Hiroshi Sugimoto's Enthralling Dialogue with Pierre Soulages at Musée Soulages, Rodez
Since July 2025, the Musée Soulages in Rodez has been showcasing 'Hiroshi Sugimoto. Reprendre la mélodie', curated by Maud Marron-Wojewodzki. This exhibition highlights the works of Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto (born 1948, Tokyo) alongside French painter Pierre Soulages (born 1919, Rodez), delving into themes of time, light, and the color black, and will run until September 13, 2026. Featured are Sugimoto's 'Theaters' series (1976), which presents haunting images of deserted theaters, as well as 'Pine Trees', inspired by Tohaku Hasegawa, and the colorful 'Opticks' series. The 'Seascapes' (1980) depict eternal vistas, while the 'Brush Impression' series draws from an 11th-century poem. The exhibition culminates in a conversation between Soulages' Outrenoir works and Sugimoto's landscapes.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Hiroshi Sugimoto. Reprendre la mélodie' at Musée Soulages, Rodez, until September 13, 2026.
- Curated by Maud Marron-Wojewodzki, director of Musée Soulages since July 2025.
- Sugimoto's 'Theaters' series began in 1976, using long exposures during films.
- 'Pine Trees' series inspired by Tohaku Hasegawa's 'Shorin-zu byobu' screens.
- 'Opticks' series uses Polaroid film and explores color beyond the seven of the spectrum.
- 'Seascapes' series initiated in 1980, described as 'anhistorical, timeless, and eternal' by Céline Flécheux.
- 'Brush Impression' series features 47 Japanese characters forming an 11th-century poem.
- Exhibition highlights affinities between Sugimoto and Soulages, both born in different eras but sharing interests in time, light, and calligraphy.
- Sugimoto designed the scenography himself.
- The show includes works from various series, including 'Pine Trees' (2000) and 'Opticks 566' (2022).
Entities
Artists
- Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Pierre Soulages
- Tohaku Hasegawa
- Mark Rothko
- Isaac Newton
- Andrei Tarkovsky
- Céline Flécheux
- Maud Marron-Wojewodzki
- Henri Matisse
- Donald Judd
- James Turrell
- Caspar David Friedrich
- Zao Wou-Ki
Institutions
- Musée Soulages
- Connaissance des Arts
- Beaux Arts Magazine
- Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain
- Paris Photo
- Akron Civic Theatre
- Studio Sugimoto
Locations
- Rodez
- France
- Tokyo
- Japan
- New York
- Ohio
- United States
- Italy
- Paris
- London
- Osaka