A maverick photographer inspired by contemporary life, Thomas Ruff makes images that push the boundaries of the medium.
Over the past 30 years, Ruff has documented his Düsseldorf classmates, modernist buildings, and stars on film, as well as digitally modifying Internet pornography, jpegs of natural and man-made disasters, and downloaded manga cartoons. Working in series, Ruff repeatedly reveals the inherently artificial nature of photography.
Visit Thomas Ruff’s gallery page, read an interview, catch his show of new work at David Zwirner in New York, and buy his recent Aperture
Thomas Ruff, Portrait (R. Huber), 1988. C-Print, 9.45 x 7.09 inches, 24 x 18 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, zycles 3080, 2009. Pigment print on canvas, 100 3/4 x 81 1/8 x 2 3/4 inches, 256 x 206 x 7 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, jpeg nt02, 2006. C-Print with Diasec, 95 1/2 x 72 3/4 inches, 242.6 x 184.8 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, cassini 32, 2009. Chromogenic print, 42 3/4 x 42 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches, 108.5 x 108.5 x 4 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, Interieur 3B, 1980. C-print, 10.83 x 8.07 inches, 27.5 x 20.5 cm
Thomas Ruff cassini 24, 2009. Chromogenic print, 42 3/4 x 37 3/8 x 1 1/2 inches, 108.5 x 95.5 x 4 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, nudes bb36, 2002. Laserchrome and diasec, 59.45 x 43.31 inches, 151 x 110 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, zycles 4020, 2009. Chromogenic print, 73 1/4 x 73 14 x 2 3/8 inches, 186 x 186 x 6 cm. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York
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