Students View on the Sculpture:

Music: “My Dearest Transcribed” by Animenz

What was/is the artist’s original intent?

“Noguchi provides here a subtle union of two creative forces – man and nature”(University Public Art Collection, 25).Because “[…] in Japan the circular disk represents the sun and is a symbol of creation” Noguchi incorporated the cutouts into the cube so as the viewer interacts with the sculpture and walks inside of it, their eyes will be directed towards the cut outs and the sky itself. (University Public Art Collection 25) His intent was to unite both the viewer and nature by using the upwards motion of the tilted cube and the cut outs to turn the cut-outs into focal points of the sculpture. By doing so, it forces the viewer to actually look at the sky and subtly unite man and nature.

What information can you tell us about the artist?

According to The Noguchi Museum, Isamu Noguchi was a sculptor who lived from 1904-1988. Though he had an American mom and a Japanese father, he was born in Japan and didn’t move to the United States until the age of 13. He took up evening sculpture classes while he was pursuing pre-medicine at Columbia University, then left to become an academic sculptor instead. While working at Brancusi’s studio in 1927-1929, Noguchi’s artwork began to become a mix of modernism and abstraction, “infusing his highly finished pieces with a lyrical and emotional expressiveness, and with an aura of mystery”. His work was not widely recognized in the United States until 1938 and the early 1940s, however due to the Pearl Harbor bombing and hatred that thus rose against Japanese-Americans, Noguchi was inspired to become a political activist. His feelings and thoughts on World War II can be seen to be expressed through his work at this time in exhibitions including the “Fourteen Americans” in 1942 at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

What other works is this artist known for?

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, now known as the Noguchi Museum is considered one of the works of art that Noguchi is known for. However, many of his other works are featured around New York, New York as well. These works include a site-specific sculpture, Red Cube (1968) is also a tilted cube similar to the Skyviewing Sculpture, but it is painted red steel with different colored steel circles on various sides. Unidentified Object (1979) can also be found in New York, New York and is a Basalt sculpture, while the Sunken Garden (1961-1964) can be found in the Chase Manhattan Bank Plaza within New York City as well. On a national level, the Bolt of Lightning…Memorial to Ben Franklin (1933-1984) showcased itself in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania while other of Noguchi’s artwork can be seen on an international level such as Mu (1950-1951) in Tokyo, Japan and UNESCO Gardens, Paris (1956-1958) featured in Paris France.

What period was the sculpture made in and how did that influence its creation?

Created in 1969, the year when United States made the very first moon landing and also the year of Vietnam War reflects the purpose and structure of the sculpture. With the sculpture being incorporating this technological advancement as well the national conflicts, displays the influence of these in its structure and “purpose” of the sculpture. The Basic cubic shape, placed asif tossed on the ground like a dice but also having the circular windows that the give the cube a purpose. 1969’s was the rise of more abstract and message pass throughs for the artists. Isamu Noguchi was one the artist who followed the abstract design with the cube and by creating the  circular windows that overlook the sky, allowing the audience to interact with the nature.  

What is the current research and/or data suggest about the sculpture?

Researching into the sculpture and the artist, there is currently no such research and/or data. Most of the information regarding the sculpture is through Western Washington. That research and data suggests that Isamu Noguchi being from japan, brings the significance of the circle into the sculpture and uses it literally to look for the sun/ the sky. This also explains that Isamu Noguchi intends to bring human and nature together. Some scientists and mathematicians also believe that the placement of the sculpture and the circular windows have a mathematical logic behind them. These theories and mathematics are available, but are far beyond average human’s capability to understand.

Credit: Emily Truong, Nicholas Shiraishi, Sanskruti Kuravalli
Research Information: Noguchi Museum