Award-winning illustrator Emily Hughes offers a luminous picture book
about the life of renowned Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi.
Isamu Noguchi is one of the most important sculptors of all time. His
Akari lamps changed the way modern buildings light their space. But
before he was important, he was a kid. This is his story.
Noguchi was a Japanese American artist who gave the world light. The
world, however, was not always so giving in return. Growing up
mixed-race, born in the United States but raised in Japan, Noguchi found
himself perceived as an outsider who did not belong in either country.
Unable to identify fully as either Japanese or American, he conceived of
himself as a snail, capable of retreating into his creative shell when
the world did not embrace him. Through his art, the Snail could shape,
hold, and create light--to conquer the darkness without.
Poetic and searing, heart-wrenching and exquisite, Emily Hughes's paean
to creativity explores emotions ravaged by a history of Japanese
incarceration, the effects of personal isolation, and the power of art
to heal those wounds.
RENOWNED ARTIST: Isamu Noguchi's art is everywhere. You have likely seen
it without knowing he was the artist--or even that it was art!
IMPORTANT TOPIC: This book uses art and history to discuss mixed racial
identity, making a difficult topic more accessible to young readers.
STUNNING VISUALS: Hughes's illustrations are rich and evocative of the
grace, power, and ephemerality of nature. Light and dark, complex yet
simple, her art and storytelling echo the dual identity of Noguchi
himself.
PERFECT GIFT FOR ART LOVERS: The subject and the beautiful visuals make
this book the ideal gift for art students, art enthusiasts, and
museumgoers of all ages.
Perfect for:
- Parents and grandparents
- Fans of Isamu Noguchi
- Fans of contemporary art
- Teachers and librarians
