Akari lamp light sculptures by Noguchi

Part sculpture, part source of illumination, Isamu Noguchi’s Akari lamp and light sculptures have been quietly transforming interiors since 1951. Handcrafted by Japanese artisans using traditional washi paper, each piece combines weightless delicacy with sculptural presence.

We spot one in the Wallace house in Pulp Fiction and again in Devon and Ricken’s mid-century haven in Severance — specifically the Model 22N floor lamp and the Akari UF3-L6 Lamp. These appearances underline what Noguchi himself intended: lighting that isn’t just functional, but part of the architecture of a space.

The Japanese-American artist and designer (1904–1988) refused to be boxed in by discipline. His oeuvre spanned sculpture, stage sets, furniture, lighting, interiors, and landscapes — always with an eye to how art could serve practical and social functions. With the Akari series, he distilled his organic design philosophy into luminous forms that cast a soft, ethereal glow while doubling as sculptural works of art.

Today, Noguchi’s Akari lights remain some of the most celebrated examples of 20th-century design — graceful, versatile, and endlessly relevant.

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