Isamu Noguchi

To Tallness, 1981

• Manazuru stone and basalt with granite base
• 24" x 14" x 129"
• Courtesy of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation, Inc.
• At Brown: 2003 - 2006
• Installed on the Main Green

To Tallness was a powerful presence on Brown’s Main Green, when displayed from 2003 – 2006. Made of Manazuru stone, a material used for Japanese traditional ritual object, To Tallness stands solid and firm. It embodies timelessness of nature as well as the temporality of life. The organic curves are indexes of the artist’s hands working the stone. Noguchi worked in harmony with his materials to create understated yet moving works that show his mark but also pay homage to nature. At Brown, To Tallness was in conversation with the trees, the pathways, the buildings, and the movements of students across the green.

Noguchi collaborated with art practitioners working in a variety of disciplines, producing gardens, furniture, set and lighting design, ceramics, and architecture in addition to his sculptures. His style is reflected across his diverse body of work. During his travels throughout China and Japan during the 1930s, he learned about Zen meditation, calligraphy, ceramics, and garden design—all of which intensified his interest in form, space, and the environment.