Bernd and hilla becher, primary bernd becher hilla becher silo fur kokskohle, ca. View bernd and hilla bechers 1,247 artworks on artnet. While mentoring under photographer walter eichgrun in potsdam, hillas first subjects were local buildings. The couple viewed their task as infinite and urgent and it was only in the eight years between her husbands death and her own, in 2015, that hilla becher travelled to.
Bernd and hilla bechers photography can be considered conceptual art, typological study, and topological documentation. The german artist, one half of one of the most important photographic duos in modern times, was taking part in paris photo platform, a series of talks and discussions organised by momas photography curator roxana marcoci, and helping oversee her twopart exhibition at the grand palais, covering the lifetime. In the mid1970s, they taught photography at the kunstakademie dusseldorf, in germany, and their students, who adapted the style of the bechers, became known. 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. She was one half of a photography duo with her husband bernd becher. About the author bernd and hilla becher have collaborated since 1959. The coal bunkers in these photographs were located in germany, france and britain, while the photographs of pitheads. In 2014, hilla becher curated august sanderbernd and hilla becher. Discover book depositorys huge selection of bernd becher books online. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Starting in the late 60s, their work gained worldwide visibility via prominent exhibitions such as documenta, kassel, germany. 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. Bernd becher and hilla becher, bernd becher in full bernhard becher, hilla becher nee wobeser, respectively, born august 20, 1931, siegen, germanydied june 22, 2007, rostock. Artwork page for pitheads, bernd becher and hilla becher, 1974 husband and wife team bernd and hilla becher began photographing old industrial sites in the 1950s, and described their subjects as buildings where anonymity is accepted to be the style.
Bernd bechers most popular book is basic forms of industrial buildings. Hilla and bernd bechers photographs turned industrial. An encyclopedic collection of all known becher industrial studies, arranged by building type. Hilla becher was a german artist born in 1931 in siegen, germany. Bernd and hilla becher s almost fiftyyear collaboration constitutes the most important project in objective and conceptual photography today. Basic forms english and german edition 9783829606943. Bernd becher retired from teaching in 1996, but bernd and hilla becher continued to work, visiting sites across europe and north america, until bernd becher s death in 2007. Thus i acquired this book, basic forms of industrial buildings, published by schrimermosel verlag in conjunction with the bechers hasselblad. 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. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Bernd and hilla becher s photography can be considered conceptual art, typological study, and topological documentation. Jul 20, 2007 the german photographer bernd becher, who has died at the age of 75 from complications during heart surgery, was famous for the vast collection of images of industrial structures he created with.
Exhibition catalogs exhibition, pictorial works exhibitions pictorial works exhibitions. Jul 16, 2012 zeche concordia, oberhausen 1967, germany ive heard a lot about the industrial photography of bernd and hilla becher over the years, but from the work that id seen, i just couldnt get excited about it. Beginning in the early 1960s, bernd and hilla bechers collaboration produced over two hundred photographic collections of industrial buildings, such as smokestacks, water towers, and factories. Industrial landscapes by bernd becher, hilla becher. Bernd becher and hilla becher german photographers. For the last thirty years, the artists have examined the dilapidated industrial architecture of europe and north america, from water towers and blast furnaces to the surrounding workers houses. During their 40year career bernd and hilla becher created an invaluable photographic encyclopedia of industrial structures. Stonework and lime kilns by bernd becher and hilla becher overview over the course of nearly five decades, bernd and hilla becher documented almost every type of industrial architecturefrom water towers and steel mills to gas tanks and grain silosin europe and the united states. In december 1968, the american artist robert smiths. Bernd becher 19312007 and hilla becher 19342015 worked together as photographers beginning in 1959. See more ideas about hilla becher, industrial architecture and industrial photography. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. 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. Over the course of nearly five decades, bernd and hilla becher documented almost every type of industrial architecturefrom water towers and steel mills to gas tanks and grain silosin europe and the united states.
