Begin main content:

noguchi

Stone Conversations : Archive 9 : Message 00115

From: "George Graham" <georgergraham@zzzzzzzzzzz>
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 17:55:19 -0400
Subject: noguchi


M.Frank said,
ot to burst anyone's bubble, but although Noguchi did much of the work on

Quoted text begins.his sculptures himself early on in his career he had craftsmen do the bulk
of his
work later. Noguchi considered himself an artist-designer as well.
End of quote.


Maybe those who are just now discovering Noguchi could assume that he did
everything with no help. The fact that he worked very closely with master
craftsmen in Japan is documented and those people are given the credit they
deserve in the publications I have.
The question has come to my mind that I'm sure comes to us all. When I'm not
strong enough to all my own work, do I stop , even though my ideas seem to
get bigger and better?
Noguchi and Moore were able to continue making sculpture into their 80's
because they had talented artists and craftsmen working for them. Was the
power and energy of their work watered down because of outside help? In my
opinion Noguchi's work is not weakened and his work is clearly his own.
I watched a show on Goldsworthy's installation in the National Gallery of
Art in DC. He had 2 or 3 stone stackers doing the bulk of the work at his
direction. There were times on that job and others where he would do some
serious wall building, but to his amusement, when he would leave, the
craftsmen would always redo his work. The relationship between artists and
those who work for them at best is a case where the finished piece is
greater then the sum of the parts.
I hope I did't butcher up that idea, but this computer is a dull chisel in
my hands.
George Graham
http://www.grahamsculpturestudio.com

End of main content.
Begin local navigation menu:
End of local navigation menu.

©1998-2006 About Stone. Designed, maintained and hosted by Diversity Studio.

Mail converted by MHonArc 2.6.16 08 July 2006