37c Black Sun stamp

The 37-cent Isamu Noguchi commemorative stamps were issued on May 18, 2004, in Long Island City, New York. Derry Noyes of Washington, DC, designed the stamps.

The stamps honor sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Noted for merging Western and Eastern influences, Noguchi expanded the definition of sculpture with creations that ranged from portraiture and abstract sculpture to graceful meditation gardens and sprawling landscapes. Drawing no distinction between art and design, Noguchi also created furniture, theater sets, and other functional objects that demonstrated his desire to make sculpture useful to society.

The pane of twenty stamps features five different works by Noguchi: "Margaret La Farge Osborn," 1937; "Black Sun", 1960-1963; "Mother and Child," 1944-1947; "Figure," 1945; and "Akari 25N," circa 1968.

Reference: Postal Bulletin (April 15, 2004).

Scott Catalogue USA: 3859
mint

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Museum ID: 2004.2018.199