Biography

1940

Maria Juliana Roswitha Tölle is born on December 18 in Krefeld-Bockum, the daughter of Rudolf Tölle, architect, and Luise Wilhelmine Margarethe Tölle, née Bongartz, pianist

1952-1957

Ricardo-Huch-Schule, municipal modern language grammar school with social science branch and grammar school for women's education, Krefeld

1957

After dropping out of school, stays in Paris for about a year

1959-1961

Internship as a carpenter with Hans Kämper, Krefeld

1961-1965

Studies at the Werkkunstschule Krefeld, architecture department (furniture), specializing in interior design and furniture design

1965-1967

Employment at the Schröer furniture store and Galerie 123 in Krefeld

1966-1977

Works as a freelance product designer, designs for strict, constructivist furniture and collaborates with Adolf Luther in Krefeld and the habit company in Leverkusen

1968-07/1970

Founds the product agency systeam with the architect and designer Kurt Ziehmer, which exists for about two years

1969

Marries the graphic designer Heinz Harald (Coco) Ronkholz (1941-2007), brother of Karl-Heinz Ronkholz and the sculptor Ingo Ronkholz (1953-2018)

1971

In the habit company founded by Ulrich Lodholz, the podium landscape designed by Tata Ronkholz is an early product

1973

Acquisition of a house in Arliano near Lucca, Tuscany, which becomes a meeting place for family and friends

1973-1975

Tata Ronkholz keeps a notebook with ideas on film, literature and design

1975

Through her husband, the graphic artist Coco Ronkholz, Tata Ronkholz probably meets Bernd Becher in this year

1975/76

Photographs are taken in Tuscany, Paris, Amsterdam and Belgium as well as in her apartment at Drakestr. 4 in Düsseldorf. The focus is on entrances, staircases and architectural details

1977

First photographs of drinking establishments, snack bars and industrial gates

1977/78

Basic studies at the Düsseldorf State Academy of Art. First photographs of industrial portals

1978

Admitted to the class of Prof. Bernd Becher at the Düsseldorf Art Academy

1979-1981

Works together with Thomas Struth on the photographic documentation of Düsseldorf's Rhine harbor

1980

Divorces Coco Ronkholz

Tata Ronkholz lives with Ulrich Lodholz, owner of habit, in Cologne on Hansaring

1981

Purchase of a collection “Rheinhafen Düsseldorf” by the Düsseldorf City Museum

1982

Continuation of the series of industrial gates. First photographic works with pure shop window motifs

1983

Separation from Ulrich Lodholz and move to Burg Kendenich, Hürth

12/1984

Last Trinkhalle listed in the archive book

04/1985

Last industrial door recorded in the archive book

1985

Finishes his studies at the Düsseldorf Art Academy

1985-1995

Worked for Jürgens Ost + Europa-Photo, Cologne

1997

Tata Ronkholz dies after a serious illness at Kendenich Castle and is buried at Melaten Cemetery in Cologne

2011
Acquisition of the estate by VAN HAM Art Estate, Cologne

2018
Foundation of the Tata Ronkholz Committee for the academic monitoring of the estate with Gabriele Conrath-Scholl, Dr. Stefan Gronert and Barbara Hofmann-Johnson