Hiroshi Sugimoto: Theaters

Perhaps his most iconic series, these long exposures of classic movie houses around the world are emblematic of Sugimoto’s time-eluding photography. “One afternoon I walked into a cheap cinema in the East Village with a large-format camera,” recounts Sugimoto. “As soon as the movie started, I fixed the shutter at a wide-open aperture. When the movie finished two hours later, I clicked the shutter closed. That evening I developed the film, and my vision exploded behind my eyes.”

Black-and-white photograph of an empty theater with a glowing white screen onstage
Black-and-white photograph of an empty movie theater with an extra large glowing white screen
Black-and-white photograph of an empty theater with a glowing white screen onstage
A black and white photograph of a bright white screen at a drive-in, with trees behind it and a city in the distance
A black and white photograph of a bright white movie screen at a drive-in theater at night, with bright star trails behind it
A black and white photograph of an ornately decorated classic movie theater with a bright white screen
A black and white photograph of a movie theater with a bright white screen, with curtains on either side and at the top
A black and white photograph of a movie theater with a bright white screen, and audience watching the film
Black-and-white photograph of a blank white outdoor movie screen against an American suburb
Black-and-white photograph of an empty theater with a glowing blank white screen
Black and white photograph of an empty drive-in with a blank white screen illuminating the space
Black and white photograph of an empty stage with a blank white screen illuminating the space
Black and white photograph of an empty theater with a blank white screen illuminating the space
Black and white photograph of an empty theater with a blank white screen illuminating the space
Black and white photograph of an empty drive-in with a blank white screen illuminating the space
Black and white photograph of an empty theater with a blank white screen illuminating the space
Black and white photograph of an empty theater with a blank white screen illuminating the space
View all

Related Portfolios

Color image of a folding screen with an image of a shore with large rock formations mounted onto the screen

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Photographic Screens
A framed photograph of a black color field with blue, green and yellow gradients on the bottom

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Opticks
Black and white photograph of the horizon with equal parts sky and sea

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Seascapes
Black and white photograph of lighting striking

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Lightning Fields