photo: © RongRong & inri | Untitled, 2008 No.25
RongRong & inri, an influential photography duo in China and beyond, was named the recipient of the 2016 Outstanding Contribution to Photography award by the Sony World Photography Awards.
The photographers were recognized for their careers as artists and their significant impact on Asian photography.
The photography of RongRong & inri reflects the intimate world they created together and pushes the boundaries of traditional black-and-white darkroom techniques. Together they founded China’s first contemporary gallery dedicated to the medium, the Three Shadows Photography Art Centre, as well as the 2015 Jimei x Arles Photo Festival in collaboration with Les Rencontres d’Arles.
“This award genuinely encourages us to put more efforts into the development of photography. We have faith in this career we choose and love.” RongRong & inri
Chinese photographer RongRong and Japanese artist INRI received the award in London on April 21 at the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards ceremony.
A special exhibition of current and earlier work by RongRong & inri was shown at Somerset House in London from April 22 through May 8 as part of the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition. It was the first time so many works by the photographers had been brought together outside Asia, and it was also the European premiere of new work from their latest, acclaimed series, Tsumari Story.
Previous recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award included Eve Arnold, William Klein, Marc Riboud, William Eggleston, Mary Ellen Mark, Elliott Erwitt, Bruce Davidson, and Phil Stern.
WPO Creative Director Astrid Merget Motsenigos said: "Despite the important contribution RongRong & inri have made to photography over the past fifteen years, they are not widely known internationally, and we, the World Photography Organisation, want to change that [...]."
More information at www.worldphoto.org.
Text: © Fotografie.nl
