Thomas Ruff – l.m.v.d.r. Volume 1

Published on the occa­sion of the 2000 exhi­bi­tion l.m.v.d.r. – Thomas Ruff at Haus Lange – Haus Esters, Krefeld, this rare and now out-of-print first edition explores Ruff’s photo­graphic engage­ment with the archi­tec­ture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The title refer­ences the architect’s abbre­vi­ated name, and Ruff’s images reframe Mies’ Krefeld designs — Haus Lange and Haus Esters — through a contem­po­rary, conceptual lens.

With texts by Julian Heynen and Rita Kerst­ing (in both English and German), the cata­logue pairs crit­i­cal essays with full-color plates that reflect Ruff’s formal rigor and analyt­i­cal approach. Known for his cool, clin­i­cal aesthetic, Ruff’s inter­pre­ta­tion of Mies’ modernist language presents an evoca­tive dialogue between photog­ra­phy and archi­tec­ture, past and present.

Designed with under­stated elegance — matte off-white wrap­pers stamped with silver foil — the book itself reflects the architect’s reduc­tive ethos. A scarce and desir­able item for collec­tors of Thomas Ruff, Mies van der Rohe, and contemporary photography.