The Noguchi Museum To Present 40th-Anniversary ‘Against Time’ Exhibition

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As a dedicated fan of Isamu Noguchi’s art and the history behind his unique museum, I am thrilled to learn about the upcoming exhibition at The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, titled “Against Time: The Noguchi Museum 40th Anniversary Reinstallation.” This showcase is a must-see for anyone interested in Noguchi’s remarkable career and the intriguing story of his museum.

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum are unveiling a fresh exhibition, titled “Defying the Clock: Noguchi Museum’s 40th Anniversary Display, starting August 28, 2024, and continuing until September 14, 2025. This exhibition, overseen by Matthew Kirsch, will present a carefully chosen assortment of Isamu Noguchi’s sculptures and project designs from the museum’s archives, in anticipation of its 40th anniversary in 2025.

Instead of using wall labels to identify the artworks at the exhibition, we use the catalog “The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum” (published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1987) as a reference. After Isamu Noguchi’s passing in December 1988, the binding of this catalog was used to signify the museum’s permanent collection.

In the initial setup, Noguchi showcased groundbreaking works from both before and after his relocation to his Long Island City studio in the ’60s. Thirteen years later, he acquired the print engraving factory next door and turned it into a museum of his early days. The ground level displayed his latest sculptures, while the upper level offered a retrospective exhibition that recounted the story of his artistic journey.

Noguchi designed the second-story galleries in his Museum to provide context for the ambiance he built, according to Kirsch’s statement. His installations weren’t just a narrative of his career but rather an exploration of recurring themes: transformation, mortality, fragility, weightlessness, erosion, and humanity’s relationship with nature. Additionally, these galleries hinted at the wealth of ideas for Noguchi’s unrealized environmental, park, and garden projects, which he continued to develop, modify, and enhance in his later realized works.

In an upcoming change at the museum, over sixty works will be showcased, including Noguchi’s initial abstract sculptures made of wood and brass, his portrait busts, and other stone marbles. Have a peek at some of the highlighted items displayed above.

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2024-07-15 21:56