Isamu Noguchi, Play Sculpture - Photo © Léonard Pongo
Isamu Noguchi, Play Sculpture, 1982-86 © The Artist & The Noguchi Museum, 2022 - Photo: Tom Cornille
More about this work
There are no rules. For Isamu Noguchi, that is the only rule when interacting with his Play Sculpture from 1965-80, now appearing for the first time in Belgium. Touch the artwork, climb on it, have fun!
Noguchi saw his sculptures as tools that change our perception of the world. He made sets and props for ballet (Martha Graham), but also playgrounds, furniture and gardens.
The combination of functional, social and aesthetic elements is what makes this artwork so unique in his oeuvre. The attractive red coil invites people to get together, to play and to gather new experiences. The artwork connects people with the space in an uninhibited manner, giving new meaning to the place where it stands.
Often you are not allowed to touch sculptures. Noguchi reminds us that art is not only about contemplation, but also about active participation and amusement. For him, this climbable sculpture is a junction between the personal and the social, between the individual and the group.
Number 19 on the map.