The artwork titled “Seascape: Baltic Sea, near Rügen” by Hiroshi Sugimoto, created in 1996, is an exemplar of the Minimalism movement and belongs to the genre of photography.
In the artwork, Sugimoto presents a serene and almost meditative view of the Baltic Sea near Rügen. The composition is stark and minimalist, divided symmetrically between the tranquil sea and the overcast sky. The horizon line demarcates the division, creating a sense of balance and infinite space. The sea appears dark and textured, contrasting with the soft and muted tones of the sky above. This simplicity, combined with the subtle gradation of tones, evokes a profound sense of stillness and timelessness, which is characteristic of Sugimoto’s seascape series. The photograph captures the essence of Minimalism by reducing the scene to its fundamental elements, emphasizing the quietude and the vast expanse of nature.