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September 10, 2007
Visiting the Noguchi Museum
My day began with a bike ride. From Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to the museum, probably 15 miles give or take a few. I love biking through Brooklyn. Every 20 blocks you hit a different neighborhood, with a different ethnic prevalence. Probably not too dislike what Isamu Noguchi's life was like. Having been born in the US, raised in both the US and Japan, yet being accepted by neither. The major events of his life were likely more painful than any of the potholes I ran into on my way to the Pulaski Bridge.
Despite having so many of his project proposals rejected, being neither allowed in the US or Japan to undertake government funded projects on grounds of his nationality, Noguchi prevailed. Despite failure, Noguchi's works are nothing but soft, delicate, and natural.
The museum and its grounds were an excellent space to display his work. While I enjoyed the garden, probably one of the few landscapes Noguchi has completed, I thought it was a bit cluttered. I wonder if, or how it has evolved over time. I particularly liked the greenery which was planted, Japanese pine and American trees, representations of both his cultural backgrounds.
I found many of Noguchi's works difficult to understand. If I looked at the title of the piece, then back at the work, stood and furrowed my brow... I saw Noguchi's work as being highly abstract. In each work is a piece of Noguchi's philosophy. I couldn't hope to understand it in one viewing. On the other hand, I found his marble works easy to approach.
The marble itself is beautiful, and in many cases Noguchi is consciously crafting it into a shape. The "Sun at Noon", or its dark half are amazing. I love how Noguchi drilled holes and left their wake apparent. It is almost as if he wants you to see how he approached the stone. If only the museum had done a better job lighting these pieces so they could have come to life.
My favorite piece has to be "unmei". Many of Noguchi's works are titled in English, but this huge piece in the garden was not. Unmei in English means fate. Why did he name it "unmei" and not "fate"? Was he referring to the fate of his life or the rock's sculpting? Regardless, I felt a sense of fate as I looked down the deep corridor which had been carved through the top of the stone. There was only one path.
My path home was to jump on the tram across to 59th street, then back through Manhattan to Brooklyn.
Posted by Alexander at September 10, 2007 11:11 PM