Art Brokerage: There’s a temptation, when considering the work of Düsseldorf-based photographer Andreas Gefeller, to place him in a German school that stretches back to August Sander and includes more recent masters such as Bernd and Hilla Becher and their many disciples. Like these famous forefathers, Gefeller employs a rigorous approach to the medium that is grounded in technical fluency and a desire to systemize and master his content. But while his predecessors' work was fairly uniform in appearance, Gefeller creates photos that differ widely in their effect, palette, and apparent point of reference. Though also rooted in documentary and aiming for comprehensiveness, Gefeller’s pristinely rendered images are far more lyrical, often functioning as abstract expressionism rather than “realist” depictions. Working in a digital format, Gefeller painstakingly photographs a large surface inch by inch, then assembles those dozens or even hundreds of images into a large-scale composite (without otherwise doctoring them). The method is not unlike that used to compile the streetscapes on GoogleEarth; as a viewer, you want to both appreciate them for their comprehensiveness and to zoom in on the intricate details they capture.