Candida Höfer
°1944, Eberswalde (DE) – lives and works in Cologne
Known for her meticulously composed, large-scale colour images of architectural interiors, Höfer’s oeuvre explores the structure, presentation, and influence of space. Interested in the psychological impact of design and the contrast between a room’s intended and actual use, Höfer has focused her lens on cultural and institutional buildings such as libraries, hotels, museums, concert halls, and palaces. Whilst devoid of people, the images allow us to consider the role of their missing inhabitants. The large-scale nature of the work invites the viewer to linger over the architectural details and contemplate the subtle shifts in light that make up the character of the space.
On her decision to exclude people from her photographs, Höfer has said, “…it became apparent to me that what people do in these spaces – and what these spaces do to them – is clearer when no one is present, just as an absent guest is often the subject of a conversation.”
(courtesy of Sean Kelly Gallery)
Candida Höfer – Showing and Seeing, installation view at Ben Brown Fine Arts, 2020
Candida Höfer – Augustiner Chorherrenstift Sankt Florian III, 2014
Candida Höfer – Benediktinerstift Admont I, 2014
Candida Höfer – exhibition view at Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich in 2020
Candida Höfer – Musée du Louvre Paris XXI, 2005
Candida Höfer – Biblioteca Nacional de España Madrid V, 2015
Candida Höfer – Benediktinerstift Kremsmünster III, 2014
Höfer’s internationally recognized work has been shown in solo exhibitions at the Kunsthalle, Basel; Carré d’Art, Nîmes; Museum Folkwang, Essen; Louvre, Paris; Museo Amparo, Mexico; Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; Kunstmuseum, Luzerne; and North Carolina Museum of Art. Her work has also appeared in group exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Power Plant, Toronto; Kunsthaus Bregenz; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao; and Documenta XI, Kassel. Höfer represented Germany at the 2003 Venice Biennale.
Candida Höfer is represented by the following galleries;
click through to discover more of her work.
