celebrating hidden worlds: toshiko takaezu takes center stage at the noguchi museum

noguchi museum revisits a groundbreaking american artist

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum presents a major touring retrospective honoring artist Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011). Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within is the first major survey of Takaezu’s work in over two decades, opening at The Noguchi Museum from March 20th to July 28th, 2024, before traveling to several other locations across the U.S. Takaezu, an artist of Okinawan heritage born in Hawaii, was a leading figure in 20th century abstract art, and is best known for her ‘closed form’ ceramic vessels. These expressively glazed sculptures ranged from intimate pieces to large-scale installations that created immersive environments. By pushing the boundaries of the traditional vessel form, Takaezu transformed it into a three-dimensional canvas for artistic exploration. The exhibition will run this year during the city’s annual design festival, NYCxDesign 2024 — see designboom’s ultimate guide here!

Toshiko Takaezu with moons, 1979. photo: Hiro. Toshiko Takaezu Archives. © Family of Toshiko Takaezu

Worlds Within: Unveiling the Artist’s Process

As showcased at the Noguchi Museum, the artistic vision of Toshiko Takaezu extended beyond ceramics. She was a prolific creator who also produced paintings, weavings, and bronze sculptures. These diverse works were often displayed together, forming a captivating dialogue and enriching the experience of her ceramic pieces. Much like her friend Isamu Noguchi, Takaezu defied easy categorization, leaving behind a legacy of boundless creativity and inspiration for future generations.

This exhibition aims to reintroduce Takaezu as a major figure in American art. It will explore the evolution of her practice across seven decades, examining the depth and range of her artistic vision. A particular focus will be placed on the ‘worlds’ she created within her individual forms and expansive installations. The title, ‘Worlds Within,’ reflects the hidden spaces Takaezu believed were so vital to her work. She once stated that the most important aspect of her closed forms was ‘the dark space that you can’t see’ — a reference to the unseen worlds existing within each piece.

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024
photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

a Comprehensive Look at Toshiko Takaezu’s Journey

With the exhibition Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, curators at the Noguchi Museum will feature around two hundred objects from various public and private collections. This comprehensive show will highlight the development of Takaezu’s artistic journey, presented chronologically. Visitors will be able to trace her progression from early student works in Hawaii and at the Cranbrook Academy to her mature pieces created during her teaching years at the Cleveland Institute of Art and Princeton University. A wide range of Takaezu’s creations will be featured, including her signature ‘closed forms,’ Moons, Garden Seats, Trees, and select pieces from her monumental Star Series. It will also showcase a selection of her rarely seen vibrant acrylic paintings and weavings, alongside a bronze bell.

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024

photo © Nicholas Knight. Courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

The Hidden Dimension of Sound

Sound plays a surprising yet crucial role in Takaezu’s art. Many of her closed forms contain unseen ‘rattles.’ The exhibition will explore this hidden dimension through a range of multimedia elements, including videos, educational programs, and an interactive installation that allows visitors to experience these internal soundscapes firsthand.

Co-curator Leilehua Lanzilotti, a composer and sound artist, is creating a dedicated program for the exhibition. This program will include a concert, a stand-alone video installation, and a series of demonstration videos exploring the hidden element of sound in Takaezu’s work. These new works by Lanzilotti will also be released as an album on Innova Recordings, the label of the American Composers Forum, in Fall 2024. Lanzilotti states her excitement about ‘illuminating the hidden sonic landscapes of Takaezu’s closed forms‘ and her personal connection to the artist’s work. She hopes that her multimedia and musical contributions will inspire viewers to engage with Takaezu’s art with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024
photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum
installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024
photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum
installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024
photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024
photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

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installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024 photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024 photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024 photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

installation view, Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within, The Noguchi Museum, New York, March 20–July 28, 2024 photo © Nicholas Knight. courtesy of The Noguchi Museum

Toshiko Takaezu with work in her Clinton, New Jersey, studio, c. 1965. Toshiko Takaezu Archives. © Family of Toshiko Takaezu

Toshiko Takaezu with works later combined in the Star Series (c. 1994–2001), including (from left to right) Sahu, Nommo, Emme Ya, Unas, and Po Tolo (Dark Companion), 1998. photo: Tom Grotta. courtesy of browngrotta arts. © Family of Toshiko Takaezu

Takaezu holding a closed form, 1979. Toshiko Takaezu Archives. © Family of Toshiko Takaezu

project info:

exhibition title: Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within

artist: Toshiko Takaezu | @toshikotakaezufoundation

gallery: Noguchi Museum | @NoguchiMuseum

curators: Glenn Adamson, Kate Wiener, Leilehua Lanzilotti

on view: March 20th — July 28th, 2024

photography: © Nicholas Knight | @nicholasknightstudio

banner video: Leilehua Lanzilotti, closed form etudes, 2023. single-channel video, 46 minutes. directed by Leilehua Lanzilotti; music by Leilehua Lanzilotti; cinematography by Gahlord Dewald. courtesy of the artist.