Bernd and Hilla Becher: Forms of the Landscape

Fondazione MAST in Bologna will host 'History of a Method', a major retrospective of Bernd and Hilla Becher, from April 23 to September 27, 2026. The exhibition showcases the German couple's systematic photographic documentation of industrial architecture—water towers, cooling towers, winding towers, and half-timbered houses—captured in black-and-white under diffuse light. Their work, rooted in the post-war industrial decline of Germany, evolved into an encyclopedic archive that treats each structure as a protagonist embedded in its landscape. The Bechers, founders of the Düsseldorf School, advocated for a neutral, democratic approach to photography, allowing objects to present themselves without judgment. The retrospective includes silver gelatin prints, drawings, and archival materials from the Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur in Cologne. The exhibition emphasizes their pioneering role in conceptualizing landscape as a dynamic form shaped by time and human activity.