Ren Rong

Ren Rong was born in Nanjing, China, in 1960. The "plant people" are a recurring motif in his "Genesis" steles. They introduce us to the concept of a harmonious symbiosis of man and plant and refer to the common origin of man in nature. Endowed with vegetal elements, climbing, dancing and embracing, the creatures become an emblem of life and the epitome of dynamic and constant change, of perpetual metamorphosis and transformation. Drawing on the technique of paper cutting, which has a long tradition in Chinese folk art, the three-dimensional qualities of this technique are translated into sculpture. Solid Corten steel, into which the figures are cut, now serves as the material and image carrier. Opposites are playfully intertwined and seem to cancel each other out: the heavy in the light and the negative in the positive.

While Ren Rong's plant people show us a harmonious connection between man and nature, they also shed light on questions of ecology and invite us to reflect critically on our relationship with nature. Cultural exchange is characteristic of Ren Rong's artistic activity as a border crosser and mediator between East and West. His visual vocabulary draws on the symbolic language of both the Far Eastern and Western cultural spheres. His sculptures thus become a symbol of a productive dialogue of these intercultural encounters and at the same time an expression of the artistic examination of both worlds.

Quote

 «I am moved to see my works in this special place in Bad Ragaz, with the panorama of the Swiss Alps and the lake closeby. My idea of our origins and the inseparable connection to nature, which I want to express in my works, is manifestly realised here.»