In most cases, photography clarifies and sharpens reality, bringing the captured subject into greater understanding. Legendary Japanese shutterbug Hiroshi Sugimoto’s unique photos not only show a pure artistic vision, but his work heightens the essence of his subject to the point that an exaggerated hyper-realism is achieved. The resulting photographic renderings, due to his unique use of light and his interesting choice of subjects, appear enhanced or altered. Whether it’s his rich dioramas depicting scenes of animals in their habitat from the National History Museum that are so scarily real you can’t tell whether the pictures were taken of live animals, to his unique brand of minimalism like his haunting interpretation of a New York landmark in his iconic piece Chrysler Building that shows the well-known skyscraper in a softer and diffused spectral light. Beginning Saturday, July 7, the de Young Museum will host Hiroshi Sugimoto’s first major retrospective of 120 black-and-white photographs taken from 1976 until the present. The exhibition features many of his well-known works as well as photographs from more recent projects. Come to the exhibit, which ends September 23, and witness Hiroshi Sugimoto’s unique talent for making the mundane seem sublime.

Hiroshi Sugimoto
de Young Museum50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr., 415-750-3614
July 7-September 23