I have been fascinated by the work of Isamu Noguchi ever since studying it during my GCSE Art. Noguchi was a Japanese American artist, designer and landscape architect. His work is diverse, encompassing everything from Furniture to Playgrounds to Theatre Sets.
Whilst travelling around Japan this year, I made it a priority to seek out some of his works that are in the country (most of them are in the USA). And so, I ended up taking a 20 hour train journey North from Osaka, in Sapporo, home to Noguchi's final work 'Moerenuma Park'.
Until 1988, when the city's Greenbelt Plan took over, the site was being used as a landfill. Noguchi was commissioned to re-create it as a "park that is considered to be one complete structure". Although he died later that year, his designs had been completed and they were carried out posthumously, finishing in 2005.
I don't need to do a step-by-step description of the features of the park, you can see that here. So I thought I'd just share some of my photos of the Play Equipment, in which, I feel, Noguchi struck the perfect balance between sculptural beauty and function as child entertainment. From the choice of colours, to the use of common materials like concrete, I think the result works fantastically on many levels.
Very nice. For anyone who's interested and in the North, there is an exhibition of Isamu Noguchi's sculptures at Yorkshire Sculpture Park at the moment. I can't recommend the exhibition because I haven't seen it but the park is great and free to walk around.
Posted by: Anjan | 12 September 2008 at 08:34 AM
Maybe you like this as well. Totally different architecture-wise, but worth checking out:
http://www.artactif.net/dessauges/francais/cadre01.htm
Posted by: William | 15 September 2008 at 09:24 AM