The artwork titled “Radio City Music Hall” was created by Hiroshi Sugimoto in 1978. Belonging to the Conceptual Art movement, this photograph is an exemplar of Sugimoto’s exploration of time, memory, and perspective through the medium of photography.
The artwork presents an iconic and strikingly atmospheric black-and-white photograph of the interior of the famous Radio City Music Hall. The grand, expansive view captures the entire auditorium, with the seating arranged in a symmetrical pattern leading up to the large, empty stage adorned with a curtain. Dominating the center of the image is a brightly illuminated movie screen, contrasting sharply with the darker tones of the surrounding theater. The long exposure technique used by Sugimoto renders the audience invisible and transforms the screen into a glowing rectangle, creating a surreal effect. The perspective of the photograph, taken from the rear of the hall, imbues the scene with a sense of emptiness and stillness, highlighting the grandeur and architectural beauty of the venue.