They are oddly still, the fleeting moments captured by Chinese photographer Ren Hang. Arranged like strange props, naked bodies of young men and women emanate a fragility surpassed only by the poetry of their visual language. Dramatic use of flash and strong contrasts – black, white, dark blue-green, bright red – create unbearable melancholy, while the presence of animals and yoga-like poses adds a playful note. In 2017, at the age of 29, the artist took his own life. Now, C/O Berlin is dedicating the first big retrospective in Germany to Hang, showing over 150 recent photographs. Although Hang’s oeuvre is strongly rooted in China, where he is one of the most important contemporary photographers, his portrayal of a lost young generation goes beyond time and place. At the close of the year, the C/O brings us yet another exceptional exhibition that will reverberate into 2020. (Text: Hanna Komornitzyk / Photos: © 2012, 2015, 2016 Ren Hang. Courtesy Estate of Ren Hang and Stieglitz 19, Antwerpen)
C/O Berlin, Hardenbergstr.22–24, 10623 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map
Love, Ren Hang: 07.12.2019–29.02.2020
Daily 11–20h
Opening: Friday 06.12.2019, 19h
@coberlin
