Thomas Ruff: Cassini

The works in this series are based on images taken by NASA’s Cassini–Huygens spacecraft, which orbited around Saturn between 2004 and 2008. One objective of its mission was to provide the first in-depth, close-up photographs of the planet and its domain, including its rings, moons, and magnetosphere, an area of cavity created by a strong magnetic field. Ruff acquired the black-and-white raw images from NASA’s website and created his own compositions by cropping and enlarging certain areas, thus shifting the criteria from scientific observation to aesthetic considerations. He then used digital imaging techniques to infuse each image with saturated color. The resulting chromogenic prints transform the originals into visual statements that both capture the sweeping enormity of planetary structures while distancing themselves from concrete forms. Representational yet fictive, they evoke abstract and minimalist compositions.