Hiroshi Sugimoto: Abandoned Theaters

“People misunderstand that the end is not coming. It has already begun.”

– Hiroshi Sugimoto 

Sugimoto’s Abandoned Theaters continues the artist’s exploration of theaters, which he began documenting in the 1970s. This series captures the state of disuse and disrepair of his longtime subjects. A rumination on time, Sugimoto creates each image using a long exposure based upon the length of the film the artist chooses to screen at the theater. Abandoned Theaters exemplifies Sugimoto’s multilayered practice: the films he chose reflect on the theaters themselves, allowing for a site-responsive form of curation.

Black-and-white photograph of an empty abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black-and-white photograph of a glowing blank white screen against a water tower and city night skyline
Black-and-white photograph of an derelict abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black-and-white photograph of an empty abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black-and-white photograph of an empty abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black-and-white photograph of an empty abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black-and-white photograph of an empty abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black-and-white photograph of an empty abandoned theater with a glowing blank white screen
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