Isamu Noguchi: “Proposal for a UN Playground,” 1952
“Noguchi designed this playground for a portion of the United Nations complex on the East River in New York. The project was to be privately funded and located on property given a special international diplomatic designation. Nevertheless, Robert Moses (the authoritarian director of public works for the City of New York) was able to get the project canceled. Moses was Noguchi’s arch-nemisis in NYC having ridiculed his design for Play Mountain back in 1933. He continued to thwart any public park of Noguchi’s design from ever being constructed in New York. I believe Moses criticized this design as ‘dangerous’ and little more than a ‘rabbit warren’.”
Brett wrote:
Robert Moses was also the one who ran out the Brooklyn Dodgers, in due part, to his refusal to allow Branch Ricky to purchase land to build a new stadium.
Posted on 26-Sep-07 at 12:21 pm | Permalink
gina kay wrote:
great post. thanks
Posted on 28-Sep-07 at 10:26 am | Permalink
skookumchuck wrote:
if it had been built, it would now be the coolest skatepark in the history of the world. perhaps we should adapt some of his designs and install them at Burnside?
Posted on 28-Sep-07 at 10:44 am | Permalink
Richard Wanderman wrote:
Noguchi was a genius but maybe a bit too socialist for Moses who was a tyrant. Like you, I wish there was more Noguchi sculpture around outside of museums, his work is timeless and beautiful.
Posted on 30-Sep-07 at 6:55 am | Permalink
Andrew Raimist wrote:
I posted these images and related text to my Flickr photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/raimist) which requires links back to any reposting of images. Would you mind inserting a link to them ?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raimist/1398901801/
Posted on 23-Oct-07 at 11:56 pm | Permalink