Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction - Tokyo Photography Exhibition

Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction - A Major Photography Exhibition in Tokyo

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo presents the photography exhibition "Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction" from June 16 to September 13, 2026.

Though known today as a multi-faceted creator spanning architecture and design, this exhibition returns to Sugimoto's creative origin: gelatin silver photography. Through this focused lens, visitors can rediscover how the Japanese contemporary artist uses photography to contemplate time, memory, and reality.

The "Extinction" in the exhibition's title refers not only to the decline of gelatin silver photography in the digital age, but also poses a deeper question: in an era of easily manipulated images, can photographs still serve as evidence of truth?

With his signature calm and sharp perspective, Hiroshi Sugimoto transforms this inquiry into the core proposition of his work.

Exhibition Highlights

This exhibition features approximately 60 works, spanning his early career in the late 1970s to his latest, unseen pieces. Visitors will journey through iconic series such as Dioramas, Theaters, Seascapes, Architecture, Mathematical Forms, and Opticks.

Divided into three chapters—Time and Light, The Shapes of Concepts, and Extinct Photographs—the exhibition reveals how Sugimoto uses photography to respond to the world and the evolution of art itself.

Among the highlights are several new works debuting for the first time.

For instance, Sugimoto’s acclaimed Dioramas series features new pieces created after finally securing photography permission from the American Museum of Natural History. These works allow audiences to see how creative concepts planted half a century ago have come to full fruition today.

The exhibition will also unveil rare manuscripts of Sugimoto’s Notes alongside archival production materials, offering a rare glimpse into how he meticulously transforms concepts into artworks between the camera lens and the darkroom.

For anyone wishing to understand Hiroshi Sugimoto, this exhibition is more than just a gallery visit—it is an opportunity to rediscover "why photographs matter."

Even for those who aren't traditional art enthusiasts, the takeaway is deeply resonant: in an era flooded with ephemeral images, what truly endures is not the picture itself, but the profound inquiry into time and existence behind it.

This is a must-see major exhibition. If you are planning a trip to Tokyo this summer, be sure to add it to your itinerary.

Exhibition Title: HIROSHI SUGIMOTO: EXTINCTION
Exhibition Venue: The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, 1F Special Exhibition Gallery
Period: June 16 (Tue) – September 13 (Sun), 2026, 10:00–17:00 (Fridays and Saturdays 10:00–20:00)
Closed: Mondays (Open on July 20 and July 21)
Admission: Adults 2,300 yen (2,100 yen), College Students 1,200 yen (1,000 yen)
Official Website: https://www.momat.go.jp/

This article was written and edited by miho