Candida Höfer belonged to a generation of young artists who were all trained by Bernd and Hilla Becher at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf. Höfer began studying film under Ole John in 1973 and, from 1976 to 1982, she studied photography under the Bechers.
Höfer's photographic series, with the phenomenological character of scientific studies, were exhibited at numerous individual-artist exhibitions in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and the United States from as early as the mid-70s. Her breakthrough to fame came with a series of photographs showing guest workers in Germany, after which she concentrated on interiors, rooms and zoological gardens.
The artist's preferred subject is interiors, but she avoids purely private rooms. Through Höfer's lens, the viewer becomes aware of the public character and the functionality of waiting rooms, libraries and museums, even though - or perhaps because - there are no people (with few exceptions).
Can you i.d. some of Höfer's interiors?
Have you seen any of them up close and personal?
:rena bransten gallery
9.17.2008
visionaries: candida höfer
