Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam Spotlights Ramona Jingru Wang in the 2026 Foam Talent Selection
The celebrated Foam Talent initiative returned for its 17th biannual edition, highlighting a diverse group of fifteen international image-makers. During a period defined by global mobility, economic challenges, and familial displacement, these artists turn their lenses toward personal and domestic spaces to investigate the core meaning of home. Among this year's featured artists is Ramona Jingru Wang, whose project My friends are cyborgs, but that's okay offers a poignant exploration of identity, diaspora, and technology.
Redefining the Cyborg Through Intimacy and Connection
In popular culture, the term "cyborg" often conjures cold, clinical images of human-machine hybrids set against dystopian backdrops. Ramona Jingru Wang subverts this stereotype entirely. Rather than relying on metallic aesthetics or clinical environments, her photographs are characterized by warmth, tenderness, and quiet domesticity.
Wang’s creative framework is deeply influenced by Donna Haraway’s landmark text, A Cyborg Manifesto. Haraway used the hybrid figure of the cyborg to deconstruct rigid societal binaries—such as nature versus culture, or human versus machine. For Wang, this philosophical inquiry is deeply tied to her personal journey. Born in China and now working between New York and the digital space, she uses her unique position within the diaspora to explore the boundaries of belonging.
The project directly engages with the concepts of Orientalism and techno-Orientalism. While historical narratives have long exoticized Eastern cultures, modern techno-Orientalism frequently depicts East Asian societies as hyper-efficient, mechanized, and emotionally detached. Wang’s mockumentary-style series reframes these cold narratives, presenting the lives of her subjects with profound empathy and sensitivity.
Exploring Contemporary Lens-Based Art at Foam Amsterdam
For visitors looking to experience cutting-edge photography in the heart of the Dutch capital, Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam serves as a crucial platform for emerging global voices. Wang, who was awarded the Magnum Foundation New York City Fellowship in 2026 and has previously shown work at the Museum of the City of New York, represents the vanguard of contemporary lens-based media.
This deep dive into Wang's portfolio was authored by curator and photographer Marie Goto, who works to expand narratives surrounding the East and Southeast Asian diaspora. To read the complete essay and view the full visual portfolio, visitors and collectors can order Foam Magazine #68 Talent 2026, which features all fifteen selected artists from this edition.
To help you discover more groundbreaking talent and plan your cultural itinerary in the city, check out Musemap (musemap.art) to browse museums in Amsterdam or locate nearby exhibitions on the interactive cultural map. You can also view the latest events and schedules by checking out what's on in the city.
