Spiritual warrior

An ongoing exhibition in Beijing sees sculptor Ren Zhe unlock the material energy of his combative creations to convey a sense of tranquility and inner strength, Lin Qi reports.

Beijing-based sculptor Ren Zhe developed a fascination for warriors-both historical and mythological-in childhood as he listened to people telling stories of war heroes. These figures have become the recurring subjects central to the creations of the 36-year-old sculptor, who received his formal training at Tsinghua University's Academy of Arts and Design.

Ren's warrior sculptures, which are often made of stainless steel, exude a sense of power. They present Ren's inheritance of the classical spirit-evoking a dignity, solemnity and sensuality that can be found in ancient Greek and Roman sculptures and in Baroque art.

At the same time, Ren seeks to form a resonance with the pursuit of humanity and expressions of implicit emotions as being integral to Chinese cultural traditions.

Ren's works, as Duan Jun, a close university friend, says, "do not intend to show a contrast between Eastern and Western cultures, but look for a consistency between the two cultures on an ultimate level".