Saturday, May 10, 2014

Acts of God (Hiroshi Sugimoto)

Acts of God 
by Hiroshi Sugimoto

In 1999, Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto created a photographic mural entitled The Last Supper, based on a life-sized reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's piece by the same name.  While most copies were sold to museums and collectors, Sugimoto kept two extra sets in his basement in Manhattan.

Then Hurricane Sandy hit.  Due to the ravages of the storm, the pieces in Sugimoto's basement were altered in remarkable ways:  for example, there is now a gash that crosses Jesus's forehead and a set of waves that seems to flow from Jesus's head, effects which moved Sugimoto himself in powerful ways. 

Sugimoto's Last Supper as well as his Sea of Galilee, Golan (1992), are now on display at the Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco, through July 3, 2014.  To read more about Sugimoto's work, visit the Fraenkel Gallery website, http://fraenkelgallery.com/exhibitions/acts-of-god

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