Gas Tanks 2007

Bernd and Hilla Becher made these photographs of Gas Tanks sometime in the mid-twentieth century. Look at the subtle play of light and shadow, how the grayscale tones give a sense of depth and volume to these industrial structures. It is like they are painting with light. The Bechers were interested in the textures of the materials, the rough, weathered surfaces of the concrete and metal. Notice how the light catches on the rounded forms, highlighting every detail. The images seem straightforward, but when you look closely you see that they are interested in the abstract qualities of these industrial forms. I think of Ed Ruscha, how he catalogued and photographed buildings and signage across America. But where Ruscha leaned towards a kind of deadpan humor, the Bechers are more austere, almost reverential. They remind us that art can be found in the most unexpected places, and that even the most functional objects can possess a strange kind of beauty.