An Exhibition Exploring the Amazing Life of the Japanese Paper Lantern

Until May, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Bordeaux is dedicating an exhibition to the Japanese paper lantern and its history. Known as ‘chochin’ in its native language, the paper lantern, mounted on a bamboo structure and dating back to the 11th century in Japan, has travelled through the ages but its aura and popularity have never waned. Sculptor and designer Isamu Noguchi decided to reinvent it in the 1950s through one hundred models which have now become somewhat of a cult, and experienced worldwide success.

Over the second half of the 20th century, the ‘Akari’ lamps (which means ‘light’ in Japanese) were themselves appropriated by mass market brands, for which they remain one of the flagship products (you need only wander around IKEA to see the proof of this). Through photo archives, sketches and models of lamps borrowed from different places around the world for the occasion, the museum looks back at the incredible life of this ordinary object and displays the work of designers like Ymer & Malta who continue its legacy.