{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O112657"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O112657/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE6236/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AE6236/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AE6236","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O112657","accessionNumber":"CIRC.645-1975","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Silo for coal, Big Pit Colliery South Wales","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"The Bechers investigate the relationship between form and function, especially in regard to vernacular and industrial architecture. In many of their images they display a particular type of building in a grid, using repetition to facilitate comparison. This image of four cooling towers allows the same typological comparison in one image. The precise aesthetic that permeates the Bechers' work has had a great impact on the many photographers who have studied under them at the Düsseldorf Academy.","physicalDescription":"Black and white photograph of a silo for coal.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Becher, Bernhard","id":"A14667"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Becher, Hilla","id":"A14668"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"gelatin silver process","id":"AAT139114"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gelatin-silver print","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AE6236"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"909","shelf":"B","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Wales","id":"x29337"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Munich","id":"x29009"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1974","earliest":"1974-01-01","latest":"1974-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"20th century","earliest":"1900-01-01","latest":"1999-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1975","earliest":"1975-01-01","latest":"1975-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Acquired from Nigel Greenwood Inc. in 1975","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"403","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"1975","earliest":"1975-01-01","latest":"1975-12-31"},"part":"","note":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1975"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"497","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"1975","earliest":"1975-01-01","latest":"1975-12-31"},"part":"","note":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1975"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This is the first of a portfolio of 14 prints: “Industrial Buildings” published by Schirmer/Mosel, Munich, 1975, in association with Ilea Sonnabend. Edition of 50, the photographs were printed by the artists and mounted on white card.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'Silo for coal, Big Pit Colliery, South Wales'; photograph (gelatin-silver print) by Bernd and Hilda Becher, 1975, South Wales","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Taken from Departmental Circulation Register 1975"}],"production":"From a portfolio of 14 prints \"Industrial Buildings\" 1975.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Wales","id":"x29337"}],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"Wales","id":"x29337"},{"text":"UK","id":"x29336"}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"colliery","id":"x39424"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Bernhard and Hilla Becher's photographs appear as factual, precise and apparently passive representations of utilitarian structures. The neutral, even bland, quality of their images - always taken on grey days to avoid harsh shadows - suits the industrial subject matter. They have maintained a consistency of style allowing the systematic comparison of building types in photographs often displayed together in grids. When compared with each another, the outlines of the buildings begin to take on a sculptural quality. Despite being treated equally, each structure has strong individual characteristics, revealed by the Becher's approach.","date":{"text":"22/09/2004","earliest":"2004-09-22","latest":"2004-09-22"}},{"text":"Bernd and Hilla Becher collaborated for over 40 years, first working together in 1959. Their systematic photography of industrial architecture brought them recognition as conceptual artists as well as photographers. With a deliberately impersonal style, they catalogued and compared the functional yet sculptural forms of steel mills and mines. \r\n\r\nThe Bechers devised a system of ‘typologies’, arranging particular types of buildings in grids. They used a 10 x 8 inch large format camera to obtain detail and worked on overcast days to avoid shadows. \r\n\r\nThe technical precision and serial approach of the Bechers has influenced some of the most well known fine art photographers today, including Thomas Struth, Thomas Ruff and Andreas Gursky, who were taught by them at the Düsseldorf Academy.","date":{"text":"21/11/2012","earliest":"2012-11-21","latest":"2012-11-21"}}],"partNumbers":["CIRC.645-1975"],"accessionNumberNum":"645","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1975,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-31","recordCreationDate":"2005-06-06","availableToBook":false}}