Stieglitz 19

Ren Hang

Stieglitz19 was the first gallery in Europe to exhibit the work of Ren Hang, presenting his photography in the group exhibition Chinese Spring #1 in 2011. The gallery continued its support of the artist’s groundbreaking work, hosting his first major European solo exhibition in 2015. Stieglitz19 has since worked in close collaboration with the Ren Hang Estate, particularly with Ren Hang’s mother, contributing to two major solo exhibitions in 2018: at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool and at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris.

Ren Hang (b. 1987 – d. 2017) was a Chinese photographer and poet from Changchun, in Jilin Province, Northeastern China. Based in Beijing, he gained international recognition for his bold and provocative photographic style, which pushed against the boundaries of sexuality, censorship, and traditional morality in contemporary Chinese society. His work—often featuring nude figures, staged intimacy, and surreal gestures—was both controversial and celebrated, hailed for its fearless honesty and minimalist beauty.

Though his photographs were frequently censored in China, Ren Hang’s work achieved global acclaim, appearing in leading independent art magazines and exhibited widely across the world. His solo and group exhibitions span China, France, Italy, Russia, Israel, and Sweden, among others—making him one of the most influential voices in contemporary Chinese photography.

CV Ren Hang