Isamu Noguchi: The Triumph of Art over Adversity

One of the signs of a person’s greatness is when that person can set aside his or her ego and merge their talents with that of others in order to produce something truly great.  This was certainly the case when sculptor and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi joined with George Nelson, Paul László and Charles Eames to produce a catalog of what is considered to be the most influential body of modern classic furniture ever.  All men were already well respected designers and artists in their own right and Noguchi in particular contributed his talents by including his iconic table to this catalog, thus guaranteeing that he would have a place among the most influential modern classic furniture designers of all time.  Noguchi’s table would go on to become of the most seminal pieces of furniture produced in the modern classic style.  Isamu Noguchi table

However, as recognizable as Noguchi’s pieces are today, the journey for this American born artist was not an easy one.  Noguchi lived in a time when there was great suspicion and distrust towards people of Japanese descent due to Pearl Harbor and WWII.  Yet despite accusations by the FBI of espionage, Noguchi did not let these adverse conditions effect the quality of his art.  This is another sign of a person’s greatness.  Today, Noguchi is recognized for the visionary he was.  Today there is even a museum in New York City devoted to his work as artist and designer.  His ability to overcome adversity including the prejudice of the time and the suicide of a close friend, demonstrates the adverse conditions under which great art can be produced.  At Bauhaus2YourHouse we invite you to take a look at the many works of Noguchi and see for yourself why his table and others works are still in production.