XU Xiaoxiao
徐曉曉
Xiaoxiao Xu (1984, CN), born in Qingtian in southeastern China, moved to the Netherlands during her teenage years. This transition and living half of her life amid a different culture has broadened her perspective. Her photography, which navigates the delicate line between documentary and autonomous work, reflects her dual perspective as both insider and outsider. Xu aims to tell stories that allow for open interpretation, sparking the imagination and inviting viewers to return to and get lost in her images again and again. Her recent publications have been well-received. ‘Shooting the Tiger‘ was honored among the Best Dutch Book Designs, while ‘Aeronautics in the Backyard‘ was chosen as one of the best photo books by de Volkskrant and the Guardian. In spring 2025, her seventh book ‘This Looks Better irl: Exploring Cosplay Cons’ is set to be released by The Eriskay Connection.
Chronology
2009 - Cum laude graduated from the photo academy Amsterdam
Publications
2025 - This Looks Better irl (spring 2025), The Eriskay Connection
2022 - Shooting the Tiger, The Eriskay Connection
2020 - Watering my Horse by a Spring at the Foot of the Long Wall, The Eriskay Connection
2016 - Aeronautics in the Backyard, The Eriskay Connection
2015 - The Sound of Stars, Osservatorio Fotografico
2014 - The Way to the Golden Mountain, Sturm&Drang
2013 - Love Doll Factory with Marco van Duyvendijk, self-published
2022 - Shooting the Tiger, The Eriskay Connection
2020 - Watering my Horse by a Spring at the Foot of the Long Wall, The Eriskay Connection
2016 - Aeronautics in the Backyard, The Eriskay Connection
2015 - The Sound of Stars, Osservatorio Fotografico
2014 - The Way to the Golden Mountain, Sturm&Drang
2013 - Love Doll Factory with Marco van Duyvendijk, self-published
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024
Photographic Geomancy, Times Museum, Guangzhou, China
Can't We All Just Get Along? Stevenson Gallery, Amsterdam
VIEW, Madé van Krimpen, Amsterdam
2023
Human. Kind. A new look at humanitarian photography through 10 editions of the Prix Pictet, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Switzerland
The Best Dutch Book Designs, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Life Along the Long Wall, Fotomuseum The Hague
Revela't Festival, Barcelona, Spain
2021
China dreams, with Ruben Terlou & Ruben Lundgren, Museum Hilversum, NL
Best Photography Book Award PHotoESPAÑA, Spain
FotoFestival Naarden, NL
Photobooks, Grassi Museum of Applied Arts, Leipzig Germany
2020
Jimei X Arles, Xiamen China
BredaPhoto, NL
2019
West East, a project by GENDA magazine, Museum of Contemporary Photography Milan, Italy
2018
La Nuu Photo Festival, Barcelona, Spain
Beijing Photo Biennial, China
Aeronautics In The Backyard, San Francisco Airport Museum, US
The hobbyist, Les Rencontres d'Arles, France
Figures de l’envol, Centre Photographique Rouen, France
2017
The sound of stars, CoLABoRA, Italy
Photoville, "China through Chinese eyes", New York, US
Noorderlicht Fotomanifestatie, NL
PFF-Pets Friends Forever, Deutsche Hygiene-Museum, Germany
The hobbyist, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
De School, Amsterdam, NL
2016
Aeronautics in the backyard, gallery Canvas Contemporary, Amsterdam, NL
Unseen dummy award, Amsterdam, NL
Encontros da imagem. happiness a place under the sun, Portugal
Fotobookfestival Kassel, Beijing, Rome, Dublin, Oslo, Zagreb, Braga, Madrid, Derby
Flying high - contemporary Chinese photography, Confucius Institute Leipzig, Germany
Chennai Photo Biennale, India
Breda photo, Nederland
Travel photo Jaipur, India
2015
Beijing photo biennial, the photo book exhibition, China
PhotoLux festival, self-publishing Photolux award, Lucca, Italy
GuatePhoto Festival, la fototeca photo book exhibition, Guatemala
Lishui International Photography Festival, China
Unseen dummy award, Amsterdam, NL
Asian woman photographers showcase, curated by Yumi Goto, Singapore
Wall of Fame, The Photo Academy Amsterdam, NL
Athens Photo Festival, the photobook exhibition, Athens
Critical Mass top 50, Guatephoto International Photography Festival, Guatemala
