Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto’s Dioramas are like still shots out of a movie that blur the lines between reality and illusion. When Sugimoto first arrived in New York City, he did all of the typical tourist activities including visiting NYC’s Natural History Museum. He found himself fascinated by the stuffed animals on display throughout the museum and began to notice that, upon quick glance, they could actually appear lifelike.
Turning his camera to the subjects, Sugimoto developed this extensive series of black and white photographs in which he captures a fascinating perspective that gives life to the inanimate objects. A beautiful light radiates across his subjects and viewers will be quickly fooled into believe the landscapes are from real world locations. Through the series, Sugimoto explores how visual representations can affect and alter a viewer’s understanding of history. According to The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, “By photographing subjects that reimagine or replicate moments from the distant past, Sugimoto critiques the medium’s presumed capacity to portray history with accuracy.”
Hiroshi Sugimoto’s website
via [Fubiz], [The J. Paul Getty Museum]