Candida Höfer

2022 Honoree / Achievement in Architecture

In 1944 Candida Höfer was born in in Eberswalde (near Berlin).

From 1963 to 1964 she was a trainee at the Photo Studio Schmölz-Huth in Cologne. From 1964 to 1968 Candida studied at the Kölner Werkschulen (School for Arts and Crafts). From 1968 to 1970 she was working as an independent photographer for various newspapers and magazine. In 1970 she moved to Hamburg where she was an assistant at the Photo Studio Werner Bokelberg with the main task of constructing images using the daguerreotype technique. In 1972 Candida returned to Cologne to work at an art gallery.

In 1973 she was accepted at the Art Academy Düsseldorf where she first attended the film class of Ole John (Polvsen), the Danish cinematographer. With the arrival of Bernd Becher at the Academy she moved to his class as one of his first pupils; Candida left the Academy as a “Master Pupil” in 1982.

1975 saw her first exhibition at Konrad Fischer Galerie Emerging Artists Booth during Art Cologne. From 1997 to 2000 she was Professor of Photography at the Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung, Karlsruhe.

In 2002 Candida Höfer participated in documenta 11. In 2003 she represented Germany at the 50. Biennale de Venezia (together with the late Martin Kippenberger).

Her work is shown in museums such as the Kunsthalle Basel, the Kunsthalle Berne, the Portikus, Frankfurt am Main, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Power Plant, Toronto, the Kunsthaus Bregenz and the Museum Ludwig, Cologne.

For her work Candida Höfer has received various prices and distinctions: In 1987 the “ars viva” Cultural Award of the Federation of German Industries, in 2000 the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, in 2002 the Woman Art Award of the State of North-Rhine Westphalia, in 2007 the Finkenwerder Art Award, in 2015 the Cross of Merit 1st Class of the Federal Republic of Germany, in 2016 the Cologne Fine Art Prize and in 2018 the Sony World Photography Award.

The artist lives in Cologne.

Link: www.skny.com/artists/candida-hofer

Photo by © Ralph Müller