Contemporary and Classic Modern Furniture

Classic Modern Furniture by Isamu Noguchi

How does one sculpt space? How do objects give form to the surrounding emptiness? This puzzle creates a theme that runs through the work of Isamu Noguchi. It is not one he attempted to solve, but like the Zen master, posed the question in different ways. One of the great sculptors of the 20th century. He also sought to bring sculptural qualities to the many objects he designed for common use. Foremost a sculptor, Isamu Noguchi softened the edge of 20th century modernism with his satisfyingly organic furniture designs. The son of a well-known Japanese poet and an American writer, Isamu Noguchi grew up in the tumult of WWII, during which he often shuffled between the U.S. and Japan. Simultaneously influenced by Eastern tradition and Western innovation, Noguchi’s work bridges the cultures and artistic heritages of Japan, the U.S. and Europe like no other artist of his generation.

Noguchi Table	Noguchi Free Form Ottoman	Noguchi Free Form Sofa	Noguchi Prismatic Table
The Noguchi Table conceals nothing; reveals everything about the nature of simplicity. Two simple, smoothly shaped pieces interlock to form a tripod that supports a 3/4" thick slab of transparent glass.	Foremost a sculptor, Isamu Noguchi softened the edge of 20th century modernism with his satisfyingly organic furniture designs. His sought-after classic Free Form Sofa and Ottoman (1946) have been newly reissued by the Vitra Design Museum in partnership with the Isamu Noguchi Foundation.	A statement-making piece, the sofa has a grandly scaled, open form that accommodates multiple people. The design is lightly padded and provides a firm seating surface for public spaces and formal living rooms.	The aluminum Prismatic Table (1957), the last piece of furniture that Noguchi designed, is an example of his return to the medium in the 1950s, during which time he created both functional and fine arts objects out of metal sheeting. Evoking the Japanese art of origami, the table features carefully bent and folded angles that lend dimension and a sense of solidity to the design

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Last modified: August 18, 2008