Bored of the usual weekend plans of cafe hopping or wandering the city’s countless malls? If you are looking to switch up your routine, spending an afternoon at a museum exhibition is an incredibly fun and engaging way to spend your days off. These art spaces are the perfect way to slow down, get inspired, and experience something completely out of the ordinary. Wonderfully, a monumental international showcase is landing on our shores next month that you will not want to miss. Opening on May 29, Hiroshi Sugimoto: Form Is Emptiness makes its highly-anticipated Southeast Asian debut at Singapore Art Museum (SAM). Here’s why it is unmissable at Tanjong Pagar Distripark.
Why is the Hiroshi showcase a must-see in Singapore?
The iconic new exhibition, Hiroshi Sugimoto: Form Is Emptiness, brings together 63 remarkable works from 11 series, alongside 14 ancient fossils from a globally-recognised Japanese contemporary artist. Interestingly, the exhibition traces five decades of artistic inquiry and sustained conceptual exploration.
Running until October 4, this exhibition isn’t your typical walk-through gallery. Sugimoto himself designed the spatial layout in the shape of a mandala—a geometric figure representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. Instead of a strict linear path, the space deliberately invites you to wander, loop back, and explore at your own pace. This creates a deeply personal and meditative experience across Gallery 1 and The Engine Room.
Notably, Sugimoto is celebrated worldwide for his rigorous black and white photography. But this must-see exhibition proves that his genius extends far beyond the camera. It features stunning sculptures, architectural interventions, and large-scale installations—each artwork grounded in the Buddhist concept of the Five Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void).
Overall, these artworks beautifully challenge our perceptions of time, reality, and the material world. We expect it to be like the previous exhibition at LA’s Lisson Gallery. Certainly, a rare opportunity to reflect at one of Singapore’s top exhibitions for 2026.
