Akari 22N by Isamu Noguchi

The Akari 22N is distinguished by its gentle, vessel-like silhouette — a rounded body that swells softly at the center before tapering into a narrower top. This balanced, almost ceramic form gives the piece a warm, sculptural presence, more like a hand-thrown object than a traditional lamp. Crafted from washi paper stretched over fine bamboo ribbing, the shade filters light into a smooth, even glow that feels intimate and grounded. Resting on a minimal black metal tripod, the 22N rises lightly from the floor, propagating a calm, ambient warmth that settles gracefully into any space. Elegant, tactile, and quietly iconic, it embodies Noguchi’s belief that light is a form of living sculpture.

L:42cm

H: 63cm

*As a Japanese model, using this standing lamp requires a step-down voltage converter or a local lightbulb.

About the Artist

Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988) was a Japanese-American artist and designer celebrated for his sculpture, architecture, and lighting designs. Born in Los Angeles and raised between Japan and the United States, Noguchi studied under modernist influences while maintaining a deep appreciation for Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship.

He began designing his iconic Akari light sculptures in the early 1950s, combining traditional washi paper and bamboo with modernist forms to create functional art that blurs the line between sculpture and lighting. Noguchi’s work is renowned for its minimal elegance, organic forms, and the poetic interplay of light and shadow, making his pieces timeless icons of 20th-century design.