©Ren Hang

It was shocking news to find out about the death of Ren Hang this past Thursday. Ren Hang, 29, was one of the most prominent Chinese photographers of his time, and his pictures are some of the most recognizable throughout the world. Much of his work has been deemed explicit—such critique voiced primarily by his own country—though his photographs have been wildly accepted, as he was exhibited internationally in Antwerp, Athens, Bangkok, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Marseille, New York, Paris and Vienna. Creating photographs that were bold, fun, and titillating, Ren Hang certainly challenged the socially expectable boundaries of sexuality. Playing with the naked body, enjoying the naked body, he has shown us how to celebrate and embrace raw intimate connections between friends and lovers. I leave you today with photographs that Ren Hang made over the past year, along with one of his last poems.

《爱情》
我看着你
还是会怕你会消失
我抱着你
还是会怕你会消失

月亮不会消失
太阳不会消失

即使阴天
即使你抬头看不到它们
你也知道它们没有消失
（我只有这样安慰自己）

“love”
I look at you
Still afraid you will disappear
I hold you
Still afraid you will disappear

The moon will not disappear
The sun will not disappear

Even cloudy
Even if you can not see them up
You also know that they do not disappear
(I only have to comfort myself)

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang

©Ren Hang