With this volume, grain elevators join the list of building types documented by the bechers in their book length studies. Starting in the late 1960s, their work gained worldwide visibility via prominent exhibitions such as documenta, kassel, germany. 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. 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. Hilla becher interviewed at paris photo photography. Their lifelong commitment has been the systematic documentation of industrial buildings, including water towers and cooling towers, blast furnaces, coal mines and steel mines, gas tanks, and grain elevators. An elegant new edition of bernd and hilla bechers classic blackandwhite photographic study of industrial buildings. Bernd becher has 24 books on goodreads with 5 ratings. Both bernd and hilla were born at a time 1931 and 1934 respectively where as teenagers they lived within a devastated post war germany. Ok, ill be the first to admit that this field isnt exciting in the same way that, say, motorsport photography.
Bernd and hilla becher biography bernd and hilla becher. Zeche concordia, oberhausen 1967, germany ive heard a lot about the industrial photography of bernd and hilla becher over the years, but from the work that id seen, i just couldnt get excited about it. Books by bernd becher author of basic forms of industrial. 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. Architecture had a magnetic appeal to both of them from an early age. Discover book depositorys huge selection of hilla becher books online. Their work can be linked to the neue sachlichkeit movement of the 1920s and to such. Bernd becher retired from teaching in 1996, but bernd and hilla becher continued to work, visiting sites across europe and north america, until bernd bechers death in 2007. Bernd and hilla becher photography, bio, ideas theartstory. Bernd and hilla becher aspired to direct the audiences attention away from the photograph, emphasizing the content rather than light, perspective, or other artistic choices, but in doing so created a school of photography that forced reconsideration both of the presentation of images and the preservation of the built environment. Apr 06, 2020 hilla, born hilla wobeser, and bernd, short for bernhard, were born in germany in the 1930s, growing up under the shadow of world war ii.
Bernd becher retired as professor at the dusseldorf academy of art in 1999. They won the erasmus prize in 2002 and hasselblad award in 2004 for their work and roles as photography. Mar 31, 2017 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Unlike previous displays, the bechers architectural images were displayed as singular portraits while sanders photographs of people were represented as typological grids. Hilla becher put in a rare appearance at paris photo last week. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. For forty years, they photographed disappearing industrial architecture around europe and north america. The german artist, one half of one of the most important photographic duos in modern times, was taking part in paris photo platform, a series of talks and discussions organised by momas photography curator roxana marcoci, and helping oversee her twopart exhibition at the grand palais, covering the lifetime of work she undertook.
Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Water towers by bernd becher, hilla becher, hardcover. 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. Their work provides us with a rare opportunity to see how we see. Bernd and hilla becher have collaborated since 1959. Jul 11, 2007 since the passing of bernd becher on friday june 22nd 2007, i thought it appropriate to mention the book bernd and hilla becher. Since the passing of bernd becher on friday june 22nd 2007, i thought it appropriate to mention the book bernd and hilla becher. Continuing germanys lineage of documentary photography, most notably august sanders portraits of the german public, the bechers aligned the. It will be indispensable both as a reference for students of postwar german photography and as a guide for. First printing of mits 2001 reissue of photographers bernd and hilla bechers first book, which features framework houses of the siegen region of germany. Hilla, born hilla wobeser, and bernd, short for bernhard, were born in germany in the 1930s, growing up under the shadow of world war ii.
Isbn 9783888144004 9783888144004 hardcover, schirmer art books, 1999. Bernd becher and hilla becher german photographers britannica. Pitheads, bernd becher and hilla becher, 1974 tate. As both artists and teachers, bernd and hilla becher are among the most important figures in postwar german photography.
During their 40year career, bernd and hilla becher created their. Mineheads by bernd becher and hilla becher 1997, hardcover. Hilla and bernd bechers cool, objective photographs of industrial structures have earned them a special position in international photography. Pursuing the concept of typology, they kept focusing on the same subjects over and over again to reveal constants and variations. A dialogue at bruce silverstein gallery in new york. Framework houses, their first book, was first published in 1977 and quickly went out of print. Hilla and bernd becher s cool, objective photographs of industrial structures have earned them a special position in international photography. Stonework and lime kilns, by bernd and hilla becher, is a photographic. See available photographs, prints and multiples, and sculpture for sale and learn about the artist. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Industrial facades hardcover february 1, 1995 by hilla becher author, bernd becher author. Whether presenting single shots or their signature typological grids, the bechers created a photographic testament to the industrial revolution that so emphatically. The german photographer bernd becher, who has died at the age of 75 from complications during heart surgery, was famous for the vast collection of images of industrial structures he created with.
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