Candida Höfer: Epic Gaze - book design by Ho Sze Leong

 Candida Höfer, considered one of the most important conceptual photographers of the latter half of the 20th century, is known for her signature eye-level orthogonal views of architectural interiors of public spaces that are devoid of human presence. These printed images, reaching up to 2.59 metres wide and 2 metres high, depict mostly Western built environments, cultural in nature, of different typologies and time periods. Much of her more recent work are representations of edifices designed by Pritzker laureate architects.

The exhibition Candida Höfer: Epic Gaze is a curatorial selection chosen from the body of work developed by Höfer over the last 20 years. It features a variety of pieces organised in six major themes: “Passages”, “Theatres”, “Museums”, “Libraries”, “Worldview”, “Unseen Works” and a video projection entitled “Silent Spaces”. These themes are enclosed in separate sections and placed in a bespoke exhibition layout as a way to promote a paced and sequential contemplation in the viewer.

 The title of the exhibition stems from Höfer’s global vision of capturing a particular built environment that embodies humanity’s aspirations to preserve, represent and communicate the legacy of historical assets which emanate profound beliefs and aesthetics. By re-envisioning these structures through the medium of photography, Höfer rekindles the question of how these crucial masterpieces will continue to shape and weigh in the collective memory for the generations to come.

João Ó & Rita Machado
Curators