Skip to content

Biography

Beginning in 1959, Bernd Becher (b. 1931, Siegen, Germany, d. 2007, Rostock, Germany) and Hilla Becher (b. 1934, Potsdam, Germany, d. 2015, Düsseldorf, Germany) pursued a project of systematically documenting industrial architectural forms—an objective that took inspiration from the precisionist approach of the Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) artists of the 1920s. The ubiquitous cooling towers, gas tanks, blast furnaces, and grain elevators of the post-war landscape provided the Bechers with the raw matter for their “typologies,” an effort to visually organize and render comparable the unique details of each structure and the intricate relationship between form and function. Important one-person shows include those at Photographic Collection/SK Stiftung Kultur, Cologne (2006, 2010, 2013); the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2008); Nationalgalerie Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin (2005); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2004); K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Dusseldorf (2003); and XLIV Venice Biennale (1990), for which they were awarded the Golden Lion. Their work is held in prominent public collections including the Tate Gallery, London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Moderna Museet, Stockholm; and Kunsthalle Hamburg.

Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
Bernd & Hilla Becher 1. Silo fur Kokskohle (Bachum Ruhr District), 2. Silo fur Erz (Waldolgesheim bei Bingen), 3. Silo fur Kohl (facht Auguste Victoria Essen), 1972, gelatin silver prints mounted together 9 images each: 9 1/4 x 7 in. (23.5 x 17.8 cm) frame: 40 1/4 x 28 5/8 x 1 in. (102.2 x 72.7 x 2.5 cm)

Bernd & Hilla Becher
1. Silo fur Kokskohle (Bachum Ruhr District), 2. Silo fur Erz (Waldolgesheim bei Bingen), 3. Silo fur Kohl (facht Auguste Victoria Essen), 1972
gelatin silver prints mounted together
9 images each: 9 1/4 x 7 in. (23.5 x 17.8 cm)
frame: 40 1/4 x 28 5/8 x 1 in. (102.2 x 72.7 x 2.5 cm)

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd & Hilla Becher Detail Blast Furnace, La Louvière, 1985 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. (91.4 x 74.9 x 3.2 cm) Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
Detail Blast Furnace, La Louvière, 1985
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. (91.4 x 74.9 x 3.2 cm)
Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher Detail Blast Furnace, Diffedange, 1983 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
Detail Blast Furnace, Diffedange, 1983
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher Detail Blast Furnace, Georgsmarienhütte, Osnabruck, 1987 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
Detail Blast Furnace, Georgsmarienhütte, Osnabruck, 1987
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Unterwellenborn, Thuringen, Germany, 1991 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 16 3/4 in. (59.7 x 42.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Unterwellenborn, Thuringen, Germany, 1991
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 16 3/4 in. (59.7 x 42.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Uckange, Lorraine, France, 1991 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Uckange, Lorraine, France, 1991
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Duisburg-Bruckhausen, Germany, 1991 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Duisburg-Bruckhausen, Germany, 1991
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher 1. Silo fur Kokskohle (Bachum Ruhr District), 2. Silo fur Erz (Waldolgesheim bei Bingen), 3. Silo fur Kohl (facht Auguste Victoria Essen), 1972, gelatin silver prints mounted together 9 images each: 9 1/4 x 7 in. (23.5 x 17.8 cm) frame: 40 1/4 x 28 5/8 x 1 in. (102.2 x 72.7 x 2.5 cm)

Bernd & Hilla Becher
1. Silo fur Kokskohle (Bachum Ruhr District), 2. Silo fur Erz (Waldolgesheim bei Bingen), 3. Silo fur Kohl (facht Auguste Victoria Essen), 1972
gelatin silver prints mounted together
9 images each: 9 1/4 x 7 in. (23.5 x 17.8 cm)
frame: 40 1/4 x 28 5/8 x 1 in. (102.2 x 72.7 x 2.5 cm)

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd and Hilla Becher: In Dialogue with Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, Installation view, 534 W 21st Street, Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, 2018.

Bernd & Hilla Becher Detail Blast Furnace, La Louvière, 1985 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. (91.4 x 74.9 x 3.2 cm) Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
Detail Blast Furnace, La Louvière, 1985
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. (91.4 x 74.9 x 3.2 cm)
Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher Detail Blast Furnace, Diffedange, 1983 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
Detail Blast Furnace, Diffedange, 1983
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher Detail Blast Furnace, Georgsmarienhütte, Osnabruck, 1987 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
Detail Blast Furnace, Georgsmarienhütte, Osnabruck, 1987
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 2 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Unterwellenborn, Thuringen, Germany, 1991 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 16 3/4 in. (59.7 x 42.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Unterwellenborn, Thuringen, Germany, 1991
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 16 3/4 in. (59.7 x 42.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Uckange, Lorraine, France, 1991 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Uckange, Lorraine, France, 1991
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 in. (59.7 x 43.2 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Duisburg-Bruckhausen, Germany, 1991 gelatin silver print image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm) frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm) Edition 3 of 5

Bernd & Hilla Becher
PARTIAL VIEW OF BLAST FURNACE, Duisburg-Bruckhausen, Germany, 1991
gelatin silver print
image: 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5 cm)
frame: 36 x 29 1/2 in. (91.4 x 74.9 cm)
Edition 3 of 5