Inspired by Ren Hang

Known for his mostly nude photographic portraits of his friends, Ren Hang's work became significant for its representation of sexuality in China. The photos were particularly shocking within a heavily censored society. His work is erotic, casual, playful and has caused him to be arrested several times by Chinese authorities. Born in 1987 in a suburb of Changchun, China, Ren Hang studied advertising in college before beginning to photograph his friends in 2007. Inspired by the artist Shūji Terayama, Ren Hang would entangle bodies to create compelling photographs and reflect on nudity, eroticism, beauty and of course on life. The artist would meet a tragically early end before his 30th birthday, revealing in his work that he became a photographer because it filled an emptiness within him. Not setting out to push boundaries, counter political discourse or be intentionally rebellious, he revealed that he didn't think his work was inappropriate, but simply natural for him. This celebration of sensuality and stripped back beauty of life combined with melancholy lives on and has inspired a whole new generation of photographers. At Artsper, you can view the works of Yang Du and Feng Wang as they give a nod to a brief but paramount career of a 21st century artist who cemented a place within the canons of Eastern art.