1980s Akari Floor Lamp by Isamu Noguchi

Elegant Akari floor lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi in the early 1950s.

This sculptural light consists of a hand-formed washi paper shade stretched over a delicate bamboo rib structure, creating a softly rounded, lantern-like volume. The shade is supported by a slender bamboo stem, accented with wrapped details, and anchored by a painted metal foot. A discreet pull-cord switch hangs beneath the diffuser.

When illuminated, the washi paper emits a warm, atmospheric glow, revealing the subtle linear rhythm of the bamboo ribs. Noguchi designed the Akari series as “light sculptures,” blending Japanese craft tradition with modernist abstraction. The result is both functional lighting and poetic object, lightweight, tactile, and quietly architectural.

Stamped signature visible on the shade.

Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was a Japanese-American sculptor and designer whose work bridged art, architecture, and functional design. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Japan, Noguchi developed a practice that fused Eastern and Western aesthetics. Renowned for his biomorphic sculpture, landscape design, and furniture including the iconic Noguchi coffee table, he sought to dissolve boundaries between fine art and everyday life. His Akari light sculptures, begun in 1951, remain among his most celebrated works, embodying his philosophy of light as a medium of form and space.