In december 1968, the american artist robert smithson embarked on a field trip to the huge industrial complex in the ruhr district of germany. Hilla and bernd becher s cool, objective photographs of industrial structures have earned them a special position in international photography. Prior to hilla s time studying photography at the kunstakademie dusseldorf from 1958 to 1961, she had completed an apprenticeship as. Through approximately twenty works in various formats, the exhibition will present a concise array of the subjects of primary importance to the bechers over their. Life and work by susanne lange published by the mit press originally published in art on paper magazine, volume 11, number 4, 2007. The flat, whiteness of the cloudy sky reminds me of miserable drippy days in chicago, cold, damp walks to the subway in boston and strangely enough, the photographs of bernd and hilla becher.
Bernd becher retired as professor at the dusseldorf academy of art in 1999. Jul 30, 2010 the core themes of bernd and hilla becher s extensive work from the early 1960s on were the coal mines and steel mills in the german ruhr region and other iron smelting regions of the world, from lothringen to pittsburgh. To say that bernd and hilla becher are one of the worlds most famous photography couples would be an understatement. The exhibition will be on view from may 7 to july 3, 2009. Bernd and hilla becher have profoundly influenced the international photography world over the past several decades. To create these works, the artists traveled to large mines and steel mills, and systematically photographed the major. Industrial landscapes by bernd becher, hilla becher. Discover book depositorys huge selection of hilla becher books online. Although their work is widely collected by american dealers and institutions and shown in new york galleries, this is the first time that it has been published in book form in the united states.
Key artists from the exhibit include robert adams, bernd and hilla becher, joe deal, and stephen shore. A label for a group of photographers who came to prominence in the 1970s and brought a new perspective to landscape photography that focused on an objective documentation of locations. Eight years after the death of her husband in 2007, the influential german photographer hilla becher died in. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Basic forms serves as a kind of manual to bernd and hilla bechers landmark art and aesthetics. Bernd leno blunder and tammy abrahams late winner stun arsenal and give chelsea crucial win. Buy blast furnaces english language ed by becher, bernd, becher, hilla isbn. For nearly fifty years, bernd and hilla becher photographed the industrial architecture of western europe, creating an archive of basic forms of the industrial era. Basic forms presents 61 photographs covering the entire range of becher motifswater towers, cooling towers, gas tanks and winding towers, blast furnaces, gravel plants, lime kilns, grain elevators and coal bunkers. Contents bernd and hilla bechers photography biography exhibitions other famous camera artists for more about the early inventions and new processes upon which modern camera art is based, see. Oct 14, 2015 bernd and hilla becher saw art in what most people would describe as banal or ugly. Rendered with absolute precision in large format, mediumcontrast gelatin silver prints, each structure is centered against a cloudless sky, filling the picture frame. Pennsylvania coal mine tipples by bernd becher, hilla becher.
Their workat once conceptual art, typological study, and topological documentationhas influenced german photographers of a younger generation, including. Librarydischarged large hardcover and dust jacket in excellent condition. Jun 23, 2010 the flat, whiteness of the cloudy sky reminds me of miserable drippy days in chicago, cold, damp walks to the subway in boston and strangely enough, the photographs of bernd and hilla becher. The artists market, biography, price levels and indices of hisher artworks. Often, works labeled new topographics also emphasized the relationship between man and nature through the documentation of industrial intrusions on land and scenes of suburban. The core themes of bernd and hilla bechers extensive work from the early 1960s on were the coal mines and steel mills in the german ruhr region and other iron smelting regions of the world, from lothringen to pittsburgh. Bernd and hilla becher were two german photographers whose systematic documentation of their countrys industrial landscape has served as the basis for an entire school of contemporary photography. It will be indispensable both as a reference for students of postwar german photography and as a guide for. The couple met there that year, began collaborating, and married in 1961. Life and work, with 53 duotone plates and more than 200 additional illustrations, is the first book to delve deeply into the sources and vision behind the evocative and melancholy beauty of. Each structure is unique, its details dependent upon the region and the date of its construction, and the book features buildings whose essential function is ancient. Photographs by bernd and hilla becher are regularly exhibited in some of the best galleries of contemporary art across america. The modern photographer is the architects greatest publicist. The collaborative duo are most famously known for their gridded, industrial typologies.
Bernd and hilla becher taught the famed dusseldorf school photographers thomas struth, candida hofer, andreas gursky, thomas ruff and axel hutte at the dusseldorf art academy. Printed on pristinewhite, thick coated stock paper in munich, germany to the highest standards. To create these works, the artists traveled to large mines and steel mills, and systematically photographed the. Husband and wife bernd and hilla becher began photographing buildings and relics of the industrial revolution, such as coal mines and cooling towers, in 1959. The couple met there that year, began collaborating, and. Robert smithson, bernd and hilla becher james lingwood. The bechers had begun their own project of photographing the. Their unique genre, which falls somewhere between topological documentation and conceptual art, is in line with the aesthetics of such early. Stonework and lime kilns bernd and hilla becher aperture. Like objective scientists removing a specimen from the field, the bechers framed their subject in a manner that isolated it from its environment. The dj is protected by a mylar cover, which is taped inside the boards. Their work provides us with a rare opportunity to see how we see. Bernd and hilla bechers photography can be considered conceptual art, typological study, and topological documentation.
