Bernd & Hilla Becher and Daniel Slater



Bernd & Hilla Becher - Wassertürme (Water Towers)

After looking at the work of Bernd & Hilla Becher and their modernist presentation of industrial aesthetics, compositional balance and a very bold yet simplistic photographic style are key features made obvious throughout their work. This style of photography has influenced many artists from the students of Bernd Becher to more contemporary artists all over the world. Some students of Bernd who have visibly taken inspiration include the likes of Andreas Gursky, Thomas Ruff, Thomas Struth, Candida Hofer and Elger Esser, consequently, I intend to research further these iconic artists and their indevidual yet similarly inspired work.

     The idea of compositional balance and bold simplicity can also be found within the work of Daniel Slater, a contemporary photographer and Goldsmiths graduate:

Joinery Shop Composition No. IV
Daniel Slater

Joinery Shop Compositions
Daniel Slater

This piece is very much a focus on such ideologies. Both the work of Bernd & Hilla Becher and Daniel Slater present buildings and building-like structures in physically and metaphorically 2D manners and question the structure's purpose.

     In conclusion i feel both pieces have indefinite modernist/postmodern sensibilities. I definitely enjoy the aesthetics of both and wish to take inspiration from their styling.