Photo: Mark Blower
Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine (until Jan 7) is the largest survey to date of the internationally renowned photographer, who over the last 50 years has created some of the most alluringly enigmatic images of our time – precisely crafted, deeply thought-provoking, familiar yet tantalisingly ambiguous. Featuring key works from all of his major photographic series, this survey highlights the his philosophical yet playful inquiry into our understanding of time and memory and the ambiguous character of photography as a medium suited to both documentation and invention. The exhibition also includes lesser known works which illuminate the artist’s interest in the history of photography as well as mathematics and optical sciences.
Often employing a large format wooden camera, mixing his own darkroom chemicals and developing his black and white prints by hand, Sugimoto has repeatedly re-explored ideas and practices from 19th century photography, including subjects such as dioramas, wax figures and architecture. In the process his work has stretched and rearranged concepts of time, space and light which are integral to the medium.