Ruben Lundgren (b. 1983) is Senior Curator at the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam. A conceptual photographer, curator, and researcher, he is known for publications including Empty Bottles (2007) and Tokyo Tokyo (2010). In 2011 he completed a master’s degree in photography at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. His two decades in China profoundly shaped his practice and led to a sustained engagement with contemporary Chinese photography and visual culture.
Lundgren worked as a photojournalist for the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant and later established himself as an independent curator and specialist in Chinese photography. Together with Martin Parr, he co-edited The Chinese Photobook (2015), a landmark publication on the history of Chinese photography. As guest curator of BredaPhoto 2020, he curated the exhibition China Imagined. His ongoing interest in vernacular photography resulted in the acclaimed publications MeNu (2018), Dream Machine (2023), and Wildman Fever (2024).
In 2021, Lundgren curated the exhibition and accompanying publication Ellen Thorbecke: From Peking to Paris for the Nederlands Fotomuseum. Appointed Senior Curator in 2025, he initiated Quickscan 3: Photography Now (2026), continuing his focus on photography as a reflection of contemporary culture and society.
Why China?
I've had an interest in China since my bachelor degree study. The first time I visited the country was in January 2005 with the excuse of a graduation project. I started my master studies at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2007 mainly out of curiosity. It felt like jumping in a swimming pool without being able to swim, but in some kind of way it felt pretty good. Misunderstandings between the West and China are fascinating to me. After my study photography I build up a social and professional network that felt like home, so I stayed.
How tall are you?
I am 200 cm tall. And no, I dont play basketball and the weather is fine up here. Check this
Recent interviews
Ruben Lundgren 鲁小本
Born 1983, Hilversum, the Netherlands.
Education
2007 - 2011
Central Academy of Fine Arts, MA Photography, Beijing, PR China
2001 - 2005
Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, BA Photography, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Selected exhibitions
2026
Flowers in the Mirror, Fotomuseum Den Haag, The Hague
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
Publications
2024
2023
2022
2021
Ellen Thorbecke from Peking to Paris
2020
2018
2015
The Chinese Photobook (second edition)
The Chinese Photobook (first edition)
2013
Reproductions
Hits
2012
Tout Paris
2011
Aaaaaao~
2010
Tokyo Tokyo
Lu Xiaoben
2009
Portfolio
2008
Empty Bottles (Chinese Edition)
Hans Kemna: Catalogue
2007
Empty Bottles (second edition)
Empty Bottles (first edition)
2006
WassinkLundgren is still searching
2005
Sint Gregoriushuis
Shanghai Forest
Awards and nominations
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