RIP Ren Hang, 任航

中國攝影師及詩人任航2017年2月24日晚上離世，29歲不是正該開始瀟灑的年紀，除了遺憾還有種忿忿不平的情緒。任航用攝影記錄的時期，仍是前衛藝術家在體制下難以奔馳的年代，但他說他並非想挑戰體制，而是相信裸的事物即是現實。他的攝影作品風格強烈，都像在挑戰觀者不願公開或是壓抑的面目，VICE 雜誌的專訪中也曾說: "人們是裸體地進入世界的，所以我認為裸體就是人類最基本的狀態與樣貌。我在裸露的肉體中可以感受到人們存在的重量。"

任航對攝影上的情感依賴，對世俗的無所寄託，這樣百無聊賴的輕挑與鬱鬱慵懶的氣場在作品裡都看得見。他的影像包圍在美麗卻也銳利的氛圍裡，充斥著裸露的肉體卻讓你感覺不到一絲色情，大膽運用人體的排列和自然合而為一。無論是他寫的短篇詩或是裸體影像，在他過世的今天看起來，更像在呼應著情慾是一種掙扎，生命則是一種即逝，如果誠實是一種美德，那任航無疑是曾盛開的璀璨。日本攝影師荒木經惟說過“相機裡擁有兩種慾望，一種是想拍攝的欲求和慾望，另一種是想要公諸於世，把祕密分享出去的慾望。” 任航透過攝影與文字，坦承的紀錄他面對世界那真實存在的每一幕構圖與每一段思想，向我們揭示著因慾望而無畏，生命中的不可承受之輕也許就是生命本身，因為在任航選擇從世界逃跑後的現在，我們再一次觀賞著他留下的影像，看見他對美的堅持與才華更深深體會到他留下生命的重量。

The acclaimed Chinese photographer and poet, Ren Hang, took his life at the age of 29. For an age so young and full of life, he has left us with feelings of remorse and unease. Ren transformed photography by transforming the human body — no part was safe from his subversion. Testicles stretched, breasts morphed, disembodied heads floated in bathtubs. Though his models were always naked, often adorned with snakes, flowers, fish, peacocks, or fruit, I have never actually found Ren’s work to be all that illicit. Instead, each image was like a boiled down essence of creative joy and extreme intimacy — a playful rethinking of sex and the human form.

Ren's active times is still an era in China where freedom of expressions are challenged, and provocative messages are condemned. His photos have caused him to be arrested and banned from showings. Ren continued to insist, his desire to capture such moments stemmed from a natural impulse, rather than an intention to shock; he believes that being naked brings him closer to reality. In an interview with VICE magazine, he stated, "nude is how we came into the world, so I believe nudity is the nature of our state and being. Within bare skin and flesh, it is as if he can feel the weight of each and one of us." Ren's photography and poetry express what is considered to him, authentic compositions of being and life. Looking through his lens, we are obliged to experience the breadth of living.