Bernd und Hilla Becher

Published in 1975 by the Musée de l'Elysée, this volume serves as a foundational document for the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher. The artists began their collaboration in the late 1950s, systematically photographing industrial structures such as water towers, cooling towers, and blast furnaces. By isolating these utilitarian objects against featureless skies and presenting them in rigid, typological grids, the Bechers elevated industrial architecture to the status of high art, stripping away context to highlight the formal variations of functional design.

The Bechers' approach was rooted in the tradition of German New Objectivity, or Neue Sachlichkeit, emphasizing a detached, clinical observation of reality. This publication documents a pivotal moment in their career, just as their influence was solidifying within both conceptual art and documentary photography circles. The reception of their work was profound, eventually leading to the formation of the influential Dusseldorf School of Photography, with the Bechers' rigorous methodology providing the conceptual framework for generations of subsequent photographers.