Thomas Ruff was in New York on September 11, 2001, and shot the day, only to find nothing on his camera when he got home to Germany. Years later he sourced images of the attacks online, then crushed their compression and blew them up to the scale of 19th-century history paintings until the pixels break apart. Seen during the 25th anniversary, the twelve works are quietly overwhelming.
What to expect
Twelve very large prints where the familiar images of that morning dissolve into visible JPEG blocks and altered color as you step closer. The group was shown at Art Basel Unlimited earlier this year before coming to New York.
Good to know
- The subject is the World Trade Center attacks — an emotional visit for many New Yorkers
- Galleries keep shorter hours than museums and close early in the week, so check the gallery site before you go
- Nearest subway is the C/E at 23rd Street or the L at Eighth Avenue
- Nate Lowman's key paintings are on view a few doors down at 519 West 19th Street
- Step back and then close up — the images change dramatically with distance
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Common questions
How many works are in jpegs ny?
Twelve photographs from Ruff's jpegs series, per David Zwirner.
Where else can I see work from this series?
Zwirner notes a related work is on view in a Ground Zero 360 group exhibition at the New York City Fire Museum.
What are the gallery hours?
David Zwirner lists its West 20th Street gallery as open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–6 pm; check the gallery site to confirm hours at this location.
