The parallel visions of Mark Rothko and Hiroshi Sugimoto

Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rothko and contemporary photographer and artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, although working in different mediums, display strikingly similar artistic sensibilities. Both artists engage deeply with abstraction and the exploration of perception, creating works that transcend their physical forms and can evoke deep emotional and philosophical responses from viewers. Rothko is known for his large-scale landscape paintings, while Sugimoto creates photographs that seem simple in approach but capture a sense of tranquility in our surroundings.

Mark Rothko is known for his large-scale landscape paintings. Born in 1903 in Dvinsk, Russia, Rothko immigrated to the United States, where he eventually developed his signature style characterized by rectangular fields of color that seem to hover and interact on the canvas. The intensity of his color fields lies in their ability to convey the sublime through minimalist means. Rothko’s goal was to evoke deep emotional responses, inviting viewers into a space where they could experience a range of feelings from fear to melancholy.

Hiroshi Sugimoto, born in 1948 in Tokyo, Japan, is known for his monochromatic images that explore the passage of time, memory and the nature of reality. Sugimoto’s work spans diverse series, including seascapes, theaters and dioramas, each characterized by a meticulous attention to detail and an eerie stillness. For example, his “Seascapes” series captures the horizon where sea and sky meet in an almost abstract, minimalist way. Sugimoto’s use of long exposures blurs the distinction between the physical world and the viewer’s perception, creating a quality that parallels Rothko’s color fields.

Rothko’s Color Fields and Sugimoto’s Seascapes, though different in execution, both seek to transcend the material world, focusing instead on the viewer’s experience. The minimalist approach to their works, Rothko with his blocks of color and Sugimoto with his stark horizons, demonstrates a shared belief in the power of simplicity to convey complex ideas and emotions. Together, Rothko and Sugimoto exemplify the lifelong quest in art for a viewer to have an emotional experience. Their legacies are defined by their ability to evoke the sublime through simplicity, encouraging viewers to look beyond the surface and engage with deeper perception.

In the above video from Ted Forbes’ YouTube page, The Art of Photography, we can see how Rothko’s and Sugimoto’s work compliment each other. Forbes goes on to introduce the viewer to the book Rothko / Sugimoto: Dark Paintings and Seascapes, published in 2012, which displays Rothko’s color fields and Sugimoto’s seascapes side by side.