Bernd Becher, b. 1931, d. 2007. Hilla Becher, b. 1934, d. 2015. German artists Bernd and Hilla Becher were photographers who captured industrial architecture on the brink of obsolescence across Europe and North America. Their work possesses a documentary quality, featuring what they referred to as “anonymous sculptures of found objects,” including water towers and coal bunkers. Rooted in methodical photographic documentation, their finished images never include people, instead focusing on overlooked beauty, form, and the impact of industry on the economy and environment. Through photography, Bernd and Hilla Becher challenged the relationship between documentary practice, fine art, and Conceptual art.

–Molly Megan, from the Glenstone Field Guide