Bernd Becher, known with wife Hilla for their exhaustive documentation of industrial structures in Germany, such as grain elevators, that spans several decades, has died following heart surgery. He and wife Hilla have played a major role in the field German photography and fine art photography in general over the last 40 years, through their work both as photographers and teachers. So many of their former students have become well-known in contemporary photography in their own right (Andreas Gursky, Candida Hofer, the Thomases Ruff and Struth), that the term “Becher School” was coined to describe them, which arguably also includes those on whom they’ve had a visible effect stylistically or formally, but who weren’t technically their students.
Part of the Bechers’ innovation artistically is in the systematic but, in a way, regal treatment they gave to such mundane subject matter. There is an interesting play between their coldly scientific documentary approach, and the ennobling effect of their gridded, candid compositions, which raises the vernacular industrial buildings, an architecture of pure practicality, to iconic status.

Link to obit in NYT here

MassiveMusic is renowned for holding the coolest and most coveted party during the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival and this year was no exception. Over 2,000 guests from around the globe let their hair down on the beach last night.

Advertisers often tiptoe near or across the fine line of what is acceptable in advertising, but where do we draw the line between tolerable and offensive ideas? Yesterday, an exclusive panel of leading international thinkers and risk takers explored boundaries of advertising during Tasting the Limits. They debated and offered insight into the competitive environment of advertising and why great adverts are expected to not just push the boundaries…but break them.

Moderator: Lewis Blackwell - Group Creative Director, Getty Images

Panel Members:

1. Cami Levin - Creative Director, MTV Networks International

2. Jillian Lochner - Photographer (freelancer for Getty Images)

3. Mark Charkin - VP Advertising, Bebo

4. Patrick Burgoyne - Editor, Creative Review

5. Amir Kassaei - Chief Creative Officer, DDB Germany

ADVexpress interviewed Lewis Blackwell after the panel discussion and Lewis gives more insight to the use of imagery in advertising. Click here to hear what he has to say.

The winning team members from Publicis: Juan Pablo Gaete (art director) on right, Michael Honeyman (copy writer) on left.

Team Chile has won the prestigious Young Creatives Competition for hot creative talent at the 54th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

This year, the Press Lions Jury selected two teams to take second place - Australia and the Philipinnes, with third place awarded to Brazil.

Second place team Australia - Enrique on left, Justin on right - please note we don’t have a photo of team Philipinnes as they were too excited and we missed our opportunity.

Team Brazil showcases their third place win.

Thirty-seven teams, each comprising one art director and a copywriter, under the ages of 28, had just 24 hours to interpret the brief and develop a print ad using Getty Images’ imagery.

The work was judged by a panel of 19 members headed up by Bob Scarpelli, chairman, chief creative officer DDB Worldwide. All of the executions will be shown at the Palais des Festivals.

Francois Durand/Getty Images

Young creatives from across the globe battle it out to win this year’s coveted competition at the 54th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

Thirty-seven teams, each comprising one art director and a copywriter, under the age of 28, had just 24 hours to interpret a real life brief and develop a print ad.

The brief was set on by Right to Play (www.righttoplay.org.uk), an international humanitarian organization committed to improving the lives of children in the most disadvantaged areas of the world, which uses specially-designed sport and play programs to promote development, peace and health.