From 14 February until 21 June 2026 Huis Marseille will present the exhibition Designed World. Through the Eyes of Tata Ronkholz (1940-1997). The exhibition features works by Tata Ronkholz (1940 Krefeld – 1997 Hürth-Kendenich), photographer, product designer, and interior architect who was one of the early students of the Becher class at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. Among her fellow students were renowned artists such as Candida Höfer, Axel Hütte, Thomas Ruff, Thomas Struth, and Petra Wunderlich. Ronkholz’s estate, acquired in 2011 by VAN HAM Art Estate in Cologne, forms the basis of the exhibition alongside the holdings of Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf. Significant contributions have also been made from the in-house collections of Die Photographische Sammlung/ SK Stiftung Kultur and from other lenders.
Tata Ronkholz became known for her appealing series of kiosks (Trinkhalle) and small shops that capture typical moments of urban everyday culture. These were photographed between 1977 and 1985, particularly in neighborhoods of Cologne and Düsseldorf, in the Ruhr area, as well as in Leverkusen and Krefeld. Another significant series is dedicated to industrial gates (Industrietore), photographed between 1977 and 1985. A particularly impressive documentary series is the body of work on the Düsseldorf Rhine Harbor (Rheinhafen), which Ronkholz began in 1979 together with her then fellow student Thomas Struth. In addition, the exhibition presents works that highlight Ronkholz’s achievements as a product designer, including depictions of geometrically shaped furniture and lighting fixtures as well as designs for office and cafeteria furniture. Finally, the retrospective also presents early photographs of architectural forms created in 1975/76 in Italy and France.
Accompanying the exhibition is the catalog Tata Ronkholz: Designed World. A Retrospective published by Schirmer/Mosel Verlag, featuring texts by renowned authors (in German and English), €49,80.
An exhibition by Die Photographische Sammlung/SK Stiftung Kultur in cooperation with Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf and VAN HAM Art Estate, Cologne.