Authors of 'the Life of Isamu Noguchi' Reschedule Book Reading-Lecture to March 18 at Japanese American National Museum

Masayo Duus and Peter Duus, who collaborated on the biography, The Life of Isamu Noguchi: Journey without Borders, have rescheduled their book reading and lecture at the Japanese American National Museum to Saturday, March 18, at 2 p.m. The program, "An Enduring Odyssey: Masayo and Peter Duus Talk About the Life and Times of Isamu Noguchi", had be scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 19, but illness forced its postponement.

Masayo Duus wrote the biography of Noguchi in Japanese, which was originally published in 2004, the 100th anniversary of his birth. Peter Duus, Masayo's husband, is a historian and he did the English translation for the biography. Noguchi is considered one of the great artists of the 20th Century as he broke down the barriers between fine and the applied arts by designing sculpture, furniture, gardens, monuments and ceramics. Born as Sam Gilmour to a Japanese father, Yonejiro Noguchi, and an American mother, Leonie Gilmour, Noguchi spent his life expressing his bicultural heritage in his work, often fusing together elements and aesthetics from East and West.

This program was organized as part of the installation of the international traveling exhibition, Isamu Noguchi – Sculptural Design, which was organized by the Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany, in cooperation with the Isamu Noguchi Foundation Inc., New York. The exhibition design and visual concept by Robert Wilson were developed at the Watermill Center on Long Island, New York.

As the exhibition makes clear, Noguchi had a wide variety of interests. He created over 2,500 sculptures, designed stage sets for choreographer Martha Graham, invented furniture for Herman Miller and developed his own style of landscape architecture all over the world. He often traveled to Japan, seeking to explore his father’s world and collaborated with many Japanese artists.

All Isamu Noguchi - Sculptural Design public programs are free with admission to the exhibition. Seating is first-come, first-served. Reservations are recommended. All programs are free for National Museum members, unless otherwise noted. For non-members, public programs are included with admission to the Noguchi exhibition ($12 adults, $9 seniors 62 & over, $8 students). Children five and under are free. For more information call (213) 625-0414 or go to www.janm.org.