jpegs I, 2005

For this edition, Thomas Ruff chose five motifs from his jpegs series – an exploration of the pixelated surface of compressed digital images. Sourced from the internet, the images range from serene forest scenes and sacred spaces to moments of destruction and historical trauma. Ruff enlarges each file to the point where the JPEG compression becomes visible, turning the digital “errors” into a painterly grid of abstract blocks. By doing so, he exposes the fragility of visual information in the digital age and invites a deeper reflection on how we consume, process, and emotionally respond to images in a world saturated with media.