Year: 1982-1983
Medium: hot-dipped galvanized steel
Dimensions: 78.7 x 76.8 x 26.7 cm (31 x 30 1/4 x 10 1/2 in.)
Edition: No. 10 of 26 plus 1 Prototype, 5 Artist's Copies, 3 Publisher's Copies, and 1 Dedication Copy
Acquired from SBI Art Auction, 2026
This work is one piece from a sculptural series constructed through the cutting and assembly of steel plates. Although Isamu Noguchi is widely known for his stone sculptures, he also produced many important works in metal. The galvanized steel series to which this work belongs was created in collaboration with Gemini G.E.L.
, the renowned publisher that has worked with numerous major artists to produce prints and editioned works.
Noguchi continually explored ways of generating spatial volume from fundamentally two-dimensional materials. In this piece, components cut from flat sheets of steel are assembled into a three-dimensional structure reminiscent of folded origami. While the form readily evokes the image of a Zen monk seated in meditation, Noguchi was likely attempting not simply to imitate the outward appearance of zazen, but rather to give form to the concept and act of meditation itself.
As Noguchi deepened his understanding of Japanese culture, which formed part of his heritage, he came to identify the notion of “lightness,” inspired by Matsuo Bashō, as a central principle of his artistic practice. Even while working with heavy materials such as stone and steel, he pursued expressions that were light, luminous, and unforced. Zazen, one of the essential disciplines practiced by Zen monks, is often described simply as “just sitting.” By letting go of the attachments and restless thoughts that accumulate heavily within body and mind, one settles entirely into the act of simply being present. This work may thus be understood as a sculpture that gives form to the “lightness” found within that state of release.
