The Noguchi Table Jacob Mermelstein
“to order space is to give it meaning” ~ Isamu Noguchi
Noguchi alongside his piece “Slide Mantra” at the 1986 Venice Biennale where he was chosen to represent America.
Career and Influences Isamu Noguchi was a Japanese-American artist and architect who’s prolific career spanned six decades. Noguchi focused on sculpture, becoming an assistant to and learning from Brancusi in the late 1920s. Noguchi became very influential in his own right by the mid 1930s designing everything from public art to household goods such as chairs, tables, lamps, and more.
Noguchi’s famous coffee table was modeled after the “Goodyear table” which was co-designed by Noguchi and Brancusi for a MoMA exhibition in 1939. The biomorphic figures and mastery of materials which both Brancusi and Noguchi had become known for was boldly on display in the “Goodyear table”. These qualities were expanded on in Noguchi’s coffee table which went into production in the late 1940s.
Inspiration
Noguchi’s coffee table is perhaps his best-known work. First manufactured by Herman Miller in 1947 the coffee table has become synonymous with mid-century modern furniture being coveted by many.
Base Material Originally the table’s base was produced in walnut, birch, and cherry and later ebonized walnut.
Walnut
White ash
Birch
Ebonized Walnut
Cherry
However, the original cherry bases were made only during the first year the table was on the market and have been highly sought since. Birch bases were also discontinued in 1954 and as of 2016, the table is available in an ebonized finish, walnut, white ash, and natural cherry.
Carved from a single piece of wood the base of the table sits at a 52-degree angle with the two pieces balanced on each other while also being stable enough to hold the heavy glass which rests on top. The glass top balances on the base without looking strained or precarious, with the angle allowing the space around the table to breath.
The table is captivating, it fits effortlessly into living rooms without taking up too much space or attention. The base feels as if it comes out of the floor effortlessly and the wood looks malleable yet strong. The materials blend into one another perfectly. The thick glass which lays on top of the base juxtaposes the soft wood, grounding the table while also allowing the biomorphic base to shine. The base shapes the space around it elegantly bringing a level of sophistication while not becomeing controling or stuffy in a room.