Ren Zhenyu

Ren Zhenyu was born in Tianjin in 1976. He graduated in 1999 from the Oil Painting Department at Tianjin Academy of Fine Art where he is currently working as lecturer. Since the beginning of his career his great talent has been recognized and appreciated by galleries and collectors throughout China. More recently he also has gained fame in Europe, especially through his portrait series of two historical icons: Andy Warhol and Chairman Mao. In this series, Ren plays with colours and China's most famous image, expressing his own abstract-expressionist interpretation of the Chairman's face portrayed from different angles. Far from neo-realism, he belongs to the trend of pop-political art and by choosing Mao his subject, Ren attempts not only to celebrate Mao's image from a contemporary perspective, but he also aims to reconcile some very dolorous and uncomfortable memories. In his work, Ren alludes to the profound political changes that have been taking place in China since Mao's death (the same year the artist was born) and to the constant need for Chinese artists to connect themselves to the past.

Works

Biography

1976

Born in Tianjin, China

1999

Graduated from the Oil Painting Department at Tianjin Academy of Fine Art, Tianjin, China

Selected Solo Exhibitions 

2009

"Visible And Invisible", Galerie Frank Schlag, Essen, Germany

2008

Ren Zhenyu Solo Exhibition, Drs Willem Kerseboom Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2007

Ren Zhenyu Solo Exhibition "Looks Just Beautiful", Joyce Gallery, Hong Kong

2005

Ren Zhenyu Solo Exhibition, "In The Name of Face", Beijing, China

Selected Group Exhibitions 

2013

On Faith, Galerie Frank Schlag & Cie., Essen, Germany

2009

Icon, Olyvia Fine Art, London, England

2008

Scope Basel 2008 artfair, Willem Kerseboom Gallery 

Another portrait, Willem Kerseboom Gallery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2007

Another Portrait, Beijing, Singapore and Hong Kong

Ju Shata -2007 New Elite Award, Beijing, China

Amsterdam International Gallery Exposition, Netherlands

China International Gallery Exhibition, Beijing, China

2006

Exchanging Group Exhibition, China, Japan, France

2005

Guangzhou Modern Art Fair, Guangzhou, China

2004

The 3rd National Oil Painting Exhibition, Beijing, China

2003

The 3rd National Oil Painting Exhibition, Beijing, China

2002

"New Changes"- Young artist nomination, Tianjin, China

1999

The 9th National Fine Arts Exhibition, Beijing, China