Abstract

Hiroshi Sugimoto is internationally recognized as one of Japan’s most renowned photographers and is known for his pioneering use of silver halide photography. “Concept” is a fundamental element of his works, as demonstrated by the notebooks in which he recorded his thoughts and ideas. Drawing on these notebooks, this book explores not only the aesthetic aspects of Hiroshi Sugimoto’s work, but also the art and essence of photography itself.
The interviewer is Yoshio Suzuki, former deputy editor-in-chief of BRUTUS, a renowned Japanese culture magazine. With his extensive knowledge of Japanese culture and his deep understanding of Sugimoto’s work, Suzuki was an ideal interviewer for exploring the ideas behind Sugimoto’s photography.
This book features numerous photographs and excerpts from Sugimoto’s notes. It offers readers an accessible introduction to both Sugimoto’s artistic vision and the aesthetic aspects of photography, making it an engaging read even for those with little prior knowledge of photography or art.

Author’s Information

Hiroshi Sugimoto was born in Tokyo in 1948. After graduating from Rikkyo University's Faculty of Economics, he moved to the United States and studied photography at the Art Center College of Design (Los Angeles). His representative works, such as the series "Seascapes", "Theaters" and "Architecture" are held in leading museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2008, he established the New Materials Laboratory. In 2009, he established the Odawara Cultural Foundation. In October 2017, he opened the "Odawara Cultural Foundation Enoura Observatory", a cultural facility that took approximately 20 years to construct. He has received numerous awards, including the Hasselblad International Photography Award, the Praemium Imperiale (Painting category), the Medal with Purple Ribbon, the French Order of Arts and Letters (Officer), and was selected as a Person of Cultural Merit in 2017. His books include "Until the Moss Grows", "The Real Image", "The Origin of Art" (all published by Shinchosha), and "Enoura Strange Tales" (published by our company).

Yoshio Suzuki was born in Tokyo in 1958. He graduated from the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Keio University. In the same year, he joined Heibon Publishing Co., Ltd. (now Magazine House). After working in the editorial departments of 'an・an' and 'POPEYE', he served as deputy editor-in-chief of the 'BRUTUS' editorial department for about 10 years. In 2010, he established Bijutsu Tsushinsha LLC. He is also a part-time lecturer at Meiji Gakuin University and Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts.