Under London’s famously gray February sky, the monochromatic calm that emerges when it merges with the city’s silhouette takes on new meaning this month on the walls of Sprüth Magers. On the London floor of Apartment No:26, we have thrown the windows wide open; outside, the dignified wind of Mayfair blows, while inside we welcome the silent giants of the industrial revolution. The legendary German photographic duo Bernd and Hilla Becher returns to London after more than a decade. This exhibition is not merely a retrospective; it also serves as a tribute to the rusty soul of the city in the absence of Hilla Becher, who left us in 2015. If you are among those who believe that structures are not merely stone and iron—that each one has its own character, even its own face—then the air on this floor is exactly for you.
The Skeleton of Modernism: The Bechers’ Visual Archive
For half a century, Bernd and Hilla Becher documented the industrial landscapes of Europe and North America with surgical precision. Through their lens, gas tanks, water towers, and mine shafts cease to be mere functional structures; they become “sculptures”—similar yet each containing its own eccentric details.
The new exhibition at Sprüth Magers centers on the Bechers’ famous typological methodology. By placing structures of the same type side by side, they offer the viewer a field of comparison. This disciplined approach breaks the anonymous identity of industrial buildings, turning them almost into portraits. The sense of belonging you feel while wandering the corridors of Apartment No:26 also comes alive in these colossal metal masses framed by the Bechers.
London’s Iron Memory: Gas Tanks and Local Touches
The most striking element of the exhibition is the five large gas tank photographs that greet you at the entrance. Their selection is no coincidence; each one comes from Great Britain, and many directly from London’s own industrial past. In this first solo exhibition in London since Hilla Becher’s passing, the strong emphasis on the city’s own fabric adds an emotional depth to the show.
There is an organic bond between London’s rainy melancholy and the gray tones in the Bechers’ lens. The water towers and cooling towers in the exhibition form the skeleton of the modern world while prompting the viewer to ask: Can a structure that has lost its function still be considered a work of art?
The Spirit of the Exhibition: Why Now?
The Bechers’ art stands as a kind of manifesto for slowing down and paying attention in today’s rapidly changing digital world. Sprüth Magers’ sterile and elegant atmosphere makes the rational beauty of these massive structures even more pronounced. This return after ten years is both an act of fulfilling a longing and an effort to honor the legacy of one of art history’s most influential duos.
Exhibition Details
Artists: Bernd & Hilla Becher
Venue: Sprüth Magers, London
Dates: February 20 – March 28, 2026
Highlights: Britain-specific series of gas tanks, water towers, and cooling towers.
Before leaving the London floor of Apartment No:26, give this monochromatic journey a chance. While the smoke rising from the boiler room gives way to the pure silence of this exhibition, you will feel that the industrial heart of the city is still beating.
