The Akari 1AD Table Light by Akari light sculptures is handcrafted at the Ozeki workshop in Gifu, Japan. To create the unique ribbed shape, thin bamboo rods are stretched across the original wooden form designed by Noguchi. Then handmade washi paper from the inner bark of a mulberry tree is cut into strips and painstakingly adhered to the bamboo ribbing. Once the glue has dried and the shape is set, the wooden form is removed, resulting in a resilient paper form that can be collapsed flat.

• Original design by Isamu Noguchi in 1951
• traditional Gifu methods of construction
• Handmade washi paper from the inner bark of a mulberry tree
• Bamboo rods
• Can be collapsed flat
• Supported by a metal frame
• Handcrafted at the Ozeki workshop in Gifu, Japan

In 1951 Isamu Noguchi visited the town of Gifu, Japan, known for its manufacture of lanterns and umbrellas from mulberry bark paper and bamboo. Noguchi designed the first of his lamps that would be produced by the traditional Gifu methods of construction. He called these works Akari, a term meaning light as illumination, but also implying the idea of weightlessness. Today, Akari Light Sculptures by Isamu Noguchi are considered icons of modern design, displaying a harmonious blend of Japanese handcraft and modernist form.