Listening To Stone, The Life And Art Of Isamu Noguchi - Hayden Herrera - Thames & Hudson

This biography, assembled from correspondence, interviews and extensive research, is that rare thing: an invisible text. By this I mean that the writing is so direct, so self effacing in serving its subject, that the account it conveys feels like a direct memory. Herera has the skill to deploy words deftly enough that they carry information and nuance without leaving a trace of the author upon the subject. Noguchi's extraordinary life unfolds in all its unique and austerely formative strangeness. Every detail pours meaning into his body of work. There is not a moment of disconnect between his life and the pieces he created. Where art often results from the disjunction and conflict between an artist's life and the need to create, Noguchi's life seems like a blueprint for the work he created. If you are a fan of his sculptures and landscapes this book is essential and riveting reading, if on the other hand you are unmoved or baffled by them, Herera makes a compelling case for reexamination.