The Provocative Portraiture Of Ren Hang
- Words
- Anna Dorothea Ker
Art, politics and censorship are inevitably intertwined in the work of the celebrated Chinese photographer Ren Hang.
Yet Hang shoots in the spur of the moment, guided by his energy and interest, free from an overtheorized back story. The analogue nude portraits of his friends for which he has become so well known certainly follow a striking snapshot aesthetic, often having been taken either in nature against a plain white background and including hints of red, from cherries to fingernails to lipstick. For this feature, Hang curated a set of his 2016 photographs for us. We’ll be keeping a close eye on what he does next, safe in the knowledge that the enigmatic visionary will continue to go from strength to strength in his boundary-pushing practice.
All images © Ren Hang