Thomas Ruff presents jpegs ny at David Zwirner in New York, USA. The exhibition focuses on the German photographer's long-standing investigation into the nature of digital images, specifically those captured and distributed through the internet. By enlarging low-resolution files to a monumental scale, Ruff highlights the technical structures that usually remain hidden behind the subjects they represent.

The selection features massive chromogenic prints depicting New York landmarks and news events, where the original data has been stretched until it breaks. These works emphasize compression artefacts—the blocks and grids created by digital algorithms—turning photographic detail into abstract, painterly arrangements of pixels. The imagery is drawn from public sources, highlighting how media consumption shapes our collective visual memory of the city.

This presentation is significant for its interrogation of photographic authority in the age of the JPEG. By treating data as a material rather than just a medium, Ruff forces a confrontation with the fragility of digital evidence. The scale of the works transforms the act of viewing into a physical experience, where the image constantly shifts between legible representation and pure information.

A concise and intellectually sharp exhibition for those interested in the intersection of conceptual photography, digital media, and the changing nature of visual proof.

The exhibition is hosted at the gallery's 533 West 19th Street space and runs through mid-October 2026.