Fondazione Prada is set to present “Typologien: Photography in 20th-Century Germany,” an exhibition running from April 3 to July 14, 2025, at its Milan venue. Curated by Susanne Pfeffer, director of MUSEUM MMK FÜR MODERNE KUNST in Frankfurt, the showcase brings together over 600 works from 25 artists, including Bernd and Hilla Becher, August Sander, Wolfgang Tillmans, Gerhard Richter, and Thomas Ruff.
The exhibition explores the concept of “typology,” a method of classification that groups images by shared visual elements rather than chronological order. This approach places diverse subjects—such as ferns, cooling towers, bus stops, and stereo systems—on equal footing, inviting viewers to discern patterns and contrasts. Pfeffer notes, “Only through juxtaposition and direct comparison can we see what’s individual and what’s universal, what’s normative and what’s real.”
Designed with suspended walls creating geometric partitions, the exhibition space fosters unexpected dialogues between artists across different eras, all connected by a common intent to categorize. In today’s digital age, where algorithms swiftly generate typologies, “Typologien” encourages a reflective pause, prompting us to consider the act of classification itself and its impact on our perception of the world.
