Thomas Ruff (b. 1958) gained international recognition in the late 1980s as part of the Düsseldorf School, pioneering a conceptual approach to photography that broke from his teachers’ style through colour, image manipulation, and monumental scale. Working in series, Ruff has explored genres from portraiture to architecture while interrogating the “grammar of photography” with techniques ranging from analogue processes to advanced digital simulation.
Thomas donated to the 2025 Art of Wishes Gala.
Portrait of Thomas Ruff 2021
© Thomas Ruff/VG Bild Kunst, Bonn/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner
Photo by Juergen Staack
