Bernd & Hilla Becher
BERND & HILLA BECHER "VIER GASOMETER" 1973
Bernd & Hilla Becher had a tremendous influence on documentary photography and sub-genres of industrial/architectural photography and minimalism.
The couple began working together in 1959 and were dedicated to documenting the sculptural elements of harsh or banal industrial or mining structures including large-scale furnaces, water towers, and German frame houses.
Teaching in Dusseldorf in the 1970s, they influenced some of the most important (and collected) contemporary artists working in photography including; Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, and Candida Hofer. It is arguable that even photographers such as Edward Burtynsky are indebted to the Becher's aesthetic and approach.
"Vier Gasometer" is a paradigm of the Becher's Anonyme Skulpturen (Anonymous Sculptures), a term coined by the duo that recalls Marcel Duchamp's readymades and is used to describe industrial buildings as found objects / subjects.
This piece features four images of various gasholders arranged in the Becher's signature grid-like composition. Throughout their career, the couple would present images of similar (often industrial) structures, encouraging the viewer to compare these typically ignored but elaborate and fascinating buildings.
Like the best of their work, highlighting industrial design was always their primary concern, excluding superfluous details or visual aid that may hint at the location of the structures and distract from their aesthetic qualities. Both were enamored by the attention to design that was incorporated into industrial structures and in some instances had the foresight to (successfully) build a case for their historic preservation.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire an affordable piece by one of the most distinctive and influential artists duos of the 20th century.
Questions about this artwork? Contact us or call +1.416.704.1720
"Vier Gasometer"
1973
Offset lithograph
Signed and dated by artists
Edition of 80
20.25"H 15.5"W (image)
31.25"H 25"W (sheet)
34"H 27.75"W (framed)
Very good condition.
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