Thomas
Ruff
Thomas Ruff is a leading German photographer who studied under the legendary Bernd and Hilla Becher at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. While maintaining the typological viewpoint characteristic of the Becher school, over the years Ruff’s practice has expanded from the act of clicking the shutter himself, to recomposing existing images, as part of an ongoing interrogation of the essence of photographic expression.
His early bodies of works document the world dispassionately through personal eyes. The likes of “Interieurs” (1979–83), which captures the indoor spaces of ordinary German households of the period, in compositions shorn of emotion; and “Porträts” (1981–2001), for which Ruff photographed acquaintances as if for ID shots, and blew these photos up to giant size, are attempts to interrogate various of the relationships entailed in photography, eg those of image and reality, and subject and photographer.
By mid-career Ruff had introduced mechanical devices to his shoots, and was presenting works that contemplated photographs and vision with more of a critic’s eye. Inspired by photos and video shot during the Gulf War, the “Nächte” (1992–96) series uses a special night vision lens to photograph city streets after dark. The resulting fuzzy green images give people an eerie sense of déjà vu, and simultaneously, a visceral experience of visualized darkness only achievable with technology. The surveillance-style viewpoint suggested by these deserted scenes also serves to highlight the political nature of photography.
Ruff next turned his attention to the found images that accumulate on the internet, in archives, and elsewhere, to produce a new kind of work. The “nudes” series (1999–) takes the ubiquitous porn shots, “Substrate” (2001–) Japanese anime and manga, and using a computer, blurs these images to an extreme, or alters the color tones. Shorn of their original context and meaning, the new photographs emerging from Ruff’s intervention traverse the narrow paths between sensuality and abstraction, and the generation and dissolution of images.
Meanwhile, the “cassini” (2008–11) and “ma.r.s” (2010–14) series reflect Ruff’s interest in astronomical bodies, and are based on official satellite photos. As he moves away from the act of photographing, and to the borrowing and reconfiguring of scientific images, there is a noticeable wavering of the authorship and documentary nature of photography.
In “Photogram” (2012–) Ruff then uses digital technology to update the photogram, once made in the darkroom; while in “negatives” (2014–) he reinterprets the negative as a stand-alone image, as opposed to its usual role as master copy. Armed with both this historically-aware approach to photographs, and an ambitiously forward-looking philosophy expressed by his desire to do whatever he can to produce new images like none ever seen, Thomas Ruff continues to expand the possibilities of photography as a medium with his extensive technical prowess, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
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Ruff has exhibited internationally, including at documenta 9 in Kassel (1992) and the 46th Venice Biennale (1995). From 2000 to 2006, he returned to teach at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, his alma mater. A major retrospective toured nine museums worldwide from 2001 to 2004. In Japan, his first retrospective was held in 2016 at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa. Recent solo exhibitions include K20 – Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf (2020) and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung (2021). His works are held in major museum collections both in Japan and internationally.
BIOGRAPHY
1958Born in Zell am Harmersbach, Germany
1977-1985Staatliche Kunstakademie, Düsseldorf
Lives and works in Düsseldorf
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025Thomas Ruff｜Two of Each, Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo
expériences lumineuses, Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff: expériences lumineuses, David Zwirner, London
2024Thomas Ruff, Malkastenforum, Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff: Selected Works, Mai 36 Galerie, Madrid
Thomas Ruff, untitled# & d.o.pe., Konrad Fischer Galerie, Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff, new work, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, München
2023Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff, d.o.pe., Schaulager, Basel
2022Dark Matter: Thomas Ruff and James Welling, Kunsthalle Bielefeld, Germany [two-person exhibition]
Thomas Ruff: d.o.p.e., David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff: d.o.p.e., Sprüth Magers, Berlin
Thomas Ruff: tableaux russes and tableaux chinois, Konrad Fischer Galerie, Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff: Méta-Photographie, Musée d’art moderne et contemporain de Saint-Étienne Métropole (MAMC), France
2021Tableaux chinois, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff: after.images – Works 1989-2020, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung
Thomas Ruff: tableaux chinois, David Zwirner, Paris
2020Thomas Ruff, K20 – Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf
2019Photophilia, Museum of Recent Art, Bukarest
Thomas Ruff: Serien, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
MARe/Museum of Recent Art, Bukarest
Thomas Ruff: Transforming Photography, David Zwirner, Hong Kong
Thomas Ruff: tripe & flower.s, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
2018Thomas Ruff, Galeria OMR, Mexico City