Beastly/Tierisch, foto museum Winterthur, Switzerland
Format photo festival, 50 contemporary photobooks from China, Derby, UK
2014
International photography award best of show, New York, US
BruggeFoto14, Belgium
Looking on, Ravenna, Italy
Lianzhou International Photo Festival, Guangdong, China
Photoville, New York, US
Face it, Belvedere Rotterdam, Holland
Plat(t)form, foto museum Winterthur, Switzerland
The temporary curated by Rachel Marsden, Birmingham, England
Circulation(s) festival, Paris, France
2013
Gallery LHGWR, The Hague, NL
Lishui photofestival, China
Photoville, New York, US
Forma flash shop, Amsterdam, NL
Noorderlicht photofestival Twenty, Groningen, NL
Dubbelspel, CBK, Amsterdam, NL
Don’t stay here, fotoFestival Naarden, NL
2012
Holland in my eye, city hall The Hague, NL
2010
Work in progress, ACF Amsterdam, NL
Upgrade, gallery du Nord, Bussum, NL
The ministry of education, culture and science, The Hague, NL
Radboud university, Nijmegen, NL
2009
FotoMuseum Antwerpen, Belgium
Photography talents 2009, westelijk handelsterrein Rotterdam, NL
Gallery ’t Sand, Groningen, NL
A selection of graduation work, ACF Amsterdam, NL
The Photo Academy Award, FotoMuseum The Hague, NL
De fotoprijs, FotoMuseum Rotterdam, NL
Graduation show Untitled#, Loods 6, Amsterdam, NL
Photographic Geomancy, Times Museum, Guangzhou, China
Can't We All Just Get Along? Stevenson Gallery, Amsterdam
VIEW, Madé van Krimpen, Amsterdam
2023
Human. Kind. A new look at humanitarian photography through 10 editions of the Prix Pictet, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Switzerland
The Best Dutch Book Designs, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Life Along the Long Wall, Fotomuseum The Hague
Revela't Festival, Barcelona, Spain
2021
China dreams, with Ruben Terlou & Ruben Lundgren, Museum Hilversum, NL
Best Photography Book Award PHotoESPAÑA, Spain
FotoFestival Naarden, NL
Photobooks, Grassi Museum of Applied Arts, Leipzig Germany
2020
Jimei X Arles, Xiamen China
BredaPhoto, NL
2019
West East, a project by GENDA magazine, Museum of Contemporary Photography Milan, Italy
2018
La Nuu Photo Festival, Barcelona, Spain
Beijing Photo Biennial, China
Aeronautics In The Backyard, San Francisco Airport Museum, US
The hobbyist, Les Rencontres d'Arles, France
Figures de l’envol, Centre Photographique Rouen, France
2017
The sound of stars, CoLABoRA, Italy
Photoville, "China through Chinese eyes", New York, US
Noorderlicht Fotomanifestatie, NL
PFF-Pets Friends Forever, Deutsche Hygiene-Museum, Germany
The hobbyist, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
De School, Amsterdam, NL
2016
Aeronautics in the backyard, gallery Canvas Contemporary, Amsterdam, NL
Unseen dummy award, Amsterdam, NL
Encontros da imagem. happiness a place under the sun, Portugal
Fotobookfestival Kassel, Beijing, Rome, Dublin, Oslo, Zagreb, Braga, Madrid, Derby
Flying high - contemporary Chinese photography, Confucius Institute Leipzig, Germany
Chennai Photo Biennale, India
Breda photo, Nederland
Travel photo Jaipur, India
2015
Beijing photo biennial, the photo book exhibition, China
PhotoLux festival, self-publishing Photolux award, Lucca, Italy
GuatePhoto Festival, la fototeca photo book exhibition, Guatemala
Lishui International Photography Festival, China
Unseen dummy award, Amsterdam, NL
Asian woman photographers showcase, curated by Yumi Goto, Singapore
Wall of Fame, The Photo Academy Amsterdam, NL
Athens Photo Festival, the photobook exhibition, Athens
Critical Mass top 50, Guatephoto International Photography Festival, Guatemala
Beastly/Tierisch, foto museum Winterthur, Switzerland
Format photo festival, 50 contemporary photobooks from China, Derby, UK
2014
International photography award best of show, New York, US
BruggeFoto14, Belgium
Looking on, Ravenna, Italy
Lianzhou International Photo Festival, Guangdong, China
Photoville, New York, US
Face it, Belvedere Rotterdam, Holland
Plat(t)form, foto museum Winterthur, Switzerland
The temporary curated by Rachel Marsden, Birmingham, England
Circulation(s) festival, Paris, France
2013
Gallery LHGWR, The Hague, NL
