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Lot Essay
"I love the use of stone, because it is the most...meaning-impregnated material. The whole world is made of stone... Stone is the direct link to the heart of matter--a molecular link. When I tap it, I get an echo of that which we are. Then, the whole universe has resonance" (Isamu Noguchi quoted in Valerie J. Fletcher, Isamu Noguchi : Master Sculptor, exh.cat, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 2004, p. 141).
A master of synthesis, Isamu Noguchi was able to seamless combine biomorphic forms with geometry, smooth carving with rough hewn surfaces and as in Moon Beam, create a densely monumental form with a strong sense of movement. Evocative of both architectural forms, and a human torso, Roof Beam is a masterful example of his work in stone. Noguchi's production in stone increased significantly after 1962 and he worked in granite, basalt, marble and onyx, among other media. This period saw the creation of some of the artist's best work, such as Roof Beam, 1967 and Bindu (executed circa 1966-67).
A sign of the work's significance is that it was formerly in the collection of Ailes Spinden, the artist's sister.
A master of synthesis, Isamu Noguchi was able to seamless combine biomorphic forms with geometry, smooth carving with rough hewn surfaces and as in Moon Beam, create a densely monumental form with a strong sense of movement. Evocative of both architectural forms, and a human torso, Roof Beam is a masterful example of his work in stone. Noguchi's production in stone increased significantly after 1962 and he worked in granite, basalt, marble and onyx, among other media. This period saw the creation of some of the artist's best work, such as Roof Beam, 1967 and Bindu (executed circa 1966-67).
A sign of the work's significance is that it was formerly in the collection of Ailes Spinden, the artist's sister.