Ren Hang is celebrated in first major exhibition since his death
This weekend, the final 19 authenticated images of iconic Chinese photographer Ren Hang will be exhibited at Photofairs Shanghai.
Self-taught, Ren was based in Beijing and amassed an impressive body of work since he first ventured into photography back in 2008. He published several books, built a dedicated following, and collaborated with very well-recognised artists such as Ai Weiwei – all despite repeated encounters with the police due to Chinese censorship laws.
The artist took his own life earlier this year at the age of 29, after a long-standing battle with depression.
His images, which combined the naked bodies of friends and acquaintances with natural landscapes and out-of-place animals, were as surreal as they were human. Most shots were unplanned, relaxed and natural to both him and the models – no grandiose statements being made, no purposeful eroticism, no gender hierarchy, nor any focus on the lack of clothing.
Much of the previous coverage of his work is based on the Chinese socio-political context it was produced in but, although the visual themes explored by Ren Hang inevitably challenged the strict boundaries of his home country, the photographer consistently opposed to his work being seen under a political light.
In 19 Photographs, the curators seek to show a more nuanced view of the artist’s work, instead of continuing with the perpetuated shock-value narrative of “radical eroticism” projected onto Ren’s work without his approval.
© Ren Hang, Untitled, 2015. Courtesy of KWM artcenter (Beijing)
© Ren Hang, Untitled, 2013. Courtesy of KWM artcenter (Beijing)
© Ren Hang, Untitled, 2014. Courtesy of KWM artcenter (Beijing)
© Ren Hang, Untitled, 2014. Courtesy of KWM artcenter (Beijing)
© Ren Hang, Untitled, 2014. Courtesy of KWM artcenter (Beijing)
PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai is on from 8 to 10 of September at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
Biju Belinky is Huck’s staff writer. Follow her on Twitter.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Halloween in Brooklyn, photographed over 50 years
Spirits and soul — Larry Racioppo’s new book documents half a century of the October festivities in New York, while tracing the city’s ever-changing character.
Cruising on the West Side Piers, New York’s wild side
West Side Highway — In the late 20th century, the area was an if-you-know-you-know hotspot for the city’s gay scene. William Howell’s new photobook immortalises it.
Ahilya Bamroo is Gen Z India’s authentic ambassador
Reel relatable — The influencer turned actor speaks about trolls, beauty standards and youth activism.
What went down at Huck’s 20th birthday party
84 issues and counting — We took over east London’s Jaguar Shoes with friends old and new to celebrate two decades and our new issue, with Tony Bontana taking the decks for a special set.
Photos of friends, lovers and afters in Berlin’s party scene
Dreams and How to Keep Them – Vincent Wechselberger’s new monograph documents a decade of hedonism in the German capital, and the people he met along the way.
Inside the Los Angeles scene kid revival
The Rawring ’20s — For the cover of Huck 84, photographer Alexis Gross and writer Anna Zanes meet the latest faces of scene, who are finding freedom to express themselves through its technicolour, unafraid aesthetic.
