Photographer Ren Hang Has Died Aged 30
The Chinese art scene and underground scene is in mourning.
Visionary photographer and poet, Ren Hang (任航), has died. Committed suicide at the age of 30.
Although the actual details have yet to be confirmed, it is believed that he jumped to his death from a building in Beijing.
Regardless of what the exact details are, the news has sent the Chinese art and music scene into a deep state of shock.
Ren Hang will forever be remembered for his seemingly nondescript yet confrontational style of photography featuring naked bodies, and often live or dead animals, shot in both indoor and urban settings. It was his vision and ability to contort and twist the human body, not just physically but metaphorically, to create thought provoking images that probed into subject matter that was moving, challenging, outspoken and, above all, unrestrained.
His photography, of which all the models were either his friends or fans, often touched upon subject matter such as life and death, gender identity, sexuality and gender roles in society. Regardless of how his work is critiqued and interpreted, Ren Hang remained adamant throughout his career that he didn’t “intentionally push boundaries” stating in the foreword to his self-titled book, Ren Hang, that ‘I just do what I do’.
To Ren Hang, nudity was beautiful. His open-minded and prolific portrayal of the naked body was at times too much for the often conservative and traditionalist China and his work was often met with backlash. But that did not slow down nor deter the photographer, who book after book, exhibition after exhibition, stayed true to his unique style. Perhaps the only example of a notable change in style came through his work with brands, such as Harper’s BAZAAR. Work which undeniably still captivated his unique style, but saw most of the models fully clothed.
It was perhaps this loyalty to a vision that, at least from a visual perspective, seemed so disenfranchised from the greater world’s perception of modern day China that was so inspiring to the youth of China. Even though he had a short career, it’s already very clear to see Ren Hang’s influence in the underground art scenes in China. One just has to view the work of up and coming photographers such as Xiao GuanMu (小棺木) and the [JPEG] collective to instantly see the imprint that Ren has left on the China’s underground art community.
Ren Hang suffered from clinical depression for most of his adult life. A painful journey which he was relatively open about, chronicling his depression in poems and musings on his website. A poem he wrote in 2013 titled ‘My Mother’ strongly revealed this suicidal disposition:
My Mother 《我的妈妈》
My Mother, 我的妈妈
Probably, in this lifetime, 可能一辈子
Won’t have a chance, 都没有机会
To ride in my wedding car, 坐我的婚车
But she still has, 但她还是有
A big chance, 很大的机会
To ride once, 可以坐一次
In my hearse. 我的灵车
Source: http://renhang.org/Poem-2013
In his last, and arguably most public, display of his battle with depression he took to Weibo (the Chinese equivalent to Twitter) to write, ‘I hope this year it can be fulfilled’ in reply to an earlier post of his which wrote, “every year I make the same wish: to die early”. (Post attached below)
The news of Ren Hang’s death has created shockwaves through the world art scene with fans, friends and artists writing tributes to the photographer. Below we have curated a couple taken from Weibo:
Well respected online photography magazine, Photographers Friend, wrote: ‘Heard through the web that one of China’s most famous and cutting-edge photographers, Ren Hang, committed suicide…the majority (of people) guess it was due to his depression.’
Vice China posted a tribute article to Ren Hang titled: ‘Insisted on going on a long journey. Wishing him well.’
It goes without saying that Ren Hang’s death is a huge loss, not only to the Chinese art and underground scenes, but also to the global art community. The world has lost a fiercely creative artist, one both immensely talented in craft as well as creative thought. Safe passage, Ren Hang.
Below I have translated some of Ren Hang’s poems below. For those who can read Chinese, I recommend you visithis website to read his poems there.
2007.06.13
I am a bird. A bird with no head. A bird with no wings. A bird with no feet. A bird with no ass. A bird with no tail.
Anyone is free to treat me like a football and kick me around.
原版:
我是一只鸟，没有头的鸟，没有翅膀的鸟，没有脚的鸟，没有屁股的鸟，没有尾巴的鸟。
谁对我都可以像对足球一样，踢来踢去。)His last poem posted on this website:
2017.01.04
《Love》
I bought a knife, 我买一把刀
We can both share it, 我们可以共用
If you don’t love me, 如果你不爱我了
I’ll kill you, 我就杀掉你
If I don’t love you, 如果我不爱你了
You kill me. 你就杀掉我2007.12.21:
《Youth》
Youth is very slim, 青春很瘦
A gentle breeze came and blew it away,一阵微风就把它吹走了
When it comes back, 回来的时候
It’ll bring a fat coffin with it. 带着肥胖的棺材2017.01.04
《Love》
When you’re not by my side, 你不在我身边的时候
I want to make love to a lot of strangers, 我想去找很多陌生人做爱
Then call you and tell you about it.然后再打电话全都告诉你If you are angry, 如果你愤怒
The more angrier you become,你越愤怒
The more calm and collected I will feel. 我才越感到安稳2017.01.04
《爱情》
We’ve drank a lot together, 我们喝了很多酒
We’ve said a lot, 我们说了很多话
A lot of truth, 很多真话
A lot of falsehoods,很多假话
Falsehoods, 是假话
Not lies.不是谎话(Falsehoods that) deliberately 为了故意
Hurt each other伤害对方的假话2007.12.26
《Short Poem》
Your tail, 你的鸡巴
Short and wet。 又短又湿2013
My Mother 《我的妈妈》
My Mother, 我的妈妈
Probably, in this lifetime, 可能一辈子
Won’t have a chance, 都没有机会
To ride in my wedding car, 坐我的婚车
But she still has, 但她还是有
A big chance, 很大的机会
To ride once, 可以坐一次
In my hearse. 我的灵车
Source: http://renhang.org/Poem-2013
Although the actual details have yet to be confirmed, it is believed that he jumped to his death from a building in Beijing.
Regardless of what the exact details are, the news has sent the Chinese art and music scene into a deep state of shock.
Ren Hang will forever be remembered for his seemingly nondescript yet confrontational style of photography featuring naked bodies, and often live or dead animals, shot in both indoor and urban settings. It was his vision and ability to contort and twist the human body, not just physically but metaphorically, to create thought provoking images that probed into subject matter that was moving, challenging, outspoken and, above all, unrestrained.
