Isamu Noguchi: The Sculpture of Spaces (53:00)
“One day…I had a vision: I saw the Earth as sculpture.” Isamu Noguchi often said that the space around a thing is as important as the thing itself. This program shows Noguchi turning landscapes into participatory works of art as it follows in dramatic detail the struggle to bring his ideas to fruition at Miami’s Bayfront Park and at Moere Numa Park, outside Sapporo. His austere sets for Martha Graham, which helped define modern dance, and his UNESCO garden in Paris, which shaped earth, water, and greenery into a series of multisensory surprises, are featured as well. A brilliant glimpse of an artist at work. (53 minutes)
Sculpture Gardens (04:07) Sculptor Isamu Noguchi describes his art, sculpture gardens in Japan, and his vision of space and sculpture. His UNESCO garden in Paris is an "homage to the Japanese garden."
Childhood of the Artist (04:31) Sculptor Isamu Noguchi creates sculpture gardens to "humanize space and sculpture." Noguchi's childhood holds many clues to his interest in sculpture gardens and to his feelings of isolation.
Noguchi Sculpts and Designs Stage Sets (03:41) In Paris and in the U.S., the young Noguchi is plagued by poverty. To make a living, he sculpts heads, including the head of Martha Graham. Archival film footage shows Noguchi's minimalist sets for Martha Graham's productions.
Miami Welcomes Isamu Noguchi (03:34) In 1980, Isamu Noguchi is commissioned to redesign Miami's Bayfront Park. A retrospective of his sculptures reveals his artistic versatility and vision.
Artistic Creativity vs. Municipal Restrictions: Bayfront Park in Miami (04:21) Sculptor Isamu Noguchi convinces Miami officials to accept his vision of Bayfront Park. This segment features construction of the park and its features, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Isamu Noguchi's Water Sculpture (02:50) Sculptor Isamu Noguchi experiments with different media such as water to create a new manifestation of an approach to sculpture. His EXPO '70 fountains in Osaka and others demonstrate how he delineates space around his sculptures.
Isamu Noguchi's Playground Sculpture (01:60) Sculptor Isamu Noguchi's "Black Water Mantra" exemplifies the artist's commitment to create something useful for people. This sculpture provides joy and delight for the children of Sapporo.
Isamu Noguchi: Water Sculpture (02:21) This segment features sculptor Isamu Noguchi's "Water Stone." It demonstrates that nothing in nature is perfect--yet Nature is perfect in its imperfections.
Isamu Noguchi's Sculpture Garden in Jerusalem (03:47) Isamu Noguchi's Billy Rose Sculpture Garden in Jerusalem, Israel, is acclaimed for its sensitivity to the spirit of the Holy City.
Noguchi Sculptures in Jerusalem (03:45) Sculptor Isamu Noguchi explains the relationship between a human and the sculpture he or she observes. Viewers of this segment take a tour of the sculptures in the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden.
Residence and Gardens of Isamu Noguchi (04:10) This segment features the Japanese residence of Isamu Noguchi and the gardens surrounding it. The gardens consist of metal, stone, grass, and earth in what the artist calls "a celebration of life."
Isamu Noguchi's Final Work (04:03) In 1988, Isamu Noguchi draws the master plan for the 400-acre Moere Numa Park in Sapporo, Japan. Working with 3-dimensional models, Noguchi imagines himself within the spaces of the park.
Reminiscences of a Great Artist (02:36) Friends of Isamu Noguchi talk about the great artist's love of solitude and of his home at Mure.
The Artist's Vision (02:50) Aerial views of Moere Numa Park under construction reveal the extent of Isamu Noguchi's vision. The park is itself a journey into a different realm of his sculpture, and it stands as a monument to his tenacity and vision.