Viewing Candida Höfer: Libraries, museums and a theatre

Drink in the mesmerising charm of Candida Höfer at Ben Brown Fine Arts. The photographer’s eighth solo show at the London gallery includes a selection of spectacular photographs of empty libraries, museums and a theatre across Europe. Devoid of human figures, these sumptuous spaces assume an eerie monumentality, prompting the viewer to consider the essence and history of a space in isolation.

Höfer favours compositional symmetry, a relatively high vantage point and a vibrant sense of colour, as is evident in the works on display here. Also apparent is her technical perfection and highly conceptual approach, likely honed under the tutelage of German conceptual artists and photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher.

Among the star exhibits is Villa Borghese Roma I 2012, which depicts a series of sculptures that were first owned by Galleria Borghese, sold to French collectors, and then loaned by the Louvre to the Galleria. Also featured in the show are two engrossing works from Höfer’s Louvre series, taken when the museum was closed to the public.

There is something intriguing about seeing familiar spaces in unfamiliar ways. Which is perhaps why Höfer’s work draws you in so deeply.