Best of Friends: R. Buckminster Fuller and Isamu Noguchi May 21, 2006

The conceptual basis for the exhibition ?Best of Friends? will be to document through text, sculptures, photographs, drawings and models the close friendship and shared values of R. Buckminster Fuller and Isamu Noguchi. Each in his own way was dedicated to improving the lot of the common man, to enhancing and encouraging the development of individual initiative and to raising his appreciation and awareness of the role of the individual in society.

Fuller?s approach was not to try to improve man but rather to improve the environment through the advances in the sciences and technology. In 1927 as he stood on the shores of Lake Michigan despondent over the death of his first child which he blamed on his inability to provide adequate shelter, he contemplated committing suicide but decided he did not have the right to take his life and throw away all the knowledge he had gained. He resolved to dedicate his life to humanity and to put it to use improving man?s ability to cope with his environment and to be able to provide an adequate standard of living for everyone. He emphasized the common good over selfishly motivated actions and wrote, ?The possibility of the good life for any man depends on the possibility of realizing it for all men. And this is a function of society?s ability to turn the energies of the universe to human advantage.? This exhibition will show models and drawings of artifacts designed by Fuller together with Noguchi?s contribution to these artifacts and works by Noguchi with Fuller?s influence on these designs.

Noguchi?s approach was to emphasize in his work the responsibility of the artist to society. As he wrote in his application to the Guggenheim Fellowship, ?In the creation and existence of a piece of sculpture, individual; possession seems less significant than public enjoyment. Without this purpose the very meaning of sculpture is in question?. He also wrote ?a new relationship between sculptor and society should evolve, a relationship at once more creative and rewarding, one to the other.? His approach was focused more on man?s spiritual and intellectual needs as opposed to his physical well-being. Noguchi?s artistic bent was augmented by his interest in science; he studied as a pre-med student at Columbia University before dedicating himself to becoming a sculptor.

Both men wanted to serve humanity. Both strived in their respective way to support and encourage the vision and dream of the other to make this world a better place for mankind.

Official Website: http://www.noguchi.org/exhibitions.html