Bernd Becher
(Bernd and Hilla Becher: Blast Furnaces U.S.A., Luxembourg and Germany)
Bernd and Hilla Becher (Germany, 1931–2007); (Germany, b. 1934)
Blast Furnaces U.S.A., Luxembourg and Germany. 1979–1986
Gelatin silver print
15 3/4 x 12 in. image size; 62 x 50 in. installed size
Courtesy of Sonnabend Gallery
Henry Art Gallery, Joseph and Elaine Monsen Photography Collection, gift of Joseph and Elaine Monsen and The Boeing Company, 97.22.1–9
The work of German artists Bernd and Hilla Becher comprises a lifetime project documenting industrial architecture and timbered homes found throughout Europe and America. Conceptually, the work constitutes series and groups of individual but related photographs. From a consistent viewpoint, each image captures a single structure. The individual photographs are then grouped in categories based on function, regional idiosyncrasies, or the age of the structures to draw distinctions between subtle differences. The Bechers called their subjects anonymous sculptures. Their systematic approach deliberately avoids monumentalizing or diminishing any of the buildings.