Water Stone, 1987—Installing Isamu Noguchi’s Iconic Sculpture | From the Vaults

Have you ever been curious to learn how works of art get into the galleries? Behold the trials, frustrations, and unique satisfactions of presenting art to the public. This short documentary follows the custom installation of Isamu Noguchi’s beloved sculpture Water Stone (1986) in gallery 229, where it still resides, and offers a special opportunity to witness a living artist interact with staff as their work is prepared for display. As part of The Met’s 150th anniversary in 2020, each month we will release three to four films from the Museum’s extensive moving-image archive, which comprises over 1,500 films, both made and collected by the Museum, from the 1920s onward. This includes rarely seen artist profiles and documentaries, as well as process films about art-making techniques and behind-the-scenes footage of the Museum. New films every week: