Ruben LUNDGREN
鲁小本
Ruben Lundgren, born in 1983, is a Dutch photographer and curator based in Beijing. He is renowned for his work within the conceptual photography duo WassinkLundgren and gained significant attention with publications such as Empty Bottles (2007) and Tokyo Tokyo (2010). Lundgren completed a master's degree in photography at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 2011. His relocation to China has profoundly influenced is career, leading him to engage deeply with Chinese contemporary photography.
He currently works as a photojournalist for Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant and as an independent curator of Chinese photography. Together with Martin Parr he co-edited The Chinese Photobook (2015). Other publications include Hlleo? (2018) and MeNu (2018) a tasty collection of Chinese vernacular food photography.
As a guest curator of BredaPhoto 2020 he curated China Imagined offering 24 contemporary photography projects from China including the sticker album Wow Taobao. In 2021 he edited the book Ellen Thorbecke: From Peking to Paris, and published Real Dreams with his journalistic works made all over China. In recent years he focusses on vernacular photography resulting in the book Dream Machine (2023) and Wildman Fever (2024).
His photographs and books are collected by various private and public collections and have also been exhibited at international galleries and museums including FOAM photography museum (Amsterdam), The Archive of Modern Conflict (London) and Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art (Beijing).
Chronology
2007-2011 - Central Academy of Fine Arts, MA Photography, Beijing, PR China
2001-2005 - Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, BA Photography, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2001-2005 - Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, BA Photography, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Publications
2024 - Wildman Fever
2023 - Dream Machine
2022 - Anything That Flies
2021 - Real Dreams
2021 - Ellen Thorbecke from Peking to Paris
2020 - Wow Taobao
2020 - China Imagined
2018 - MeNu
2018 - Hlleo?
2015 - The Chinese Photobook (second edition)
2015 - The Chinese Photobook (first edition)
2013 - Reproductions
2013 - Hits
2012 - Tout Paris
2011 - Aaaaaao~
2010 - Tokyo Tokyo
2010 - Lu Xiaoben
2009 - Portfolio
2008 - Empty Bottles (Chinese Edition)
2008 - Hans Kemna: Catalogue
2007 - Empty Bottles (second edition)
2007 - Empty Bottles (first edition)
2006 - WassinkLundgren is still searching
2005 - Sint Gregoriushuis
2005 - Shanghai Forest
2023 - Dream Machine
2022 - Anything That Flies
2021 - Real Dreams
2021 - Ellen Thorbecke from Peking to Paris
2020 - Wow Taobao
2020 - China Imagined
2018 - MeNu
2018 - Hlleo?
2015 - The Chinese Photobook (second edition)
2015 - The Chinese Photobook (first edition)
2013 - Reproductions
2013 - Hits
2012 - Tout Paris
2011 - Aaaaaao~
2010 - Tokyo Tokyo
2010 - Lu Xiaoben
2009 - Portfolio
2008 - Empty Bottles (Chinese Edition)
2008 - Hans Kemna: Catalogue
2007 - Empty Bottles (second edition)
2007 - Empty Bottles (first edition)
2006 - WassinkLundgren is still searching
2005 - Sint Gregoriushuis
2005 - Shanghai Forest
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024 -
The Camel Driver, the Erhu Player and the Candyman, old Beijing through the eyes of photographer Ellen Thorbecke. Inter Art Centre 798, Beijing, China
NL Imagined (curator), Goethe Institute, Hongkong, China
2023 -
Hide and Seek, Being Art Museum, Shanghai, China
NL Imagined (curator), Fosun Foundation, Chengdu, China
Extra Ordinary, Special Edition Project, Shanghai, China
Anything That Flies, abC bookfair, Shanghai, China
NL Imagined (curator), Three Shadows Photography Centre Beijing, China
2022 -
The Horizon, Jimei x Arles international photofestival, Xiamen, China
NL Imagined (curator), Shanghai Centre of Photography
Anything That Flies, abC bookfair, Beijing and Hangzhou, China
2021 -
China Dreams, Museum Hilversum, the Netherlands
Ellen Thorbecke's China, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
China seen through a shopping cart 2003-2021, Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
The Photography is Not Whats Important, CAFA Museum, Beijing, China
China under the Foreign Gaze, Jiaxing Library, China
Fleeting Media. Publishing Post-Photography, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
2020 -
China Imagined, BredaPhoto, Breda, the Netherlands
2018 -
Anything that walks, vernacular food photography from China, JimeixArles photofestival, Xiamen, China
Hlleo?, Artu space, Beijing, China
2017 - Brokenice: 160118 - 170811, Jimei x Arles photofestival, Xiamen, China
2016 - The Chinese Photobook, Lianzhou Photofestival, Lianzhou, China
2015 -
The Chinese Photobook, The Photographers Gallery, London
The Chinese Photobook, Ullens Contemporary Center for Art, Beijing
The Chinese Photobook, Aperture, New York
Festival Circulations, Centquatre, Paris
2014 -
L'art Sel Livre, Musée des Beaux Arts, Switzerland
Post Photography, Pékin Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing
The Chinese Photobook, Les Rencontres d'Arles, France
Art Brussels, Marion de Canniere, Antwerp (art fair)
Photo Shanghai, Pékin Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing (art fair)
2013 -
A different kind of order, International Center of Photography, New York
Don't Smile Now... Save it for Later! Montréal Arts Interculturels, Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, Canada
Unseen Photo Fair, Lucid-Ly Project Space, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (art fair) (solo)
Dual Perspectives. Gallery Marion de Cannière, Antwerp, Belgium
One Group Show, Suzhou Jinji Lake Museum of Art, curated by Feng Boyi, Suzhou, China (solo)
One Group Show, Foam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2012 -
Singles, Pékin Fine Arts, Beijing (solo)
Paris Photo, Pékin Fine Arts, Paris, France (art fair)
Unseen Photo Fair, Van Zoetendaal Collections, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (art fair) (solo)
Fotodok, Flatland Gallery, Utrecht
The Dutch Photobook, Dutch Photo Museum, Rotterdam
State of the Art Photography, NRW Forum, Dusseldorf
Uncommon Ground, Flowers Gallery, London
2011 -
Tokyo Tokyo, Huis voor de Beeldcultuur, Breda, The Netherlands (solo)
Other I, Hotshoe Gallery, London
Hinterhalt, Kuenstlerhaus Dortmund, Germany
CAFA Excellent students, aaaaaaao~, CAFA Museum, Beijing, China
Neko Jita, Tokyo Tokyo, Quartair, The Hague, The Netherlands
Dutch Doc Awards, Tokyo Tokyo, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Empty Bottles, Quad, Format Festival, Derby, United Kingdom
Tokyo Tokyo, Van Zoetendaal Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2010 -
China, New Media Art, China Academy Awards, Nanjing, China
Water, Caochangdi PhotoSpring, Pekin Fine Arts, Beijing, China
We Are The World, Dutch Culture Centre, World Expo, Shanghai, China
Quick Scan, Dutch Photo Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Don't Smile Now... Save it for Later! De Balie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2009 -
We Are The World, Three Shadows Photography Art Space, Beijing, China
About Now, Message Salon Downtown, Zurich, Switzerland
Parrworld, Baltic, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Parrworld, Jeu de Paume, Paris
Don't Smile Now... Save it for Later! Photofestival Naarden, The Netherlands
Animalism, National Media Museum, Bradford, United Kingdom
Lu Xiao Ben, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China (solo)
PRINTED MATTER from the Collection, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
2008 -
Other Asias, Nolias Gallery, London, United Kingdom
India Express, De Balie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
GD4ART, Bologna, Italy
Parrworld, Designmuseum, Breda, The Netherlands
MA Degree Show, Central Saint Martins, London, United Kingdom
Chinese Biennial, Beijing, PR China
The Tomorrow People, Elevator Gallery, London, United Kingdom
New Typologies, New York Photo Festival, New York (USA)
Parrworld, Haus Der Kunst, Munich, Germany
FW: Pages, book exhibition, Rotterdam (NL) and Budapest (H)
2007 -
Fw: Miscellaneous, SBK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Empty Bottles, Foam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
34,5 m2 - WassinkLundgren, De Balie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2006 -
De: Amsterdam, L'espace Bellevaux, Lausanne, Switzerland
Teen Facts in Beeld, Science Center NEMO, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Foto Drukwerk, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Camel Driver, the Erhu Player and the Candyman, old Beijing through the eyes of photographer Ellen Thorbecke. Inter Art Centre 798, Beijing, China
NL Imagined (curator), Goethe Institute, Hongkong, China
2023 -
Hide and Seek, Being Art Museum, Shanghai, China
NL Imagined (curator), Fosun Foundation, Chengdu, China
Extra Ordinary, Special Edition Project, Shanghai, China
Anything That Flies, abC bookfair, Shanghai, China
NL Imagined (curator), Three Shadows Photography Centre Beijing, China
2022 -
The Horizon, Jimei x Arles international photofestival, Xiamen, China
NL Imagined (curator), Shanghai Centre of Photography
Anything That Flies, abC bookfair, Beijing and Hangzhou, China
2021 -
China Dreams, Museum Hilversum, the Netherlands
Ellen Thorbecke's China, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
China seen through a shopping cart 2003-2021, Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
The Photography is Not Whats Important, CAFA Museum, Beijing, China
China under the Foreign Gaze, Jiaxing Library, China
Fleeting Media. Publishing Post-Photography, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
2020 -
China Imagined, BredaPhoto, Breda, the Netherlands
2018 -
Anything that walks, vernacular food photography from China, JimeixArles photofestival, Xiamen, China
Hlleo?, Artu space, Beijing, China
2017 - Brokenice: 160118 - 170811, Jimei x Arles photofestival, Xiamen, China
2016 - The Chinese Photobook, Lianzhou Photofestival, Lianzhou, China
2015 -
The Chinese Photobook, The Photographers Gallery, London
The Chinese Photobook, Ullens Contemporary Center for Art, Beijing
The Chinese Photobook, Aperture, New York
Festival Circulations, Centquatre, Paris
2014 -
L'art Sel Livre, Musée des Beaux Arts, Switzerland
Post Photography, Pékin Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing
The Chinese Photobook, Les Rencontres d'Arles, France
Art Brussels, Marion de Canniere, Antwerp (art fair)
Photo Shanghai, Pékin Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing (art fair)
2013 -
A different kind of order, International Center of Photography, New York
Don't Smile Now... Save it for Later! Montréal Arts Interculturels, Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, Canada
Unseen Photo Fair, Lucid-Ly Project Space, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (art fair) (solo)
Dual Perspectives. Gallery Marion de Cannière, Antwerp, Belgium
One Group Show, Suzhou Jinji Lake Museum of Art, curated by Feng Boyi, Suzhou, China (solo)
One Group Show, Foam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2012 -
Singles, Pékin Fine Arts, Beijing (solo)
Paris Photo, Pékin Fine Arts, Paris, France (art fair)
Unseen Photo Fair, Van Zoetendaal Collections, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (art fair) (solo)
Fotodok, Flatland Gallery, Utrecht
The Dutch Photobook, Dutch Photo Museum, Rotterdam
State of the Art Photography, NRW Forum, Dusseldorf
Uncommon Ground, Flowers Gallery, London
2011 -
Tokyo Tokyo, Huis voor de Beeldcultuur, Breda, The Netherlands (solo)
Other I, Hotshoe Gallery, London
Hinterhalt, Kuenstlerhaus Dortmund, Germany
CAFA Excellent students, aaaaaaao~, CAFA Museum, Beijing, China
Neko Jita, Tokyo Tokyo, Quartair, The Hague, The Netherlands
Dutch Doc Awards, Tokyo Tokyo, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Empty Bottles, Quad, Format Festival, Derby, United Kingdom
Tokyo Tokyo, Van Zoetendaal Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2010 -
China, New Media Art, China Academy Awards, Nanjing, China
Water, Caochangdi PhotoSpring, Pekin Fine Arts, Beijing, China
We Are The World, Dutch Culture Centre, World Expo, Shanghai, China
Quick Scan, Dutch Photo Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Don't Smile Now... Save it for Later! De Balie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2009 -
We Are The World, Three Shadows Photography Art Space, Beijing, China
About Now, Message Salon Downtown, Zurich, Switzerland
Parrworld, Baltic, Newcastle, United Kingdom
Parrworld, Jeu de Paume, Paris
Don't Smile Now... Save it for Later! Photofestival Naarden, The Netherlands
