In previous iterations, I discovered that the two fundamental characteristics of an image, identified as objects, served as symbols. They were recognized as shapes, conveying information about color and position.

Hiroshi Sugimoto, Guggenheim Museum (1997)

Hiroshi Sugimoto, Sydney Opera House (1997)

In my opinion, Hiroshi Sugimoto’s architectural photography series strives to capture the essence of objects, while still maintaining their recognizability. For those unfamiliar with the buildings in the pictures, the images may appear as simple black and white stripes and shapes reminiscent of sailboats or shells.

Conversely, for the architects of these buildings, they have crafted a new symbol, much like in advertising.

I began with the most basic element – a line, interpreting the new image as a symbol or shape through the composition of distorted lines.

symbol

Architectural drawings provide an interesting example of how we can identify different elements, like columns, walls, doors, and windows, based on the positional relationship between these closed curves.

shape

shape