A renowned German photographer, Candida Höfer is best known for her large-format images of empty architectural interiors that explore the psychological environment of social and cultural institutions. Known for technical perfection and a strictly conceptual approach, these works examine how public spaces are designed to accommodate and inform the public.
Höfer was born in 1944 in Cologne, where she still lives and works. After completing studies at the Cologne Werkschule, she enrolled in the Düsseldorf School of Art, where she studied under Bernd and Hilla Becher who influenced her approach to photography greatly. She rose to prominence in the 1980s. Her internationally recognized work has been shown in a range of institutions, including the Kunsthalle in Basel and in Berne, the Museum Folkwang in Essen, the Louvre in Paris, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin and the Kunstmuseum Luzerne, Switzerland. She represented Germany at the 2003 Venice Biennale.
Höfer photographer a range of places rooted in cultural formation and preservation, such as museums, libraries, universities, theaters, civic centers, and historic sites. These meticulously composed color images are devoid of people, yet they allow the viewer to consider the role of their missing inhabitants. Executed in large scale, these works allow for the contemplation of every single detail in the space.
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