Animalism, National Media Museum, Bradford, United Kingdom
Lu Xiao Ben, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China (solo)
PRINTED MATTER from the Collection, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland
2008 -
Other Asias, Nolias Gallery, London, United Kingdom
India Express, De Balie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
GD4ART, Bologna, Italy
Parrworld, Designmuseum, Breda, The Netherlands
MA Degree Show, Central Saint Martins, London, United Kingdom
Chinese Biennial, Beijing, PR China
The Tomorrow People, Elevator Gallery, London, United Kingdom
New Typologies, New York Photo Festival, New York (USA)
Parrworld, Haus Der Kunst, Munich, Germany
FW: Pages, book exhibition, Rotterdam (NL) and Budapest (H)
2007 -
Fw: Miscellaneous, SBK, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Empty Bottles, Foam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
34,5 m2 - WassinkLundgren, De Balie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (solo)
2006 -
De: Amsterdam, L'espace Bellevaux, Lausanne, Switzerland
Teen Facts in Beeld, Science Center NEMO, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Foto Drukwerk, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Awards
2014 - Best Independent Photo Exhibition, Lishui Photo Festival, China
2013 - Paul Huf Award nomination, Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2012 - Paul Huf Award nomination, Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2011 -
Kees Scherer Award, short listed for best photobook 2009/2010, Naarden, The Netherlands
Dutch Doc Award short listed, best documentary project of 2010, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Flash Forward UK winner, Canada
Paul Huf Award nomination, Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2010 -
China Academy Award
Photography Now Award
Work grant, the Netherlands Foundation for Fine Arts (Fonds BKVB), for exhibition in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou
2009 -
Thieme Art Award, nomination, Art Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Work grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
Work grant, Sem Presser Foundation
2008 -
Nomination for best book 2007/2008 by Thomas Weski, Kasseler Fotoforum
Incentive grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
2007 -
Work grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
Prix du Livre for Empty Bottles, Arles, France
Nomination for GD4ART International Competition, Italy
2006 - European Newspaper Award (front page) for the Festival cover of Amsterdam Weekly
2005 -
Incentive grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
Nomination 'Piet Bakker prijs', Utrecht School of the Arts
Nomination 'Kunstanjers', Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds
2013 - Paul Huf Award nomination, Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2012 - Paul Huf Award nomination, Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2011 -
Kees Scherer Award, short listed for best photobook 2009/2010, Naarden, The Netherlands
Dutch Doc Award short listed, best documentary project of 2010, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Flash Forward UK winner, Canada
Paul Huf Award nomination, Foam Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2010 -
China Academy Award
Photography Now Award
Work grant, the Netherlands Foundation for Fine Arts (Fonds BKVB), for exhibition in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou
2009 -
Thieme Art Award, nomination, Art Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Work grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
Work grant, Sem Presser Foundation
2008 -
Nomination for best book 2007/2008 by Thomas Weski, Kasseler Fotoforum
Incentive grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
2007 -
Work grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
Prix du Livre for Empty Bottles, Arles, France
Nomination for GD4ART International Competition, Italy
2006 - European Newspaper Award (front page) for the Festival cover of Amsterdam Weekly
2005 -
Incentive grant, the Netherlands Foundation for fine Arts (Fonds BKVB)
Nomination 'Piet Bakker prijs', Utrecht School of the Arts
Nomination 'Kunstanjers', Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds
