The retrospective “Thomas Ruff – Works 1979–2011” covers the artist’s career over 30 years with a wide variety of pictures selected from his earliest works through today. The book was released by Schirmer/Mosel on the occasion of the Thomas Ruff Retrospective presented at the Munich Haus der Kunst from February 17 through May 20, 2012.

17 works featured chronologically present the works that contributed to his international reputation that grew during the 1980’s. From the series “Interiors” to the great “Portraits” and including his most recent pictures of the surface of Mars taken from NASA pictures available on internet that he modified and colored.

Born in Germany in 1958, this graduate of the Kunstakademie of Düsseldorf studied with Bernd Becher from 1975 to 1985. Recognized as a master of conceptual photography, he experiments with new techniques and formal aspects of photography, creating a variety of works and contributing to the evolution of visual arts.

The book features texts by Thomas Weski, professor at the HGB (Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst) school of Leipzig and curator of the Haus der Kunst exhibition. Among the series presented:

« Interiors » (1979-1983) , « Portraits « (depuis 1986) , « Houses » (1987-1991), « Stars » (1989-1992), « Newspaper photos » (1990-1991), « Nights » (1992-1996), « Other Portraits » (1994-1995), « Stereo-photos » (since 1994), « Posters » (since 1996)
,  « nudes
 » (sinve 1999),  « l.m.v.d.r.
 » (since 1999), « Substrates » (since 2001), « Machines » (since 2003), « jpeg » (since 2004), « cassini » (since 2008),  « zycles » (since 2008), « ma.r.s. » (since 2010).

Thomas Ruff, « Works 1979-2011 »,

Texts by Okwui Enwezor, Thomas Weski and Valeria Liebermann,
272 pages, 202 pictures.
ISBN 978-3-8296-0585-4.
Price : € 58,-; (A) € 59.70; sFr 81.90