Fotografia come scultura alla Biennale Arte 1990. Bernd e Hilla Becher vincitori di un Leone d'Oro “intermediale”

Abstract

The recognition of the Golden Lion for Sculpture awarded to the German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher at the XLIV International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia (1990) represented an event of extraordinary significance, which sparked a lively debate among critics and art historians. This recognition acted as a catalyst, bringing to light crucial questions about the status of contemporary art, especially regarding the boundaries between photography and sculpture, which have since then been regarded as interacting media. This thesis aims to analyze in depth the distinctive methodology adopted by the Bechers, delving into their work in relation to sculptural paradigms. It aims to show how, through the aesthetic and epistemological act of walking - considered as a practice of reenactment - and through the objectivity of representation, the photographed subjects are no longer considered as mere industrial architectures destined to disappear, but become "anonymous sculptures." This study seeks to draw a new critical perspective on the Bechers' artistic practice, exploring how their photographic approach is not limited to the mere documentation of industrial buildings, but transforms the architectures into sculptural objects - giving them a relevant aesthetic and conceptual value within the contemporary artistic sphere.