Thomas Ruff: neg◊lapresmidi, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Tripe | Ruff, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
2017Thomas Ruff, ARARIO Museum, Jeju Island, South Korea
Thomas Ruff, Etablissement d’en face Projects, Brussels
Thomas Ruff, National Portrait Gallery, London
Thomas Ruff, Whitechapel Gallery, London
Thomas Ruff: ++from the press++, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff : Machine & Energy, Mast Foundation, Bologna
Thomas Ruff: New Works, Sprüth Magers, Berlin
2016Thomas Ruff: New Works, David Zwirner, London
Thomas Ruff, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
Thomas Ruff: Object Relations, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Thomas Ruff: press++, David Zwirner, New York
2015Gesichter, Neues Museum, Nuremberg
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff: nature morte, Gagosian Gallery, London
2014Inbox: Thomas Ruff, The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Thomas Ruff: Lichten, Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (S.M.A.K.), Ghent, Belgium; Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff: ma.r.s. and negatives, Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo
Thomas Ruff: new work, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff: photograms, TOLOT/heuristic SHINONOME, Tokyo
Thomas Ruff: photograms and negatives, Gagosian Gallery, Beverly Hills
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
2013Thomas Ruff: j_m_s_s_z, Galleria Lia Rumma, Milan
Thomas Ruff: ma.r.s, Galería Helga de Alvear, Madrid
Thomas Ruff: photograms, Johnen Galerie, Berlin
Thomas Ruff: photograms and ma.r.s., David Zwirner, New York
photograms, Konrad Fischer Galerie, Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff: Series, Sala Alcalá 31, Madrid
2012Thomas Ruff: nudes, concurrent with ma.r.s., Gagosian Gallery, London [catalogue]
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Kunsthalle, Mannheim
Thomas Ruff, Haus der Kunst, Munich
Stellar, Landscapes, LWL-Landesmuseum, für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Münster
ma.r.s., Gogosian Gallery Britannia, London
2011Thomas Ruff: ma.r.s., Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Spain
MCA DNA: Thomas Ruff, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Thomas Ruff: Stellar Landscapes, LWL-Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Münster
Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
2010Thomas Ruff, David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Thomas Ruff, Johnen Galerie, Berlin
Konrad Fischer Galerie, Düsseldorf
Galerist, Istanbul
Thomas Ruff, Palazzo Buonamici; Biblioteca Comunale Istituto Culturale e di Documentazione Lazzerini; Dryphoto arte contemporanea, Prato, Italy; Biblioteca Comunale Bartolomeo Della Fonte, Villa Giamari, Montemurlo, Italy; Spazio d’arte Alberto Moretti/Schema Polis, Carmignano, Italy
2009Thomas Ruff: cassini + zycles, Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo
Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff: Schwarzwald.Landschaft, Museum für Neue Kunst, Freiburg, Germany
LehrerInnenführung: Thomas Ruff. Oberflächen, Tiefen, Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna
Thomas Ruff, Castello di Rivoli – Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Turin
Landscapes / Tenerife, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz, Teneriffa, Spain
2008K4 forum, HBKsaar, Saarbrücken, Germany
Thomas Ruff: A Retrospective, Műcsarnok Kunsthalle, Budapest
Thomas Ruff: zycles + cassini, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
2007Thomas Ruff: Jpegs, Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Thomas Ruff: The Sprengel Project, Sprengel Museum, Hanover
Thomas Ruff, David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
2006Thomas Ruff: Jpegs, Johnen Galerie, Berlin
Thomas Ruff, Arario Beijing
Thomas Ruff, Ben Brown Fine Arts, London [catalogue]
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Nelson, Paris
Thomas Ruff: The Grammar of Photography, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice
2005Thomas Ruff: Jpegs, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff: New Work, David Zwirner, New York
Kunstverein Heinsberg, Germany
2004Thomas Ruff, Arario Gallery, Chungnam, South Korea
Thomas Ruff: Les Oeuvres de la Collection Pierre Huber, Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Geneva
Thomas Ruff: Neue Arbeiten, Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin
Thomas Ruff: Neue Nudes, Neue Substrats, Neue Maschinen, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne, Germany
2003Thomas Ruff: Hans-Thoma-Preis 2003, Hans-Thoma-Museum, Bernau, Germany [catalogue]
Thomas Ruff: Machines, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff: New Work, David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff: Nudes und Maschinen, Kestner Gesellschaft, Hanover
Thomas Ruff, Galeria Lia Rumma, Milan
Thomas Ruff, Galeria Lia Rumma, Naples
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Nelson, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Wilma Tolksdorf, Frankfurt
Thomas Ruff, Pusan Metropolitan Art Museum, Pusan, South Korea
2002INTERIEUR-PORTRÄTS-HÄUSER, Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany
Galeria Estrany de la Mota, Barcelona
Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin
Thomas Ruff: Identificaciones, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City
Thomas Ruff: Substrate, Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo
l.m.v.d.r., Sagacho Shokuryo Building, Tokyo
