THOMAS RUFF

In November, Thomas Ruff will be honoured as the recipient of the International Photography Lishui Award. Established in 2023 by the Lishui Photography Museum, the academic prize celebrates groundbreaking contributions to contemporary photographic practice. Following Stephen Shore as the inaugural laureate, Ruff has been unanimously selected by an international jury for his pioneering investigations into the medium. For more than four decades, Thomas Ruff has expanded the language of photography, probing its technical systems, mechanisms of image production, and the way of seeing images itself. His experimental approach has offered new methodologies for working with and understanding photographic images. Ruff will participate in this year’s Lishui Photography Festival. His visit will include a special lecture, thematic seminars, and the opening of his solo show “Thomas Ruff. A Mindmap on Photography”, offering insight into his extensive body of work. On view until 28 February 2026, the exhibition will open alongside the award ceremony on 08 November 2025 at the Lishui Photography Culture Center.

08 November 2025