Isamu Noguchi

Playful sculptures and design classics

Rijksmuseum moves you outdoors this summer, to see the art of Isamu Noguchi. Today he is best known for design classics such as his Akari lamps, but he was also one of the leading sculptors of the 20th century.

For Noguchi, all things were part of a vast visual and expressive world. In his constant mission to push the boundaries of sculptural practice, besides sculptures he also made furniture, lamps, playground equipment, stage sets and complete gardens. His aim was always to let his sculptures speak to the space, sometimes with a touch of humour and a wry smile.

Ceramics and Akari lamps

You will find most of the more light-hearted works inside the museum. On entering you will see 30 of his iconic Akari light sculptures made of washi paper. Our Asian Pavilion is hosting a selection of his innovative ceramics. And on display in the Room from an Amsterdam Canal House is a rare chess table he designed for the 1944 exhibition The Imagery of Chess. To visit the museum you will need a ticket. Click here to order.

About Isamu Noguchi

The American-Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) is considered one of the most important modernist sculptors of the 20th century. He left an indelible mark on the art world through his innovative interpretation of what sculpture could be.

Noguchi travelled a great deal throughout his life, in the US, Asia and Europe. He found marble in Italy, became acquainted with ceramics in Japan, and experienced the impact of large public sculptures in Mexico – where he also had a brief relationship with Frida Kahlo. As the child of a Japanese father and American mother, his sculptures clearly reflect a global outlook in their multiplicity of styles and materials. He used steel, aluminium, cast iron, bronze, granite and wood to make work that ranges from realist to surrealist to entirely abstract.

Book

The catalogue accompanying the exhibition is titled Isamu Noguchi in the Rijksmuseum Gardens. It features contributions from Frits Scholten, senior curator of sculpture, and guest curator Alfred Pacquement.

Twelfth edition

Isamu Noguchi in the Rijksmuseum Gardens is the 12th exhibition in the annual series of free outdoor shows at the Rijksmuseum. Previous editions presented sculptural work by Henry Moore (2013), Alexander Calder (2014), Joan Miró (2015), Giuseppe Penone (2016), Jean Dubuffet (2017), Eduardo Chillida (2018), Louise Bourgeois (2019), Ellsworth Kelly (2021), Barbara Hepworth (2022), Richard Long (2023) and Lee Ufan (2024).

Milestone year for The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum

This exhibition takes place in a milestone year for The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, New York, as the institution celebrates its 40th anniversary. Through its ongoing programming, the Museum promotes creative exploration and reflection around the enduring legacy of Isamu Noguchi.

Thanks

The exhibition Isamu Noguchi in the Rijksmuseum gardens is made possible in part by the Don Quixote Foundation/Rijksmuseum Fonds, Pon and the Rijksmuseum Club.

Image

©The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum New York, c/o Pictoright Amsterdam 2025