The international renowned Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto proposes a breathtaking dialogue: forty black and white photographs echo the great Flemish masters, whom he considers the pioneers of photography.

Capturing reality has always been an obsession of mankind. Paintings, dioramas, wax portraits, even Talbot’s very first negatives: Sugimoto takes these attempts at realism to another level with his unique photographic works. His almost mystical images try to capture time and space through the incredible richness in detail and light intensity that recall the art of Flemish Primitives.

Born in 1948, Sugimoto studied Oriental Philosophy at Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Through his work, he combines Western art and Eastern mysticism. His works have served as a bridge between heritage and ideologies of the East and the West. He is best known for his seascapes, which he began to photograph in the 1980s.

To enrich this experience, a multimedia cylinder ("digital experience") offers enhanced content - videos, digital art, touchscreen table, high definition projections, ... - for a comprehensive approach to the artistic creation. With this innovative concept, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium aim to constantly renew the digital experience within the museum. Located at the heart of this space for a minimum of three years, this project will complement and improve each new selection from the collection of modern and contemporary art.