Bernd and Hilla Becher

Published in 2006 by The MIT Press as part of their Photo Poche series, this monograph serves as a comprehensive introduction to the foundational work of Bernd and Hilla Becher. The book was authored by Susanne Lange, a scholar and curator who worked closely with the artists, to contextualize their systematic, deadpan approach to industrial photography. It traces their lifelong project of documenting the vernacular architecture of the industrial age—such as water towers, cooling towers, and blast furnaces—which they presented in rigorous, grid-like typologies that bridged the gap between conceptual art and documentary photography.

The design of the volume reflects the Bechers' own aesthetic philosophy, favoring clarity, structural consistency, and a lack of overt subjective interpretation. By gathering their primary series into a single accessible format, the book emphasizes how the couple shifted the trajectory of photography in the late 20th century. Upon its release, the collection was lauded for its ability to distill the immense scope of the Bechers' career into a cohesive narrative, solidifying their legacy as the intellectual pillars of the influential Düsseldorf School of Photography.