phg, 2014

This edition, a suite of five prints, belongs to Thomas Ruff’s phg series, in which he reimagines the early 20th-century photogram using 21st-century tools. Inspired by the camera-less experiments of the 1920s, Ruff created his own virtual darkroom, where he simulated the exposure of objects – such as lenses, rods, spirals, and paper forms – onto a digital surface. By manipulating these 3D-generated shapes and adding controlled lighting, including color, he produced complex compositions that echo the abstract aesthetics of historical photograms while embracing the possibilities of digital imaging. The result is a striking fusion of photographic history and contemporary technology, expanding the language of light-based image-making.