Danh Vo: in Situ

Over the next several years, artist Danh Vo will transform the Found Space into an intimate social environment where visitors can slow down and spend time.

For the first phase, Vo has created structures that function as flexible display systems. The initial showcase features a selection of Akari light sculptures by Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi, complemented by an arrangement of tropical plants. The term Akari, meaning ‘light’ or ‘illumination’ in Japanese, refers to a group of more than 100 sculptural lighting designs that Noguchi created between 1951 and 1986. He drew inspiration from traditional lanterns made in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture using mulberry bark paper and bamboo. Akari sculptures are affordable works of art as well as functional lamps for the home. Noguchi’s diverse creative practice, spanning sculpture, design, and architecture, resonates with Vo’s interest in how objects carry multiple stories and meanings.