“Water Towers” is a body of work created by Bernd and Hilla Becher between 1972 and 2007. The artwork is a series of gelatin silver print photographs, belonging to the Conceptual Art movement and predominantly focusing on architectural forms. This series showcases the typology of water towers, emphasizing their structural elements and uniformity. Each photograph captures a distinct water tower, revealing both the diversity and commonality among these industrial structures.
The artwork comprises nine black-and-white photographs of different water towers, arranged in a three-by-three grid. Each water tower is depicted in meticulous detail, highlighting its unique design while maintaining a consistent aesthetic across the series. The straightforward, documentary-style photography of the Bechers emphasizes the functional and utilitarian aspects of the water towers, presenting them as objects of visual intrigue and architectural significance. The uniform composition and lack of extraneous detail in the background draw attention to the formal qualities of the towers, aligning with the Bechers’ conceptual approach to their work.
