June 25, 2005
Paper Lanterns or "Akari Lamps"
Paper lanterns can add a unique look to a room. They have a long history, but Isamu Noguchi is the one credited with redefining the lanterns and bringing them to Western awareness. Noguchi was a Japanese American designer who enjoyed fusing Eastern craftsmanship with Western modern design. In 1951, he was asked to help revive Japan's paper lantern industry, and he created his first Akari Lamp ("Akari" is Japanese for "light"), more of a light sculpture than a lamp. The Akari paper lanterns' delicate shapes seem to float above their thin wire legs. The bodies are made from a collapsible spiral bamboo frame and strips of mulberry bark paper. Of the original 100 paper lantern designs Noguchi came up with, over 70 designs are still in production. They cost between $80 and $850 today.
