Designed
in 1947, Isamu Noguchi’s table is a relatively simple design that effortlessly
finds balance between sculpture and design. The table is composed of two
identical, pivoting wooden forms placed inversely from one another and a thick,
heavyweight glass top. The two inversely arranged pieces of wood are joined at
a single joint and form a self-stabilizing tripod support for the organic,
ovular glass top. In addition, the wooden forms are completely smooth and feature
the wood’s natural grain. The simple, yet effective design of the table
introduces an idea of sculpture to a seemingly everyday object. Bridging a gap
between design and sculpture, the table brought suggestions of natural form
into homes and offices all over the world.
The
Noguchi table’s fascinating history, unique design, and affiliation with
furniture giant Herman Miller, Inc. has resulted in the piece becoming an icon
of modernity deeply embedded in 20th century design history.
History: A Tale of Design Revenge
The
history of Noguchi’s table is a fascinating tale entrenched with themes of war,
internment, and revenge. Following the Pearl Harbor attacks by the Japanese on
December 7, 1941, the United States officially entered World War II. After
entering into the war, the United States took action against its own citizens
of Japanese descent when Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into effect Executive
Order 9066. This order forced over 100,000 Japanese-Americans on the West Coast
into internment camps. Noguchi had no obligation to relocate to the camps being
that he lived on the east coast; however, being a mixed-race American with
roots in Japan and Los Angeles, he strongly identified with the with the plight
of the interned Japanese-Americans. Noguchi made it his mission to improve the
living conditions of the interned Japanese-Americans by entering the camps to
teach arts and crafts as he arranged with a government official. Despite the
designer’s good intentions, life inside of the camps was much different from
what he had expected. His attempts at designing programing in addition to camp amenities
were stifled and ignored.
As a
voluntarily interned camp resident, Noguchi had the privilege of having
newspapers and magazines delivered to the camp. In an advertisement in one of
such publications, the designer was shocked to see an advertisement for English
furniture and interior designer Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings that featured
a table design strikingly similar to one of his own that he had prototyped at
an earlier time.
The
original design dated back to 1939 when Noguchi created a table for the
President of the Museum of Modern Art, A. Conger Goodyear. In the year
following, the designer made a simplified version of his design for Terence
Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings, the designer whose advertisement Noguchi encountered
in the camp. He made the furniture designer a small plastic model of the table
but had heard nothing more prior to his time in the internment camp. When he
left the internment camp in November 1942, Noguchi remonstrated Robsjohn-Gibbings
about his plagiarism; however, he responded saying that “anybody could make a
three-legged table.” According to Noguchi himself: “In revenge, I made my own
variant of my own table.”
Noguchi’s Design Tendencies and Herman
Miller, Inc.
Noguchi
approached his work with the ideology that “everything is sculpture.” In his
lifetime’s work, he designed a wide array of works ranging from furniture to
stage sets to gardens and plazas. In his design process, Noguchi was highly
interested in integrating sculpture into everyday life. His table is a perfect representation of this
mission. The table’s organic form bridged the gap between design and sculpture.
Composed of organic forms and smooth lines, the table brought natural form into
the modern home. Noguchi’s idea of art being infused into the everyday was
furthered by the relative ease of mass manufacturing the table. In 1947, Herman
Miller, Inc. began producing and retailing Noguchi’s table. The table’s
functional and simple design of only three parts made mass production a breeze.
In addition, because the table is only made of three distinct parts, it is
extremely easy to assemble. In fact, Herman Miller, Inc. originally marketed
the table as “knockdown furniture,” as it could be shipped unassembled and
easily assembled at its final location.
A Symbol of Modernity
The
Noguchi table also acts as a strong representational piece of modern design and
an especially unique take on mid-century modern furniture design. For instance,
the table makes no effort to conceal any part of its design. Each component
that makes up its final form is displayed without disguise. In addition, the
materials used to construct the table are true to themselves and do not seek to
disguise their natural appearance. The table also acts as a study in simplicity
of form - each of the three pieces of the table possess no ornamentation or
decorative elements. This simplicity of form allows for the sculptural quality
of the object to be transmitted clearly and universally. Ultimately, the design
manages to retain its simplicity and function while possessing sculptural
qualities. This interplay between sculpture and design sets the table apart
from its mid-century modern counterparts.
Legacy
Despite
designing a wide array of public work, furniture, stage sets, and more, Noguchi
believed that the table was his one and only true success. The table
successfully created a marriage between sculpture and design in a clean,
honest, and simple form while fulfilling the designer’s mission of integrating
sculpture into everyday life. The Noguchi table can still be purchased as
Herman Miller, Inc. continues to produce and retail the table. The iconic
design can also be found in museum collections in addition to homes and offices
all around the world.
Ultimately,
Isamu Noguchi’s table that came to life as the result of circumstances
revolving around war, internment, and revenge. It is uplifting to know that
circumstances so bleak can result in a design of such harmony and beauty.
Images via Herman Miller, Inc.
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