2001-2004Thomas Ruff: Photographs 1979 to Present, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, Germany; Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo; Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany; Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich; Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; Artium Centro-Museo Vasco de Arte Contemporáneo, Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain; Museu Serralves, Porto, Portugal; Tate Liverpool, England; Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw
2001Thomas Ruff: l.m.v.d.r., David Zwirner, New York
Thomas Ruff, Chabot Museum, Rotterdam
Thomas Ruff, Essor Gallery, London
Thomas Ruff, Galería Helga de Alvear, Madrid
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff, Malkasten, Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff, Zwirner & Wirth, New York
2000Thomas Ruff: l.m.v.d.r., Museum Haus Esters, Haus Lange, Krefeld, Germany; Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin; Galeria Estrany de la Mota, Barcelona
Thomas Ruff: New Works, Galerie Wilma Tolksdorf, Frankfurt
close up, Kunstverein Freiburg im Marienbad, Freiburg, Germany
Thomas Ruff: nudes, David Zwirner, New York; Galerie Nelson, Paris
Thomas Ruff: Selected Photographs, Zwirner & Wirth, New York
Thomas Ruff, Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin
Thomas Ruff, Wolfgang Tillmans, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich [two-person exhibition]
1999Thomas Ruff, Galerie Nelson, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff: Porträts + Nudes, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
1998Thomas Ruff, 303 Gallery, New York
Thomas Ruff, Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Wilma Tolksdorf, Frankfurt
Thomas Ruff, Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo
Thomas Ruff | Günther Förg, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich [two-person exhibition]
1997Thomas Ruff: Oeuvres 1979-97, Centre national de la photographie, Paris
Thomas Ruff: Plakate, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Goethe Institut, Paris
Thomas Ruff – Kleine Porträts, Dryphoto, Prato, Italy
Wolfgang Laib et Thomas Ruff, Lieu d’art contemporain, Sigean, France [two-person exhibition]
Thomas Ruff, Galeria Estrany de la mota, Barcelona
Thomas Ruff, Galería Helga de Alvear, Madrid
1996Thomas Ruff: Portraits, Houses, Stars, Night, Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Nelson, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Kunstverein Oldenburg, Germany
Thomas Ruff, Rooseum Center for Contemporary Art, Malmö, Sweden
Zuspiel, Sprengel Museum, Hanover, Germany
Thomas Ruff. Andere Porträts + 3D, 303 Gallery, New York
Thomas Ruff: Über den Wolken – unter den Sternen, Kunsthaus Kaufbeuren, Germany [twoperson exhibition with Thomas Emde]
1995Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Wilma Tolksdorf, Hamburg
Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Thomas Ruff. Andere Porträts + 3D, German Pavilion, Venice Biennale [with Katharina Fritsch and Martin Honert]
1994Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Architectures of Herzog & De Meuron, Peter Blum, New York
Thomas Ruff, White Cube, London
1993Thomas Ruff, 303 Gallery, New York
Thomas Ruff, Deweer Art Gallery, Otegem, Belgium
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Crousel-Robelin, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
1992Thomas Ruff, Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt
Thomas Ruff: Zeitungsphotos, Mai 36 Galerie, Lucerne, Switzerland; Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich
Galerie Wilma Tolksdorf, Hamburg
1991Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Galeria Lia Rumma, Naples
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Kunstverein Bonn, Germany; Kunstverein Arnsberg, Germany; Kunstverein Braunschweig, Germany; Galerie der Stadt Sindelfingen, Germany
Thomas Ruff: Portraits, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago
1990Thomas Ruff: Häuser, Mai 36 Galerie, Lucerne, Switzerland
Des Portraits, des Maisons, des Étoiles. Porträts, Häuser, Sterne, Centre National d’Art
Contemporain, Magasin Grenoble, France; Kunsthalle Zurich
Thomas Ruff: Stars, Stuart Regen Gallery, Los Angeles
Thomas Ruff, 303 Gallery, New York
Galerie Ghislaine Hussenot, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Crousel-Robelin, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Sonne, Berlin
Thomas Ruff & Katharina Frisch, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich [two-person exhibition]
1989Thomas Ruff: Junge Leute, Goethe Institut, Munich
Thomas Ruff: Porträts, Häuser, Sterne, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Le Magasin – Centre National d’Art Contemporain, Grenoble, France; Kunsthalle Zürich
Thomas Ruff, 303 Gallery, New York
Thomas Ruff, Cornerhouse, Manchester, England
Thomas Ruff, Fondation de Appel, Amsterdam
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Bebert, Rotterdam
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Philip Nelson, Lyon, France
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Pierre Huber, Geneva
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff, XPO Galerie, Hamburg
1988Thomas Ruff, Ydessa Hendeles Art Foundation, Toronto
Thomas Ruff, Porträts, Mai 36 Galerie, Lucerne, Switzerland
Thomas Ruff, Porträts, Museum Schloß Hardenberg, Velbert, Germany; Portikus, Frankfurt
1987Thomas Ruff, Galerie Crousel-Robelin, Paris
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Sonne, Berlin
1986Thomas Ruff, Galerie Philip Nelson, Lyon, France
1984Thomas Ruff, Galerie Konrad Fischer, Düsseldorf
Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich [two-person exhibition with Katharina Fritsch]
1983Thomas Ruff, Ausstellungsräume Brückenstrasse 7, Düsseldorf
1981Thomas Ruff, Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, Munich
