Bernd and Hilla Becher were German photographers whose collaborative practice documented industrial structures across Europe and the United States. Working systematically from the late 1950s onward, they produced thousands of black-and-white photographs of water towers, gas tanks, mineheads, silos, and factory buildings.
Their approach was both documentary and conceptual. Photographs were taken under overcast light, from consistent angles and distances, eliminating expressive variables. This allowed the underlying forms—cylinders, cones, frames, stacks—to be compared directly.
The Bechers arranged these images into typologies—grids in which each structure is treated as a variant within a broader family. This method revealed recurring geometries and regional variations, transforming functional buildings into objects of visual study.
Their work influenced generations of photographers and artists associated with the Düsseldorf School, including Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky, and Candida Höfer.
Bernd and Hilla Becher were German photographers known for systematic documentation of industrial buildings arranged into typological grids. Their work shaped contemporary photographic and conceptual art.
Bernd & Hilla Becher were German photographers known for typological photographs of industrial structures taken under uniform conditions, foundational for the Düsseldorf School and conceptual photography.
