Isamu Noguchi Akari mod.22N table lamp

Isamu Noguchi (1904 – 1988) was an artist, furniture designer, ceramicist, theatre designer and landscape architect. In 1951, he began designing Akari Light Sculptures – 100 of them – to reinvigorate the flailing craft of lantern making in Ozeki. Akari means ‘light’ in Japanese, suggesting luminous and weightless. Noguchi said of the series: “The harshness of electricity is… transformed through the magic of paper back to the light of our origin – the sun – so that its warmth may continue to fill our rooms at night.”

Akari lampshades were made by highly skilled craftspeople in the traditional way. A coiled wire frame is wrapped with hand cut paper glued to the frame. Each piece takes a considerable time to make.

The lamp is stamped at the base with the sun and moon symbol and Noguchi signature. The light has lots of age and patina, it holds a few small tears and the stand stands at a slight angle. The internal structure is slightly weakened to one side which is common with these lamps. Additional photos can be provided upon request. Rewired and PAT tested to UK standards.

H63 W42 D42cm

H041E