Noguchi-Isms

Noguchi-Isms Synopsis

A compelling collection of quotations from the artist Isamu Noguchi, who left an indelible mark on modern sculpture, landscape architecture, and design

An icon of modern art, Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) was renowned for a singular style that he infused across his prolific work in sculpture, public gardens, and design, including furniture, lamps, and stage sets. He redefined the boundaries of modern art through a practice that was both deeply philosophical and materially inventive, and which expressed his belief in the virtues of stillness and simplicity, asymmetry, and a mindful turn from excess. Noguchi-isms is a collection of enlightening quotations by the artist, drawn from interviews, writings, and other primary sources, many housed in the archives of the Isamu Noguchi Museum in New York. Reflective and poetic, this collection offers a rich portrait of a singular creative force who reshaped the possibilities of modern art.

• "Everything is sculpture. Any material, any idea without hindrance born into space, I consider sculpture."
• "In the creation and existence of a piece of sculpture, individual possession seems less significant than public enjoyment. Without this purpose the very meaning of sculpture is in question."
• "The art of stone in a Japanese garden is that of placement. Its ideal does not deviate from that of nature."
• "I believe that it is through art that we now discern the new frontiers of mystery and perception. Is it possible that the time may be at hand when, others having faltered, the artist and the spirit he serves, may be welcomed? Soon the museum may turn into a temple."
• "When an artist stopped being a child, he would stop being an artist."