Hiroshi Sugimoto, Extinction and new museum horizons in Tokyo
Published on 08/20/2026 at 15:54 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Hiroshi Sugimoto shapes Tokyo’s summer art landscape with the museum exhibition Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction. According to the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the show runs from June 16 to September 13, 2026, presenting around 60 photographs across five decades. MOMAT exhibition page
The Extinction show at MOMAT
The exhibition Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction occupies the Special Exhibition Gallery on the first floor of MOMAT, with opening hours from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and extended to 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission for adults is 2,300 yen, with concessions for students and visitors under 15. Online ticket information
MOMAT notes that the show brings together approximately 60 gelatin silver photographs, tracing Sugimoto’s practice from the late 1970s to the present, and is supported by a satellite display of works from the museum’s own collection, including his Sugimoto Notebooks that outline aspects of his working process.
Museum and collection presence this summer
Sugimoto’s museum presence in 2026 extends beyond Tokyo. The Singapore Art Museum is presenting Hiroshi Sugimoto: Form Is Emptiness at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, bringing together 63 works spanning five decades alongside 14 fossils from his collection, in a mandala-like installation structure.
In Tokyo, MOMAT’s satellite exhibition shows all Sugimoto works from its own holdings in the third-floor Collection Gallery, underlining his position within Japan’s national collections and allowing visitors to see collection pieces alongside the temporary special exhibition.
All news and background on Hiroshi Sugimoto
Against this backdrop, readers can follow further coverage of Hiroshi Sugimoto’s exhibitions, commissions and institutional projects in the AD HOC NEWS archive.
The work core across series
Over five decades, Sugimoto has developed major series including Seascapes, Theaters, Dioramas and
The current Tokyo exhibition presents all thirteen photographic series in three roughly chronological chapters, allowing viewers to track shifts in his approach to representation, abstraction and historical time from the late 1970s onward.
Where the artist stands now
Overall, Hiroshi Sugimoto’s work is on view at MOMAT Tokyo through September 13, 2026, situating him firmly within the summer museum programs in Japan and Southeast Asia.
Hiroshi Sugimoto at a glance
- Artist: Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Medium / Genre: Photography and installation (conceptual)
- Born: 1948, Tokyo, Japan
- Place(s) of practice: Studios in Tokyo and New York
- Active since: 1970s, with early photographic series emerging around 1976
- Key work groups: Seascapes, Theaters, Dioramas, Architecture
- Current/last exhibition: Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, June 16 - September 13, 2026
- Major collections: MoMA (New York), Tate (London), National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo), Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago)
- Awards: Praemium Imperiale for painting, 2013; Hasselblad Award, 2001
- Next date: September 13, 2026 - closing day of Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction at MOMAT Tokyo
Frequently asked questions about Hiroshi Sugimoto
Where can I currently see Hiroshi Sugimoto’s work in Tokyo?
In Tokyo, Sugimoto’s work is featured in the exhibition Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, running from June 16 to September 13, 2026.
What is the focus of the exhibition Hiroshi Sugimoto: Extinction?
The MOMAT show gathers around 60 gelatin silver photographs from the late 1970s to today, presenting all thirteen of his photographic series in three chronological chapters and highlighting his investigations of time and extinction.
Is Hiroshi Sugimoto represented in other major museum exhibitions in 2026?
Yes, Singapore Art Museum presents Hiroshi Sugimoto: Form Is Emptiness in 2026, bringing together 63 works and fossils from his collection, positioning him prominently in Southeast Asia’s institutional landscape.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
