Aufbereitungsanlagen (Preparation Plants), 2009

In this edition from their Typologies series, Bernd and Hilla Becher bring their signature approach of objectivity and formal rigor to the fore. As in all of their photographic works, the sober, systematic recording of industrial architecture gives rise to visual groupings that reveal structural similarities and functional logic. Beginning in 1959, the artists developed a method rooted in comparison and repetition – placing functionally and formally related buildings side by side to articulate patterns and variations. This serial approach culminates in the typologies that define their practice, with each image serving as both an individual document and part of a larger conceptual whole. The meticulous arrangement and careful balancing of visual weight within the grid play a central role, transforming documentation into a striking visual taxonomy of industrial form.