Akari lamp – Vitra

Each luminaire is meticulously handcrafted in the workshop of Ozeki, a traditional family business based in Gifu. 

First, bamboo rods are stretched over the original wooden forms designed by Noguchi to form the frame that determines the shape of the object. 

Washi paper, derived from mulberry bark, is cut into strips to fit the size and shape of the lamp, then glued to the bamboo ribs. 

Once the glue has dried, the wooden form is removed and the shade can be folded. Akari Light Sculptures are packaged for shipping or storage in flat boxes specially designed for luminaires.

The hardness of electricity is thus transformed, through the magic of paper, into the original light - the sun - so that its warmth can continue to fill our rooms at night.

Akari light sculptures are marked with a stylized logo in the shape of a sun and moon, which also resembles the corresponding Japanese characters. This symbol guarantees the authenticity of each product. 

The work of Japanese-American artist and designer Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) is exceptionally varied. In addition to sculptures, he also created theater sets, furniture, lighting and interiors, as well as squares and outdoor gardens. 

As a sculptor, his interest was not limited to materials and forms, but also extended to spatial effects and interior design. 

Noguchi wanted his art to serve both practical and social functions, and his sculptural style exerted a lasting influence on the organic design idiom of the 1950s.