Japanese paper lamps by designer Isamu Noguchi
Light, bright and filigree like the light itself are the Akari -lamps by designer and artist Isamu Noguchi. For his Akari -In his first series he has created over 100 handmade light sculptures, which spread gentle calm and magical lightness.
The series of the Akari Light Sculptures includes, in addition to the probably best known variant, the spherical pendant lamp, further table, floor and ceiling lamps. The design lights have very different shapes, sometimes simple, sometimes experimental. What they have in common is that they are all made of fine shoji paper. Due to the white, robust paper the light is muffled and spread softly and evenly. The name is also chosen to match Isamu Noguchi's idea: Akari is the Japanese word for brightness and light, which also includes lightness.
More than 100 Akari -lamps has been designed by Isamu Noguchi since 1951. The impetus for the design lamps came from a visit to Japan. In the small fishing village of Gifu, Noguchi watched the fishermen at work. They not only use trained cormorants for hunting, but also lanterns to attract the fish. These lanterns had bamboo ribs covered with fine paper.
In these traditional Japanese lanterns Isamu Noguchi found inspiration for his own light sculptures. Wood and paper were the ideal materials for the designer to emphasize the sensitivity and lightness of light. Noguchi used the paper of the mulberry tree for his own lamps, because it distributes the light best.
Its Akari -The designer himself describes the light as follows: "The light of a Akari shines like the light of the sun, filtered through a shoji paper. The magic of the paper transforms the cool electricity back into the eternal light of the sun. So that its warmth can continue to fill our rooms at night." -Isamu Noguchi
Isamu Noguchi