Interpretation
Theater stages and seascapes are the subjects of two of Sugimoto’s most iconic series, each of which balances a tightly focused picture with a composition bordering on geometric abstraction. Sugimoto made these series using a large-format camera that captures details in high resolution, yet he also created each exposure over a period of hours— during the full run of the movie or a voyage out to sea. Each photograph thus records the movement of light over time, merging all the details of that period. By eliminating the expected dramatic subject of the scene, Sugimoto’s pictures open the narrative possibilities to the viewer’s imagination.
Information
- Title
- Sea of Japan, Hokkaido I
- Object Number
- x1988-121
- Medium
- Gelatin silver print
- Dates
- 1988
- Dimensions
- image: 41.8 × 54.3 cm (16 7/16 × 21 3/8 in.) frame: 65.5 × 83.4 × 3.8 cm (25 13/16 × 32 13/16 × 1 1/2 in.)
- Credit Line
- Museum purchase, gift of Robert Gambee, Class of 1964, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
- Culture
- Japanese
- Place depicted
- Asia, Japan, Sea of Japan from Hokkaido
- Techniques
Feedback
The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.
Want to use an image from the Museum's collections? Review our image use and access policies.