©2024 zofiakierkus









// the critical place














 
‘Noguchi’ Barbican Centre

London, UK
30.09.2021 - 23.01.2022

https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2021/event/noguchi



24/04/2022
written by: Zofia Kierkus


(...) The other strategy is to create the narrative of the story, immersive for the viewer so the sentimental attachment is achieved. If the viewer is being ‘activated’ to look at the subject in a different way, the perception changes, yet the critical response might be activated as well. The essence of the mechanism of questioning what the audience is seeing, is in understanding that what is watched, needs its context. This might include historical and cultural background, but what I found most effective is to relate to the work through the lens of our personal experiences. “The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe.” Berger (1972, p. 8) Relating to our beliefs, experiences and values, is creating our personal meaning, through which we might form the commitment to the process of perceiving the artwork, similarly as we create the commitment to the objects, by our rituals and circumstances attached to them. Schouwenberg (2011, p. 196)

‘Noguchi’ at Barbican Centre in London is the biographical exhibition of the Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Going through his artistic career, the narrative led us gradually through parts of his life. Immersive, but brief descriptions explained his approach and process of creating. The central space was embraced by few rooms on the ground floor and half-open rooms on the first floor. Creating integrated space, evoked the feeling of safety. Dimmed lighting composed with silence, led to the effect of calming humming and calmness. The warm lighting made the sculptures, objects, lamps and paintings objects ready “to be felt”. Their form, structure, material became the point of interest and reflection about them was allowed by the space left between the particular objects and silence or low music played in particular parts of the exhibition. It was all about the essence of things. Sensory perceiving combined with the process of attaching our personal meaning to the objects form, materials and stories was a very effective technique to evoke the spectator response.





Noguchi at Barbican Centre
personal photography