The exhibition attempts to apply the principle of “typology,” which originated in 17th – and 18th – century botany to categorize and study plants , and appeared in photography in the early 1900s, affirming itself in Germany throughout the 20th century. Paradoxically, the given formal principle allows for unexpected convergences of German artists spanning different generations and the manifestation of their individual approaches.

Bringing together over 600 works by 25 renowned and lesser-known artists, the exhibition offers a non-chronological perspective, instead grouping the works according to typological principles. Among the featured artists are Bernd and Hilla Becher, August Sander, Andreas Gursky, Candida Höfer, Thomas Ruff, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Isa Genzken. The display aims to highlight both similarities and contrasts between different generations of photographers, illustrating how typology has shaped artistic practices and photographic documentation over the decades.

Susanne Pfeffer underlines that typology allows for a deeper understanding of both the individual and the universal, revealing unexpected connections between subjects. The exhibition design, with suspended walls creating geometric partitions, reinforces this concept by generating new dialogues between differents artistic approaches. Photography, in this context, is not only a tool for recording reality but also an instrument for organizing and classifying the visible world.

While typology suggests an objective and systematic approach, it also carries an inherent paradox: it can appear as a neutral, scientific method of documentation while simultaneously reflecting personal and arbitrary choices. The exhibition questions how typological thinking has influenced photography’s role in shaping our perception of social structures, cultural phenomena, and historical memory.

A key focus of Typologien is the evolution of typology within German photography, tracing its roots from early pioneers such as Karl Blossfeldt and August Sander to the Bechers’ rigorous documentation of industrial architecture. Their legacy profoundly influenced later artists such as Gursky, Höfer, Ruff, and Struth, who expanded on these typological methods while embracing color, digital manipulation, and large-scale formats. The exhibition also examines how conceptual artists like Hans-Peter Feldmann and Gerhard Richter have played with typology, sometimes undermining its systematic nature by incorporating found images, personal archives, or commercial aesthetics.

As Pfeffer states, the contemporary digital era has made typologies even more pervasive, with the internet allowing for instant categorization of images. Yet, she argues, this is precisely the moment when artists feel the need to pause, observe more closely, and reconsider what defines individuality and collectivity.

Accompanying the exhibition is an illustrated book designed by Zak Group and published by Fondazione Prada. It includes an introduction by Miuccia Prada, a curatorial essay by Susanne Pfeffer, and contributions from renowned art historians and curators Benjamin Buchloh, Tom Holert, and Renée Mussa, offering further insights into the historical and contemporary relevance of typological photography.