Noguchi Museum

Noguchi Museum Visit

           

            I had not previously seen the work of Noguchi before visiting this museum, and overall it was an enjoyable exhibition. The variety of materials in his work was well balanced, showing he experimented with many ways of making rather than sticking with one thing he knew well. This amount of experimentation is very healthy for artists as it keeps them from getting stuck repeating the same type of work over an d over. An artist can certainly concentrate in a specific area or medium, but a certain amount of variety keeps the viewer interested across and exhibition. However, Noguchi also knew how to popularize his art. By creating his interpretations of traditional Japanese lanterns, he created art pieces that were not expensive collectors’ items but accessible to the general public. This is important for many artists as it connects them to a wider audience than if every piece is a unique object destined for a glass case somewhere.

            In addition, the organization lent itself to meandering and pausing around the work rather than exhibiting in what often seems like a hallway lined with works. That type seems to be quite common and almost encourages strolling past works rather than allowing for real observation and thought. There appeared to be separation by type rather than in a chronological manner, with the lanterns grouped together and the stone works in another section, which allowed for comparison of his work across the years. Another important feature was the gallery for temporary exhibits. Even though the museum is dedicated to Noguchi, having a space for other artwork offers a great opportunity for comparison.

            The other exhibition of Gonzalo Fonseca’s sculpture was, to me, a highlight of the visit. It was a fitting complement to Noguchi’s own work in that each had a way of making a stone seem both natural and altered by human hands, but still act as one piece. Noguchi dis this by experimenting with leaving natural fracture surfaces and working his way up to a smooth, almost mirror shine on separate areas of one stone. Fonseca’s approach involved the creation of intricate markings and carved out spaces that implied human construction but remained connected to their monolithic origins. These small carvings lent themselves to inhabitation, bringing the observer in to imagine what the space would feel like if one were small enough to walk through it. Much of these carvings were inspired by the carved-out structures of stone quarries that Fonseca had seen in his traveling in Europe. I personally was enthralled by these works as it reminded me of similar structures I would create out of clay soil. The clay was easily shaped and I dug trenches, sunken rooms, staircases, and roads into the slight hills of the yard, sometimes accented by bits of stone, brick or wood. 

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