jpegs II, 2008

This portfolio edition of seven prints is part of Thomas Ruff’s jpegs series, in which the artist explores the aesthetics and structure of compressed digital imagery. Sourced from the internet, each image – whether depicting war, nature, or ruins – has been enlarged to the point where the JPEG compression artifacts become visible, transforming the photographic surface into a grid of abstract pixel blocks. By embracing these digital distortions, Ruff invites viewers to reflect on the fragility of photographic truth in the age of mass media, turning familiar scenes into painterly, pixelated meditations on how we process and perceive images today.