Public spaces are revealed through the lens of Candida Hofer. Photo provided to China Daily

She has visited libraries, museums, theaters and universities around the world to take photos in a bid to show how such spaces－often taken for granted by the public－can appear when empty.

Hofer once spent several months photographing Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara's iconic works on "date paintings" on walls of different collectors' homes around the world.

She says it was an interesting way to show how private collectors displayed the late New York-based artist's pieces to match with the interior design of their respective houses.

Many of her small-sized photos are taken by digital camera. Sometimes she even uses smart phones to take a few quick pictures in her daily life.

But for her work-related photos, she never uses phones, she says.