Friday, August 10, 2007

Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum

This is the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum located on the edge of Astoria, near the East River in Queens. It is not on the regular tourist route but sometimes, art enthusiasts will trek across the river from Manhattan to see the small but distinctive collection of Isamu Noguchi's work.

Noguchi (read about his life here) may not be a household name among great American-born artists but most of us have seen two of his most famous works (or derivatives of them), which are the paper screen lanterns/lamps and the Noguchi table.

This is one of my favorite museums in NYC because it is small and manageable, and never crowded. Of course, nothing beats MoMA or the MET, but the Noguchi Museum is in a special class of its own.

Who are your favorite artists OR where is your favorite museum?

17 comments:

Olivier said...

un autre flatiron building ;o) cette architecture est superbe , mais je ne connais pas le musée. A NYC mon musée preferait c'est le Whitney Museum, pour la salle en hommage à Hopper. Je te souhaite un bon weekend



another flatiron building ;O) this architecture is superb, but I do not know the museum. With NYC my museum preferred it is Whitney Museum, for the room in homage to Hopper. I wish you a good weekend

Anonymous said...

Favorite museums? In NYC, I guess it would have to be the Met or MOMA because my parents always took me there when I was little and they hold so many memories for me.

Otherwise, I, too, prefer smaller museums that have a specific focus such as the Cloisters, the Musée d'Orsay and the Mauritshuis.

I've never been to the Noguchi, but based on your recommendation, I'll try to get there soon.

stilettoheights said...

I have a soft spot for the Currier Gallery in Manchester NH, as I was lucky enough to study art history there and we got to roam around the museum for free and before it opened to the public...lovely.

though my real favorite museum is the MFS in Boston, and I can't pick a fave artist...it changes with my mood

Chuckeroon said...

...always living and learning. More discoveries about NY Tks Ming.

Annie said...

I do like these flatiron buildings so much.

I'm a big fan of the Hirschorn in D.C. I just can't seem to stay away.

Anonymous said...

thanks for introducing Noguchi.. i've always wondered who created the paper screen lamps, they've been rather popular in Kuching.

Shammickite said...

Pardon my ignorance but I have never seen that table design before, however, I do like it!
My favourite museum was the little Museum in Ilfracombe, North Devon, England, where I lived as a child, and my favourite exhibit was a kitten with two heads pickled in a jar! I could stand and look at that kitten for hours. Fascinating!

Peter said...

Thanks for teaching me this! These designs are certainly well known and must have been copied a lot..., but I did not know the man behind.

Kunterbunt said...

An great photo of an interesting museum. Even the architecture attracts the eye.-
My favourite painters are the French impressionists who are mostly represented in Paris. But there is a small museum here, too (near Cologne) which I like very much. It's Max-Ernst- museum. Max Ernst, the great dadaist.

GMG said...

Glad to get some time to land back at your blog. I've never been to Noguchy's Museum, but I must confess that NYC is mostly Manhattan for me... Anyhow, I believe I've seen some pieces at the MoMA!
Have a great weekend!

stromsjo said...

Interesting-looking building. Not sure that I have a favorite artist although I’m fascinated by Yves Klein (the guy with his own patented blue color). Our Moderna Museet is a good candidate in my case. I bet MOMA is quite something, never been to NYC.

lv2scpbk said...

The front of the building looks so skinny.

Sunkyoung said...

Interesting-looking building. It's great to have one's favourite museums and galleries which are not too much famous nor crowded.

I love the works by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, Johannes Vermeer, Keith Haring, Rene Magritte, Edward Hopper and Banksy. My favourite gallery is Tate Modern in London.

Fabrizio Zanelli said...

Uhm my favorite artist is and remain Vincent Van Gogh (but I love Klimt and Warhol too). My favorite museum is and remain Guggenheim of NY & Venezia and Tate Gallery :-)

• Eliane • said...

I've been at the Noguchi Museum when my parents were visiting from Belgium last Christmas. With the cold weather a bit on the blizard side that day, the area really felt desolate. But what a great reward when we got there.
Favorite museum? I have to say the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, since I am a w.e. tour guide there. But I always have a great time going to the MoMa, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the Frick, ... So much to discover and learn!

TCho said...

that's funny. i was at the Noguchi museum a couple wks ago.

Z said...

I didn't know there was a Noguchi museum. There was an exhibit of his work at one of the museums on the Mall in DC, and I really enjoyed that. I would have to say that area is my favorite place for museums. When I lived in Maryland, I would just stroll through (no entrance fees) them. It was great, and I miss it.