The Bechers on Display at Paris Photo

2 minute read

The work of the photographic duo Bernd and Hilla Becher is indisputably some of the most important in modern photography. This week, a two-part exhibit at Paris Photo highlights the historical significance of the Bechers, most well known for their “typologies”—uniform, photographic studies of industrial structures such as water towers and blast furnaces.

The first part of the show, Bernd and Hilla Becher—Printed materials 1964-2012, features an extensive collection of rare ephemera related to the Bechers’ work. These objects, including posters, invitations and museum catalogues, were amassed by curator and book dealer Antoine de Beaupré for more than ten years.

“You get an historical overview,” said Beaupré. “and also an evolution of how their work developed over the years, especially in the beginning.”

One highlight of the collection is the magazine Anonyme Skulpturen which was printed in 1969 to accompany an exhibition of the Bechers’ work in Düsseldorf. This work would become a monograph of the same name, published in 1970, which is also featured in the Paris show.

The printed objects collected by Beupré represent the Bechers’ work from 1964 to 1977, while a presentation of their monographs, mounted under plexiglass and affixed to the gallery walls, span from 1970 to the present day.

The second section of the Paris show features a selection of 117 photographs chosen by Hilla Becher (Bernd Becher passed away in 2007) from the 1977 book Zeche Zollern II – Photographs of Bernd & Hilla Becher. Together, these prints, objects and publications are a comprehensive tribute to the Bechers’ long and prolific photographic career.


Antoine de Beaupré is a curator and the founder of the Librairie 213 in Paris.

Bernd and Hilla Becher—Printed materials 1964-2012 is on display at Paris Photo from Nov. 15 to 18.

Image:Industriebauten 1830-1930, Exposition catalogue
Industriebauten 1830-1930 Exposition catalogue, Die Neue Sammlung Munich, 1967Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Industriebauten 1830-1930, Exposition catalogue
Industriebauten 1830-1930 Exposition catalogue, Die Neue Sammlung Munich, 1967Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Industriebauten 1830-1930, catalogue
Industriebauten 1830-1930 Exposition catalogue, Die Neue Sammlung Munich, 1967Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Invitation card, Bernd und Hilla Becher Photographien
Bernd und Hilla Becher Photographien Invitation card, Ruth Nohl Gallery Siegen, Germany, 1968Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Magazine cover, Anonyme Skulpturen
Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen Magazine cover for Anonyme Skulpturen, Michelpresse Düsseldorf, Germany, January 1969 Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image:Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen, magazine
Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen From the magazine Anonyme Skulpturen, Michelpresse Düsseldorf, Germany, January 1969Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Image: Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen, magazine
Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen From the magazine Anonyme Skulpturen, Michelpresse Düsseldorf, Germany, January 1969Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen, magazine
Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen From the magazine Anonyme Skulpturen, Michelpresse Düsseldorf, Germany, January 1969 Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen, magazine
Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen From the magazine Anonyme Skulpturen, Michelpresse Düsseldorf, Germany, January 1969 Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen, magazine
Kunst Zeitung N°2 Anonyme Skulpturen From the magazine Anonyme Skulpturen, Michelpresse Düsseldorf, Germany, January 1969 Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Bernhard + Hilla Becher bei Konrad Fischer, Invitation card
Bernhard + Hilla Becher bei Konrad Fischer Invitation card, Konrad Fischer Gallery Düsseldorf, Germany, December 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Poster for the publication of Anonyme Skulpturen
Im Kurtze Erscheint Anonyme Skulpturen Poster for the publication of Anonyme Skulpturen Düsseldorf, Germany, 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image:Anonyme Skulpturen, book
Anonyme Skulpturen – Eine Typologie technischer Bauten Book cover, monograph published by Art-Press Verlag Düsseldorf, Germany, December 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Anonyme Skulpturen, book
Anonyme Skulpturen – Eine Typologie technischer Bauten Book spread, Art-Press Verlag Düsseldorf, Germany, December 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Anonyme Skulpturen, book
Anonyme Skulpturen – Eine Typologie technischer Bauten Book spread, Art-Press Verlag Düsseldorf, Germany, December 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image:Anonyme Skulpturen, book
Anonyme Skulpturen – Eine Typologie technischer Bauten Book spread, Art-Press Verlag Düsseldorf, Germany, December 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Anonyme Skulpturen, book
Anonyme Skulpturen – Eine Typologie technischer Bauten Book spread, Art-Press Verlag Düsseldorf, Germany, December 1970Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Vergleiche Techniser konstructionen, catalogue
Vergleiche techniser Konstructionen Exhibition catalogue Aix-la-chapelle, Germany, March 1971Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Vergleiche Techniser konstructionen exhibition catalogue
Vergleiche techniser Konstructionen Exhibition catalogue Aix-la-chapelle, Germany, March 1971Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Vergleiche Techniser konstructionen exhibition catalogue
Vergleiche techniser Konstructionen Exhibition catalogue Aix-la-chapelle, Germany, March 1971Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Invitation Card, Bernd + Hilla Becher
Bernd + Hilla Becher Invitation Card, Konrad Fischer Gallery Düsseldorf, Germany, 1973Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image:Invitation card, Bernd & Hilla Becher
Bernd & Hilla Becher Invitation card, Forma Gallery Genes, Italy, 1973Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Image: Bernd & Hilla Becher, Invitation card
Bernd & Hilla Becher Invitation card, Sonnabend Gallery Paris, February 1975Bernd and Hilla Becher
Image: Invitation card
Preparation Plants Invitation Card, Sonnabend Gallery New York, 1977Bernd and Hilla Becher

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