Lishui photofestival, China
Photoville, New York, US
Forma flash shop, Amsterdam, NL
Noorderlicht photofestival Twenty, Groningen, NL
Dubbelspel, CBK, Amsterdam, NL
Don’t stay here, fotoFestival Naarden, NL
2012
Holland in my eye, city hall The Hague, NL
2010
Work in progress, ACF Amsterdam, NL
Upgrade, gallery du Nord, Bussum, NL
The ministry of education, culture and science, The Hague, NL
Radboud university, Nijmegen, NL
2009
FotoMuseum Antwerpen, Belgium
Photography talents 2009, westelijk handelsterrein Rotterdam, NL
Gallery ’t Sand, Groningen, NL
A selection of graduation work, ACF Amsterdam, NL
The Photo Academy Award, FotoMuseum The Hague, NL
De fotoprijs, FotoMuseum Rotterdam, NL
Graduation show Untitled#, Loods 6, Amsterdam, NL
Awards
2023 - Shooting the Tiger, selected by both professional jury and student jury as one of the Best Dutch Book Designs
2023 - Shooting the Tiger, selected by Photoespaña as one of the best photobooks
2023 - Shooting the Tiger, shortlisted for Arles Rencontres Book Awards
2022 - Lucie Photo Book Prize, shortlisted
2021 - Prix Pictet, nominated
2021 - Lucie Photo Book Prize, shortlisted
2020 - Jimei X Arles Women Photographers Award, winner
2019 - Prix Pictet, nominated
2017 - Best Dutch photobooks, shortlisted
2016 - One of the best photobooks by the Guardian
2016 - One of the best photobooks by Volkskrant
2016 - Unseen dummy award, shortlisted
2016 - Fotobookfestival Kassel, shortlisted
2016 - Encontros da Imagem, selected
2015 - PhotoLux self publishing award, shortlisted
2015 - Guatephoto book finalist
2015 - Unseen dummy award, shortlisted
2015 - El Award, Encontros da imagem, finalist
2015 - Vienna photoBook award, nominated
2015 - Vevey Photo Award, Switzerland, shortlisted
2015 - Athene photobook award, nominated
2015 - Portfolio review Sante Fe, New Mexico, US, selected
2014 - Photolucida top 50, US
2014 -2nd place people&culture, international photography awards, US
2014 -Lucie Foundation Scholarship, US, shortlisted
2014 -Portfolio review, foto museum Winterthur, Zwitserland
2013 - Joop Swart masterclass world press photo, nominated
2012 - Hey, Hot Shot! US, honorable mention
2012 - International photography awards, US, honorable mention
2010 - Joop swart masterclass world press photo, nominated
2010 - Hey, Hot Shot! US, honorable mention
2009 - De fotoprijs, winner
2009 - The Photo Academy Award, winner FotoMuseum Antwerpen & Duval Guillaume
2009 - International Photography Awards, Honorable Mention
2023 - Shooting the Tiger, selected by Photoespaña as one of the best photobooks
2023 - Shooting the Tiger, shortlisted for Arles Rencontres Book Awards
2022 - Lucie Photo Book Prize, shortlisted
2021 - Prix Pictet, nominated
2021 - Lucie Photo Book Prize, shortlisted
2020 - Jimei X Arles Women Photographers Award, winner
2019 - Prix Pictet, nominated
2017 - Best Dutch photobooks, shortlisted
2016 - One of the best photobooks by the Guardian
2016 - One of the best photobooks by Volkskrant
2016 - Unseen dummy award, shortlisted
2016 - Fotobookfestival Kassel, shortlisted
2016 - Encontros da Imagem, selected
2015 - PhotoLux self publishing award, shortlisted
2015 - Guatephoto book finalist
2015 - Unseen dummy award, shortlisted
2015 - El Award, Encontros da imagem, finalist
2015 - Vienna photoBook award, nominated
2015 - Vevey Photo Award, Switzerland, shortlisted
2015 - Athene photobook award, nominated
2015 - Portfolio review Sante Fe, New Mexico, US, selected
2014 - Photolucida top 50, US
2014 -2nd place people&culture, international photography awards, US
2014 -Lucie Foundation Scholarship, US, shortlisted
2014 -Portfolio review, foto museum Winterthur, Zwitserland
2013 - Joop Swart masterclass world press photo, nominated
2012 - Hey, Hot Shot! US, honorable mention
2012 - International photography awards, US, honorable mention
2010 - Joop swart masterclass world press photo, nominated
2010 - Hey, Hot Shot! US, honorable mention
2009 - De fotoprijs, winner
2009 - The Photo Academy Award, winner FotoMuseum Antwerpen & Duval Guillaume
2009 - International Photography Awards, Honorable Mention
