A framed photograph of a black and green color field — Opticks 138, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152 x 152 cm]

Online

Mar 14–Aug 15, 2020

Fraenkel Gallery is pleased to present Hiroshi Sugimoto: Opticks, an exhibition of new large-scale photographs on view for the first time in the U.S. The images depict the color of light Sugimoto observed through a prism in his Tokyo studio. Using Polaroid film, he recorded sections of the rainbow spectrum projected into a darkened chamber, paying particular attention to the spaces and gaps between hues. The resulting works, each measuring approximately 5′ framed, are vivid, near-sculptural renderings of pure light. This online presentation, and the exhibition in our gallery space, will be on view until August 15, 2020.

Vertical image of rainbow colors, red at the top to indigo at the bottom — Opticks 156, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152 x 152 cm]

Color image of framed color photograph depicting a gradient of blue, green, and black in bleached wood frame — Opticks 158, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

Color image of artist with polaroid camera taking photo of light refracted through prism — The making of Opticks, Hiroshi Sugimoto in his studio, Tokyo. Courtesy of The Artist, photography by Yoshio Suzuk

Color image of framed color photograph of color gradient depicting yellow and black in bleached wood frame — Opticks 195, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

A framed photograph of a color field that is forrest green in the center and dark green at each corner — Opticks 040, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152 x 152 cm]

Framed color photograph of a gradient of green and purple light. — Opticks 228, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

Color image of artist cropping polaroid prints in studio — The making of Opticks, Hiroshi Sugimoto in his studio, Tokyo. Courtesy of The Artist, photography by Yoshio Suzuk

Color image of polaroids of color gradients on wood table — The making of Opticks, Hiroshi Sugimoto in his studio, Tokyo. Courtesy of The Artist, photography by Yoshio Suzuk

Color image of framed color photograph depicting color gradient of red and black in bleached wood frame — Opticks 142, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

A framed photograph of a color field gradient going from green at the top to yellow at the bottom — Opticks 051, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152 x 152 cm]

Color image of framed color photograph depicting color gradient of green and black in bleached wood frame — Opticks 085, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

Color image of framed color photograph depicting color gradient of black and blue in bleached wood frame — Opticks 080, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

Color image of three framed color photographs depicting gradients of red, yellow, and blue each framed in bleached wood frames — Opticks triptych, 2018

chromogenic print, 60 x 60 inches (each framed) [152.4 x 152.4 cm]

Looking at light through his own prism, Sugimoto notes:

“I too had my doubts about Newton’s seven-colour spectrum: yes, I could see his red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-violet schema, but I could just as easily discern many more different colours in-between, nameless hues of red-to-orange and yellow-to-green. Why must science always cut up the whole into little pieces when it identifies specific attributes? The world is filled with countless colours, so why did natural science insist on just seven? I seem to get a truer sense of the world from those disregarded intracolours. Does not art serve to retrieve what falls through the cracks, now that scientific knowledge no longer needs a God?”

Hiroshi Sugimoto: The Infinite and the Immeasurable, courtesy of Christie's.

Duration: 00:03:53

Explore – Hiroshi Sugimoto: Opticks

Ask About the Works in this Exhibition