Akari Light Sculptures

In 1951 Isamu Noguchi visited the town of Gifu, Japan, known for its manufacture of lanterns and umbrellas from mulberry bark paper and bamboo. Noguchi designed the first of his lamps that would be produced by the traditional Gifu methods of construction. He called these works Akari, a term meaning light as illumination, but also implying the idea of weightlessness. Today, Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi are considered icons of modern design, displaying a harmonious blend of Japanese handcraft and modernist form.