Hochofen, Ilsede/Hannover, 1998

Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of blast furnaces show prototypical plants that have been in operation across Europe and the USA since the 1960s. The photographs were taken either during their use or shortly after their decommissioning. As central elements of the steel industry, blast furnaces were used to produce pig iron and, with their characteristic architecture, they shaped the appearance of industrial regions. Their unmistakable shape makes them both a symbol of steel production and an iconic testimony to industrial culture.