Ren Tianjin

1962

Shanghai , China

Ren Tianjin studied under Wang Dongling at China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, where he earned a PhD of Fine Arts. He later obtained a PhD of Business Administration from Grenoble Ecole de Management in France and serves as a Researcher at the Modern Calligraphy Research Centre at China Academy of Art and a Fellow at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Since the 1990s, Ren has lived and worked in both China and the USA, engaging in innovative artistic practices that encompass Chinese calligraphy, painting, and sculpture. Taihu Rock: East Wind, a sculpture shaped to resemble cursive Chinese script “East Wind” (東風), was acquired by tAsian Art Museum of San Francisco and featured at the museum's entrance in 2022. A larger iteration from this series found a permanent home at the newly-established East Wing of the Shanghai Museum. Additionally, the Buddhism-themed series "The Shadow of Wisdom I" was part of the permanent collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, showcased in Gallery 108 in 2025. Notably, his solo exhibition graced the Porsche Centre in Shanghai during the same year.

In addition to the three aforementioned museums, Ren's works are also collected by Aston Martin Lagonda Limited, London, UK; BMW, Munich, Germany; Moleskine, Milan, Italy; Royal Golden Eagle Group, Singapore; China Academy of Art, Hangzhou; Dowell Group, Shanghai; Shanghai Industrial Investment Group; Porsche Centre, Handan; Ping An Group, Shenzhen, China.

BIOGRAPHY

1962 Born in Shanghai, China
1980s A Doctor of Fine Arts, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China studied under Wang Dongling
A Doctor of Business Administration, Grenoble Ecole de Management, France
1990s Started living and worked in China and USA
2018 Lectured “Art and Collection”, Hang Seng Bank, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China
2020 Lectured, Boao International Design and Art Summit, Hainan, China
Lectured “Creativity of Broken Circumstances: Innovative Creation of Contemporary Art”, Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Sichuan, China
2021 Teacher of Training Workshop, EaDe School, Xi’an, China
Interview, TIF Talk, Shanghai Television Station, Shanghai, China
Lectured “Comparative Study of Innovative Creation in Contemporary Art”, WS Space, Shanghai, China
Lectured “Innovation from Dot & Line Diagrams”, EaDe School, Xi’an, China
Lectured "Art Innovation", Moleskine Store, K11, Shanghai, China
Publishd A Comparative Research an Art Innovation in Modern Calligraphy: From Inoue Yu-ichi to Wang Dongling, China Academy of Art Press, Hangzhou, China
2023 Lectured “Modern Integration of Traditional Culture from Chinese Calligraphy”, Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, Wuhan, China
Lectured “The Art of Communication”, Tian Yu Kong Creative Festival, Beijing, China
Present Lives and works in China and USA
Researcher, Modern Calligraphy Research Centre, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Fellow, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, USA

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025

Works by Ren Tianjin, 216 Space, Beijing, China
The Luminous Path, Porsche Centre, Shanghai, China

2019

Beautiful Is In the Wind: Ren Tianjin Exhibition, Aston Martin House of Beautiful, Shanghai, China

2020

Inquiry on Water: Ren Tianjin, Jiu Zhang Fu, Hangzhou, China

2021

Universal Resonance: Ren Tianjin, The School of Art and Design of Eurasia University, Xi’an, China

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

Fine Art Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Gallery 108, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

2024

Word Play, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2023

Art 021, Shanghai, China
Asian Art in London, London, UK
The Road of Calligraphy Education: 60th Anniversary Exhibition of Higher Education in Chinese Calligraphy, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Diaoyutai Hotel, Qingdao, China

2022

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA
Gilding of Summer Poetry, Brics Tower, Shanghai, China
Abstract Art New Shanghai, Young Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2021

Yellow Box Open Exhibition: International Sculpture Exhibition, Yellow Box Art Museum, Qingdao, China
Unforgettable Sight: Longmen Grottoes Art Dialogue Special Exhibition, Shanghai University Museum, Shanghai, China

2020

The Collection of Biennial Exhibition of Lanting Calligraphy Association, Zhejiang Exhibition Hall, Hangzhou, China
Step by Step… Long Journey, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
2nd Zhejiang International Youth Art Festival, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China

2019

Ink Now, Suning Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Writing Non-Writing Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Festival, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Nowhere • Anywhere, WS Space, Shanghai, China
2nd Sculpture Projects, Pingyao, China

2018

The Artistic Creation and Practice Exhibition of Celebrating the 40th Reform Anniversary, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Biennial Exhibition of Lanting Calligraphy Association, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
China-ASEAN Calligraphy Exchanges Exhibition, Guangxi Art Museum, Nanning, China
Experiencing China, Art Museum of China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA
Aston Martin Lagonda, London, UK
Moleskine, Milan, Italy
BMW, Munich, Germany
Royal Golden Eagle Group, Singapore
Gold Ascent Enterprises Limited, Singapore
Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, China
Shanghai Industrial Investment Group, Shanghai, China
Dowell Group, Shanghai, China
China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
Diaoyutai Hotel, Qingdao, China
BYD Centre, Handan, China
Porsche Centre, Handan, China
Ping An Group, Shenzhen, China
Garfunkel Foundation