Isamu Noguchi (1904-88) was a New York-based sculptor who was also active in Japan and Europe. The works he designed were extremely varied and ranged from landmarks such as bridges and monuments to everyday household items such as utensils, coffee tables, baby monitors and lighting.

The name Akari means light in Japanese and the designs for the lamps are based on 'chochin', - traditional Japanese paper lanterns. Soon after, World War II, on his way to Hiroshima for a commission in 1951 for the Peace Memorial Park, Noguchi noticed ‘chochin’ in Gifu. This encounter sparked a creative impulse which was to last approximately forty years until his death whereby Noguchi produced more than 200 pieces of various shapes and sizes whilst repeatedly visiting Gifu. The city of Gifu had a thriving industry producing umbrellas and 'chochin'. By touring the Ozeki Jischichi Shoten factory (founded in 1891 as a manufacturer of ‘chochin’) Noguchi was able to gain a good understanding of the manufacturing possibilities and the materials that were used.

The Akari lamps are sculptures that are made of ‘Washi’, a type of handmade Mulberry paper and bamboo, which allow for a great deal of flexibility in the shapes that can be produced. They are lightweight and collapsible which allows for compact storage and distribution and are also simple for the user to assemble and install.

This lamp was acquired as part of the Shekou Project, an international partnership between the V&A and China Merchant Shekou Holdings (CMSK) to open a new cultural platform called Design Society in Shekou. It was included in the inaugural exhibition, ‘Values of Design’, in the V&A Gallery at Design Society in a section exploring cost and design for distribution.