Akari (lamp)
 A collection of Akari light sculptures at the Noguchi Museum | |
| Designer | Isamu Noguchi |
|---|---|
| Materials | Washi paper, bamboo, metal |
Akari lamps are paper lanterns designed by American artist and furniture designer Isamu Noguchi.
The lamps are made of washi paper and bamboo, and have been popular since the 1950s. Akari means "light" (both "illumination" and "weightlessness") in Japanese, and the lamps are a modern version of traditional Japanese lanterns. There are over 200[1] Akari iterations in different shapes, sizes and colors.
Akari lamps are an example of mid-century modern design.[2]
History
[edit]Isamu Noguchi was born to a Japanese father and American mother, and was raised by his mother in the United States and Japan.[3] He was a well-respected sculptor and artist by the late 1940s, but he struggled financially.[3]
On a trip to Japan in 1951, Noguchi visited Gifu, a town that specialized in making traditional paper lanterns.[4] The mayor of Gifu approached Noguchi and asked him to modernize the lanterns, which were growing obsolete with the rise of electricity.[5] Noguchi did so by redesigning the lamps to use light bulbs rather than candles, and using wire to make the shapes more sculptural.[6]
Noguchi viewed his new lanterns as works of art, rather than simple light sources, and called them Akari light sculptures.[7] They could be easily folded and shipped, and were an immediate success in Japan and worldwide.[1]
The lamps are still handmade in Gifu by the original manufacturer, Ozeki & Co.[8]
Design
[edit]
Akari lamps are handmade in Gifu using Mino washi paper and bamboo. The warm patina of the paper and the lamps' "idiosyncratically sculptural shapes" make them difficult to replicate.[9] To emulate the warm glow of high-end lanterns like Akari, some people dye white lanterns with tea.[10]
The lanterns come in a variety of shapes, from round or rectangular to resembling a banana or a television set.[11]
Reception
[edit]Akari lamps have been popular since their advent, and The Strategist called them a "shorthand for taste but not flashiness".[12]
Fans of Akari include painter Georgia O'Keefe[13] who had an Akari pendant lamp in her New Mexico home and filmmaker Mira Nair, who said in a 2002 The New York Times profile that she owned seven Akari lamps.[14]
A 2021 article by The Strategist profiled 41 Akari owners with photos of the lamps styled in their homes. The owners praised the lamps' coziness and simplicity.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Martin, Hannah (18 June 2017). "Why Isamu Noguchi's Lanterns Are So Beloved". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
- ^ Schwab, Katharine (2 March 2018). "The Secret History Of The Paper Lantern Lamp". Fast Company. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b Mayeda, Olivia Cruz. "How a minimalist paper lantern is a symbol of Asian American identity". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
- ^ "History of Akari Light Sculptures". Noguchi Museum. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
- ^ Rawsthorn, Alice. "Isamu Noguchi's lamps got art and practicality on the same wavelength". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
- ^ "What is Sculpture?" (PDF). Noguchi Museum. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
- ^ Reif, Rita. "Noguchi's Lamps: Not Just for Light But Floating". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ Voon, Claire (28 May 2018). "How Noguchi Sculptures Inspired the Paper Lamps We See Everywhere". Artsy. Retrieved 28 October 2025.
- ^ Rawsthorn, Alice. "Isamu Noguchi's lamps got art and practicality on the same wavelength". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Joson, Jullia (24 March 2024). "This hack instantly elevates the look of £2 IKEA paper lampshades using this kitchen cupboard essential". Ideal Home. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Ro, Lauren; Schwartz, Erin (7 June 2023). "Steal My Noguchi". The Strategist.
- ^ a b Ro, Lauren; Erin, Schwartz (7 June 2023). "Steal My Noguchi". The Strategist. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Digest, Architectural (18 June 2017). "The Story Behind Isamu Noguchi's Lanterns". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Louie, Elaine. "POSSESSED; The Art At the End Of a Lamp Cord". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 November 2025.