Hiroshi Sugimoto walks us through 'Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form' at Lisson Los Angeles

Hiroshi Sugimoto's presentation, titled Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form, showcases Sugimoto’s investigation of the visible and invisible world through the forms of photography, architecture, sculpture and the written word. At its core is the American debut of Brush Impression, Heart Sutra (2023), accompanied by iconic photographs from the artist’s Sea of Buddha series and a new mathematical model based on Kuen’s Surface.

Upon entering the space, visitors are immediately introduced to the rear side of a large-scale, curved wall, constructed of exposed lumber and visible studs, providing a contrasting and tactile introduction to the 288 unique gelatin prints of Kanji characters hung on its opposing side. Brush Impression, Heart Sutra (2023) presents The Heart Sutra, a central scripture of East Asian Buddhism —read from right to left, top to bottom –offering a powerful meditative experience that envelops viewers. The work features large-scale calligraphic strokes meticulously developed using photographic methods akin to Sugimoto’s traditional process. Though the piece lacks a camera in the conventional sense, the interaction of light and a photochemical reaction evokes the essence of photography itself. The exhibition’s title, Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form, is a direct quote from the Heart Sutra and refers to the transient nature of all things – nothing has inherent substance or permanence and form is no other than emptiness as emptiness is no other than form. This line is the most quoted of the Heart Sutra, and an apt verse through which to understand the work of Sugimoto which is about capturing that which is at the edge of perception, challenging what we understand as truth and giving form to the intangible.

'Hiroshi Sugimoto: Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form' is on until 11 January 2025 at Lisson Gallery in Los Angeles.