Curated Collections

Chinese artist Ren Zhen Yu is renowned for his distinct portrait series of historical and political icons that are rendered in a unique Expressionist interpretation. His interpretation of emblematic figures of the last 50 years include Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Lee Kuan Yew, Lucian Freud, Barack Obama, Deng Xiaoping etc.

In his bold and mesmerising portraits, Ren plays with a wide spectrum of colours and investigates the meaning of the term 'icon', exploring what makes a figure iconic and how that perception is perpetuated. These multi-coloured paintings were created over years of artistic observation, and are a reflection of the artist's interests and feelings as well as a vibrant visual record of the figures who have shaped the world significantly and in a variety of ways.