The Rediscovery of Tata Ronkholz

Who was Tata Ronkholz? The exhibition Designed world: through the eyes of Tata Ronkholz (1940-1997) is a convincing demonstration of Ronkholz’ considerable photographic talents. She was one of the first students to attend the famous photography class led by Bernd and Hilla Becher at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. Her classmates included Candida Höfer, Axel Hütte, Thomas Ruff and Thomas Struth, all of whom are today artists of world renown, but only now is Tata Ronkholz’ work receiving the same international acclaim. Designed world: through the eyes of Tata Ronkholz is the first large-scale tribute to this many-sided artist.

Barbara Hofmann-Johnson, director of the Museum für Photographie Braunschweig since 2016, has long been an admirer of Ronkholz’ work, calling for greater recognition of this important female representative of the famous Düsseldorfer Schule. When Hofmann-Johnson guest-curated Bernd, Hilla and the others for Huis Marseille in 2018, she took care to include a number of works from Tata Ronkholz’ series Trinkhallen en Kiosken, now also on display in Huis Marseille.

Barbara Hofmann-Johnson’s lecture will explore the breadth and complexity of Ronkholz’ oeuvre, and provide interesting new insights into the works currently on show in Huis Marseille.

Given in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Niederlande.