Ren Hang

Discover the Taschen Ren Hang, a definitive art book collection featuring the complete photographic career of the late Chinese artist, curated for photography enthusiasts, art collectors, and those exploring contemporary cultural expression.

This comprehensive volume serves as the only international monograph dedicated to Ren Hang's work, aggregating his six-year career into a single, portable edition. Unlike his earlier self-published runs which were limited to tiny print runs, this Taschen release offers a wide array of images including well-loved favorites and many never-before-seen photographs, capturing the artist's unique vision from Beijing and around the globe.

Inside the pages, you will encounter a diverse range of subjects that challenge traditional boundaries while maintaining a distinct artistic integrity. The collection features portraits of men and women, vivid depictions of Beijing's urban landscape, and a series of images that explore the human form in unexpected ways. Ren's approach is characterized by a clean detachment, where he portrays various body parts, including genitalia, with a focus on freshness, vividness, and emotion rather than explicit sexual intent, reflecting his own statements about not viewing his work through a purely cultural or political lens.

The book is a celebration of the artist's life and work, produced on film to ensure the highest quality reproduction of his original negatives. It is a significant piece for anyone interested in the evolution of Chinese art, the struggle for creative freedom, and the intersection of art and sexuality in the 21st century. The physical book itself is a collectible item, designed to preserve these images for future generations, complete with a cover featuring a photograph of the artist with his long-time partner, Jiaqi.

Text within the book is available in English, French, and German, providing context and insight into the artist's philosophy and the reception of his work. This multilingual aspect makes it a valuable resource for a global audience, allowing readers from different linguistic backgrounds to engage with Ren Hang's provocative and poignant imagery. The book covers his exhibitions in disparate cities such as Tokyo, Athens, Paris, New York, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Vienna, documenting his status as a pioneer who was controversial in his homeland yet wildly popular internationally.