My Akari

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ (text-colour:white)+(background:white)[... ...] (t8n-arrive:"dissolve")+(t8n-time:1s)[[<img src="my_akari.gif" width="300">->Akari-1]] ]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[= ^^Isamu Noguchi's^^ ''Akari Light Sculpture'' (text-colour:white)[ ...] [<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="180"> ] ^^(background:#FFE5D4)[[Noguchi->Noguchi]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[Light as Sculpture->Light as Sculpture]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[Functional Art->Functional Art]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[On Imitation->On Imitation]]^^ (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[[References->References]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[On Imitation->Akari]] (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] (text-colour:#e66953)[''(align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[“Plagiarism, of which I have been a constant victim, is not as painful when a thing is copied outright as when it is distorted and vulgarized in an attempt to disguise the theft” ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 27->References]])]''] (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] [<img src="risbyn.jpg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Risbyn, 2021 ([[IKEA->References]])] (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[(align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^Many people are familiar with the paper lamp, either from their own inexpensive lighting solutions found in their city’s Chinatown or even a dollar store, or through the various options available at the closest Ikea, where many inspirations (or imitations) of notable designers can be found.^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^“Japanese paper lanterns had been copied for decades, before Akari came along. That’s part of the reason the industry was struggling so much in the first place. And Noguchi’s influence hasn’t been able to stop the (background:#e5fff3)[mass-produced mimicry]. Akari have been copied again and again—(background:#e5fff3)[most famously by Ikea]” ([[Schwab, 2018->References]]).^^] [[<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="50" onmouseover="this.src='akari_line_p.jpg'" width="50" onmouseout="this.src='akari_line.jpg'" width="50">->Akari]] ]]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Isamu Noguchi->Akari]] (text-colour:white)[...] [<img src="isamu_portrait.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[//Frontispiece//, The Artist with Lunar ([[Noguchi, 1968->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ (link-reveal:"▼")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^<a href="https://www.noguchi.org/isamu-noguchi/biography/" target='_blank'>Isamu Noguchi</a> (1904–1988) was a Japanese American artist who worked largely in sculptural mediums. He was born in America to an American mother and a Japanese father – he lived his life in both places, as well as various other locations around the world. His worldliness formed part of his identity, or perhaps lead to a constant state of identity flux, “perhaps choice, too, is chance, like the rolling of dice. With my double nationality and double upbringing, where was my home? Where my affections? Where my identity? Japan or America, either, both – or the world”? ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 11->References]]).^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[ [<img src="noguchi1.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 51, Lunar Infant, 1944 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 70->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ (link-reveal:"▼")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^<a href="https://www.bfi.org/about-fuller/biography" target='_blank'>R. Buckminster Fuller</a>, friend, fellow creator and genius (seriously, <a href="https://www.mensafoundation.org/about-the-mensa-foundation/foundation-voices/foundations-50-year-history-portends-growing-support/" target='_blank'>he was a member of the Mensa Foundation</a>) recognizes Noguchi's creative practice: (background:#e5fff3)["Noguchi is a scientist-artist]: that is, he is one of the rare (background:#e5fff3)[intuitive, original question askers and responders]. He might well have become a scientist within one of the well-known categories, instead, he tacked off time and again seemingly broad angles from the well-known courses held, not only by academic scientists, but by all conventionally talented artists of both the traditional and modern schools" ([[Fuller, 1968, pp. 7-8->References]]).^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[ ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ [<img src="grid.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 57, Cutouts 1945 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 74->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ [[<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="50" onmouseover="this.src='akari_line_p.jpg'" width="50" onmouseout="this.src='akari_line.jpg'" width="50">->Akari]] ]]]]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Light as Sculpture->Akari]] (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] (text-colour:#e66953)[''“Looking more fragile than they are, //akari// seem to float, casting their light in passing…”''] [<img src="lamp.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 207, Akari, 1951-1966 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 197->References]])] (link-reveal:"▼")[ (link-reveal:" #1943")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^Noguchi first started exploring (background:#e5fff3)[light as sculpture] through creations he called //lunars//, they were made with varying materials of aluminum, plastic and paper – similar to //akari// but less consistent, and without the essence of “(background:#e5fff3)[...a true development of an old tradition]” ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 33->References]]) – the Japanese tradition is evident with the bamboo and washi paper construction of //akari// that came later in 1951.