile locations, including Rockefeller Center. Noguchi was born in Los Angeles to an American mother and a Japanese father, and this mixed heritage is thought to have played a comprehensive role in his works as he balances duality of identity. Noguchi’s work can be characterized with a mixture of abstract expressionism and modernism, drawing from both American and Japanese artistic traditions. Noguchi’s work delves into simplistic and contemporary aesthetics that proves to be more than just abstract but as conceptual pieces of design.

Portrait of Isamu Noguchi, circa 1935. Photograph by George Platt Lynes

THE SCULPTURE

The Skyviewing sculpture sits proudly on the red brick of Western Washington University’s red square, providing ample contrast with its dark color and sharp lines. The sculpture was installed in 1969, and it profoundly addresses the connectivity between man and nature. From inside the sculpture the viewer’s gaze is directed through the three frames created by the open sides of the sculpture. Through these holes are three unique views, one looks at a piece of the old bricks of Bond Hall and the sky above, another a view of several of the campus’ beautiful trees with a backdrop of the sky, and the third a view of a different set of trees and the Humanities Building.

It’s monolithic nature lend to its geometric construction, exhibiting emphasis on form and minimalism.

OUR WORK

What we wanted to do with our creative interpretation of Noguchi’s Skyviewing sculpture was address the themes of man’s connectivity with nature which are evident in the piece, by abstracting that concept and exploring other realms of connectivity. One of the things we most appreciated about the piece is the way it compels you to interact with and see your environment in a new way. We chose to create a digital collage to see what other realms of connectivity and abstraction we could view in a new light, from the perspective of the sculpture. By having the colorful and chaotic collaged works placed in the holes of the sculpture, the viewer can obtain a completely new perspective. The stark hunks of steel develop into frames for the collaged works. The organic curves and sharp lines aid in the abstraction of the image.