I have been a long-time admirer of Isamu Noguchi's work. When East End Western offered the opportunity to work with them & the Noguchi Museum I was very excited. We explored how children would have interacted with Isamu Noguchi’s beautiful but unrealized playgrounds for New York City.
The animation was painstakingly painted over 1,800 cels to achieve a textured world that would complement Noguchi’s playground casts and models. The many layers were then captured under a rostrum camera.
5 Videos in total were Produced as part of the exhibition
‘Noguchi’s New York' The Noguchi Museum February 4 — September 13, 2026 Curated by Kate Wiener, Noguchi Museum Curator.
Director: Nicolas Menard
& Jack Cunningham
Composer: James Hatley
Animator: Isaac Holland
Painting assistants: Niwakins, Loupie
Produced by East End Western