^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[ ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ [<img src="lunar.jpeg" width="480">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 194, Lunar Lights, 1944 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 190->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ (link-reveal:"▼")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^“I thought of sculptures in which the light source was integrally imbedded. More and more we live indoors; perhaps soon in the atomic age, we will all live in caves. Already the outdoors is missing where much of the sculpture should be seen. They are indoors and artificially illuminated. Thus I felt it reasonable to conceive of self-illuminating sculptures... (background:#e5fff3)[I thought of a luminous object as a source of delight in itself – like fire it attracts and protects us from the beasts of the night]” ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 27->References]]).^^] (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] [[<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="50" onmouseover="this.src='akari_line_p.jpg'" width="50" onmouseout="this.src='akari_line.jpg'" width="50">->Akari]] ]]]]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Functional Art->Akari]] (text-colour:white)[...] [<img src="furniture.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 191, Dining-Room Table For William A. M. Burden, 1948 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 188->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ (link-reveal:"▼")[ (text-colour:#e66953)[''(align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[“It is clear that I often craved to bring sculpture into a more direct involvement with the common experience of living…Why should the artistic imagination be so contained, or be unequal to the broadening scope of our world awareness?” ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 159->References]])]'' (link-reveal:"(text-colour:black)[▼]")[ [<img src="akari.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 205, Akari, 1951-1966 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 196->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ [[<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="50" onmouseover="this.src='akari_line_p.jpg'" width="50" onmouseout="this.src='akari_line.jpg'" width="50">->Akari]] ]]]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[= ^^Isamu Noguchi's^^ ''Akari Light Sculpture'' (text-colour:white)[ ...] [<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="180"> (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[ (link-reveal:" #1951")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^''Akari'': a collection of light sculptures made of bamboo, washi paper and metal wire. Designed by the Japanese American sculptor, Isamu Noguchi.^^] (link-reveal:"▼")[ ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ [<img src="noguchi.jpeg" width="500">] (text-colour:#a1a1a1)[Plate No. 92, View of Studio at 33-38 10th Street, Long Island City, 1961 ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 101->References]])] ^^(text-colour:white)[...]^^ (link-reveal:"▼")[ (align:"<==>")+(box:"X")[^^"The name //akari// which I coined means in Japanese light as illumination. It also suggests lightness as opposed to weight. (background:#e5fff3)[The ideograph combines that of the sun and moon.] The ideal of //akari// is exemplified with lightness (as essence) and light (for awareness). (background:#e5fff3)[The quality is poetic, ephemeral, and tentative.] Looking more fragile that they are, //akari// seem to float, casting their light in passing. They do not encumber our space as mass or possession; if they hardly exist in use, when not in use they fold away in an envelope. They perch light as a feather, some pinned to the wall, others clipped to a cord, (background:#e5fff3)[and all may be moved with the thought]" ([[Noguchi, 1968, p. 33->References]]).^^] (text-colour:white)[^^...^^] ^^(background:#FFE5D4)[[Noguchi->Noguchi]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[Light as Sculpture->Light as Sculpture]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[Functional Art->Functional Art]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[On Imitation->On Imitation]]^^ ]]]]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[References->Akari]] (align:"<==")[ ^^ Fuller, R. B. (1968). Forward. In I. Noguchi. //Isamu Noguchi: a sculptor’s world// (pp. 7-8) Foreword. Harper & Row. (text-colour:white)[ ...] IKEA. (n.d.). //Risbyn LED ceiling lamp, white, 20" (50 cm)//. IKEA. <a href="https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/risbyn-led-ceiling-lamp-white-30464456/" target='_blank'>https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/risbyn-led-ceiling-lamp-white-30464456/</a> (text-colour:white)[ ...] Noguchi, I. (1968). //Isamu Noguchi: a sculptor's world.// Harper & Row. (text-colour:white)[ ...] Schwab, K. (2018, March 2). The secret history of the paper lantern lamp. //Fast Company//. <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90162330/the-secret-history-of-the-paper-lantern-lamp" target='_blank'>https://www.fastcompany.com/90162330/the-secret-history-of-the-paper-lantern-lamp</a>. ^^] (align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[ (text-colour:white)[ ...] ^^(background:#FFE5D4)[[Noguchi->Noguchi]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[Light as Sculpture->Light as Sculpture]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[Functional Art->Functional Art]] / (background:#FFE5D4)[[On Imitation->On Imitation]]^^ (text-colour:white)[ ...] [[<img src="akari_line.jpg" width="50" onmouseover="this.src='akari_line_p.jpg'" width="50" onmouseout="this.src='akari_line.jpg'" width="50">->Akari]] [<img src="Fair_Use.jpg" width="800">] (text-colour:white)[ ...] ]]