In his exhibition d.o.pe., Thomas Ruff—a self-proclaimed “dope smoking engineer”—combines artistic vision and technology with intrigue and his life story. During an in-person walkthrough of the exhibition, Ruff describes his youthful indulgence in marijuana and that he enjoyed listening to artists such as Jimmy Hendrix alongside his high. This appreciation of the aesthetics of psychedelia was the foundation for this body of work, advanced by his interest in mathematics and psychics.
His pieces appear never-ending, and the process is as entrancing as the result. Using a specialized software program, Ruff produced geometric patterns laden with so much detail that they’re nearly as hallucinogenic as the end results within the exhibition. These patterns—known as fractal in mathematics—materialize a collaboration between art and science. They are two concepts that appear to oppose each other, and Ruff uses them as modes of enhancement, each aspect intensifying the other.