The High Museum of Art in Atlanta presents "Isamu Noguchi: 'I am not a designer'," the first design retrospective of the Japanese-American sculptor in 25 years. Co-curated by Monica Obniski and Marin R. Sullivan, the exhibition features nearly 200 objects, including sculptural models, furniture for Herman Miller and Knoll, Akari light fixtures, and large-scale installations like Martha Graham's stage set for "Seraphic Dialogue" (1955). The show challenges Noguchi's own resistance to categorization by framing his multidisciplinary practice—spanning sculpture, design, architecture, and public art—through a design lens.
This exhibition matters because it repositions Noguchi's work within contemporary design discourse, arguing that his expansive view of sculpture aligns with today's broader understanding of design. By including unrealized projects, collaborative works, and interactive pieces, the show offers a revisionist history that highlights Noguchi's role as a multinational, interdisciplinary designer who shaped public life. It also underscores the ongoing relevance of his questioning of boundaries between art, function, and experience.