jpeg/ma.r.s., 2012

Combining works from two of Thomas Ruff’s series, this edition explores the transformation of photographic imagery in the digital age through a portfolio of six prints. 
In the jpeg series, to which the first of these prints belongs, Ruff enlarges compressed internet images and reveals the blocky pixel structures usually seen as flaws. By emphasizing these artifacts, he turns mass media images into abstract compositions that challenge our perception of digital photography. For his ma.r.s. series, Ruff worked with high-resolution satellite photos of Mars taken by NASA. Through digital editing – altering perspective and adding color – he transforms scientific data into striking, almost familiar landscapes that blur the line between documentation and imagination. Together, the prints reflect Ruff’s ongoing interest in how technology shapes what – and how – we see.