German artists Bernd (1931-2007) and Hilla Becher (1934) were a collaborative duo known for their photographs documenting industrial structures. Beginning their work together in 1959, the couple traveled to steel mills, mines, and industrial sites to create their “typologies” or grids of black and white photographs. They often photographed water towers, coal conveyers, and blast furnaces with an assertive simplicity and aesthetic appreciation for mechanical engineering. They strove to represent these structures in the most straightforward manner they could achieve, by photographing only on overcast days in order to void shadows and from purely objective points of view. Their work has influenced numerous photographers including Andreas Gursky, Thomas Ruff, Candida Hofer, and Thomas Struth, among others. The duo have shown in both solo and group exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY (200); the Sonnabend Gallery, New York, NY (1972 & 1974); and the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, England (1974).

Selected Public Collections:
Tate Gallery (London, England)
Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY)
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY)