These were some photos I took of the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City in the summer of 2019.
I didn’t really know much about Noguchi except he had designed a mass produced table that some people loved.
It was so great to see his process and how his mind worked.
Even though he had many pieces where he used several different mediums, the through line and evolution of his work cohesive and in harmony.
I especially loved seeing his sketches and ideas penciled on the page before he jumps into the materials. Pushing movement with materials that we mostly associate with stability and stillness (metal, wood, glass etc.)
The form follows his imagination, not the materials.
He draws freely and playfully and occasionally adding emphasis with darker markings.
I was also jazzed to see his collab with the famed modern dancer, Martha Graham.
Later on I found this interesting article in the New York Times which briefly discusses how he was an apprentice under the artist Brancusi and how Brancusi was an artist under Rodin.
Apparently the article ends with saying that Brancusi did not have a pleasant relationship with Rodin, however Noguchi had a fine mentor in Brancusi:
“Unlike his mentor, whose takeaway from Rodin was negative — Brancusi didn’t want to create sculptures like the great French sculptor or run a Beaux-Arts factory-studio — Noguchi’s apprenticeship provided a lifetime of lessons.
Brancusi was a tree under which an artist could grow.“
nataliekimNYC 