Many deadpan photographers came from the dusseldorf academy. An elegant new edition of bernd and hilla bechers classic blackandwhite photographic study of industrial buildings. Bernd becher german, 19312007 and hilla becher german, 19342015 are best known for their photographs of industrial archetypes, such as water towers, pitheads, and coal bunkers. Bernd becher 19312007, born in siegen, germany and hilla becher 1934, born in potsdam, germany met at the kunstakademie dusseldorf and first collaborated in 1959. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Bernd and hilla bechers lifetime project of documenting the industrial landscape of our time secures their position in the canon of postwar photographers. Bernd 19312007 and hilla 19342015 becher documented architectural forms referred to as anonymous sculpture for over thirty years.
Bernd and hilla becher have collaborated since 1959. In the mid1970s, they taught photography at the kunstakademie dusseldorf, in germany, and their students, who adapted the style of the bechers, became known. Founders of the internationally acclaimed becher class at the dusseldorf art academy, they have received numerous awards, including the golden lion at the 1990 venice biennale and the 2002 erasmus award. Heinz liesbrock, art historian and director of the josef albers museum, wrote the introductory essay to this publication. Born in siegen in 1931, bernd becher studied painting and lithography at the state art academy in stuttgart in the mid1950s. Life and work, with 53 duotone plates and more than 200 additional illustrations, is the first book to delve deeply into the sources and vision behind the evocative and melancholy beauty of the bechers work. A new edition of the first book by photographers bernd and hilla becher, featuring framework houses of the siegen region of germany. Exhibition catalog for a group show that ran march 9 through may 20, 1979. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Their work can be linked to the neue sachlichkeit movement of the 1920s and to such masters of german photography as karl blossfeldt, august sander, and albert rengerpatzsch. Bernd and hilla becher s photography can be considered conceptual art, typological study, and topological documentation. In pictorial dj with titles on the cover and spine, as issued.
Identify what you consider to be the legacy of the artist bernd and hilla becher for the importance of the photographic image. Sep 03, 2014 for over 40 years, bernd and hilla becher photographed the architecture of industrialisation. Grain elevators by bernd becher, hilla becher, hardcover. Most any architect coming of age in the 1980s and 90s is familiar with the stark and beautiful black and white photographs of industrial. Basic forms grundformen 31,00 basic forms is a brief, handy, visual introduction to the encyclopedic formal canon of industrial buildings in the western world and the bechers devoted their lifes work to documenting it. Hilla studied photography in potsdam, germany, worked as an aerial photographer briefly in hamburg, and moved to dusseldorf in 1959.
Fraenkel gallery is pleased to announce a survey 19722006, a survey of the work of the influential german artists spanning the years 1972 to 2006. The german artists bernd and hilla becher, who began working together in 1959 and married in 1961, are best known for their typologiesgrids of blackandwhite photographs of variant examples of a single type of industrial structure. View bernd and hilla bechers 1,247 artworks on artnet. May 07, 2009 fraenkel gallery is pleased to announce a survey 19722006, a survey of the work of the influential german artists spanning the years 1972 to 2006.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Hilla wobeser, born in potsdam in 1934, trained and apprenticed as a commercial photographer. The photographic comportment of bernd and hilla becher blake stimson bernd and hilla becher first began their stillongoing project of systematically photographing industrial structures water towers, blast furnaces, gas tanks, mine heads, grain elevators and the like in the late 1950s. Tate papers the photographic comportment of bernd and. Starting in the late 60s, their work gained worldwide visibility via prominent exhibitions such as documenta, kassel, germany. Bernd becher 19312007 and hilla becher 19342015 worked together as photographers beginning in 1959. Basic forms serves as a kind of manual to bernd and hilla becher s landmark art and aesthetics. Through approximately twenty works in various formats, the exhibition will present a concise array of the subjects. Photographers bernd and hilla bechers iconic industrial. Typologies bernd becher, hilla becher 9780262025652. See available photographs, prints and multiples, and sculpture for sale and learn about the artist. Beyond, at least, their minimalist typological schemata of water towers, mineheads etc. First published in 2004, basic forms is now back in print. For over 40 years, bernd and hilla becher photographed the architecture of industrialisation.
The new topographics were influential on much of contemporary photography, particularly becher students like thomas struth, andreas gursky, thomas ruff and candida hofer, who became known as the dusseldorf school of photography. Their unique genre, which falls somewhere between topological documentation and conceptual art, is in line with the. Move over spine to view book cover, click to see details. Influential photographer hilla becher has died artnet news.