Changing and Unchanging Things: Noguchi and Hasegawa in Postwar Japan

Sculptor (and landscape architect, and theatrical-set and furniture designer) Isamu Noguchi was an emblematic figure of the 20th century art scene, who crossed between two different cultures. He studied the ideas and philosophies of the Western art movement and the traditional arts of Japan. In the 1950s, Noguchi came to Japan for his first visit in 19 years and had a fateful encounter with fellow artist Saburo Hasegawa. The two became friends as Hasegawa served as a mentor and guide to the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Japan. The focus of this exhibition is the bond between the two artists, in which the Yokohama Museum of Art is presenting 50 works by Noguchi alongside the 70 works made by Hasegawa that were created during the years of their association in the 1950s.