by Gary Gao

Hui Tang

Famous Chinese photographer and artist

World-class sports photography master

Exclusive photographer of many top stars

Master of Hasselblad

Council member of the China Photographers Association

Member of the professional committee of China Photography Association's Commercial Photography

Winner and judge of Golden Statue Award For China Photography

Visual consultant of Bazaar Art

Initiator of the Chinese Faces, a charity project to disseminate images

Participating artist in Modus, a 2017 Venice Biennale's collateral exhibition.

Participating artist in On the Spot, a guest exhibition of the Anren Biennale

Participating artist in What Has To Be Done, a voyage art exhibition held by Today Art Museum

Participating artist in Fugaz International Photography Festival in Lima, Peru

Bazaar Art + Tang Hui's View Online Art Exhibition Series

Hui Tang's View Solo Exhibition at Art AMOY in Xiamen

Participating artist in Black or White, a Crossover Art Exhibition in honor of the Karl Lagerfeld

Most people know Hui Tang because he is the most expensive commercial photographer in China and is famous in the photography circle.

In 2012, the first official exhibition of Chinese Faces was landed in Beijing, between the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. It was a charity exhibition with a large number of visitors! The exhibition gathered photos of many winners of the Olympic Games and world championships. These photos were not about the champions' most glorious moments, such as when they won the championships, but selected moments of their training behind the scenes. Their eyes moved people: they were very clean, natural, and very sincere.

At that time, a video made by Hui Tang's team was played on a huge LED screen, and more than 200 huge photos attracted the attention of countless people. Looking at those who watched the exhibition quietly at the scene, Hui Tang began to look for another meaning in life.

He hopes to find a kind of independence and nonchalance that is not trapped by utilitarianism and follows his heart.

Independence and nonchalance are a state and essential but rare qualities. It is also a luxury in today's commercial atmosphere.

Gradually, we find that Hui Tang's projects in recent years seem to be related to photography, yet they seem to be more than just photography.

This turn of events may have originated from one of Hui Tang's sailing activities.

In 2016, Hui Tang entered the art world unexpectedly when he participated in What Has To Be Done, a voyage about Scotland art. This activity was organized by Today Art Museum and the University of the Arts London. Mr. Cao Zou, a post-doctoral fellow at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, lectured on art history and contemporary art throughout the process. Hui Tang and his group listened to his sharing on the boat, train, and plane.

Hui Tang said: "I was "enlightened" by art on a century-old sailing ship in the roaring seas of Scotland. During this voyage, I wondered: what do human beings need to explore, question, and think? That's how Awareness came about."

Hui Tang used his cell phone to take pictures of the 11 people on board during that voyage. When they came back, he invited 11 public figures to join him. He placed a Chinese acupuncture needle on each person's head in the pictures, combining traditional Chinese medicine with images. There are two layers of cerebration in "Awareness": one is "self-awareness," and the other is the "awareness of others." After the exhibition at Today Art Museum, it was invited to exhibit in 2017 Venice Biennale's collateral exhibition, Modus.

In 2019, Hui Tang began to curate a series of art exhibitions called View on Weibo and several internet platforms. His art form entered another stage, not only out of the art museum but also choosing to influence the public with a language and form that the public understands.

The View took photos of a group of people, each with their eyes closed.

"The eyes are not necessarily the window to the soul, and they simply are the medium." Hui Tang tries to give people's tired "eyes" a short rest and encourages people to look into human nature and find peace in their lives with their hearts. People should settle down and look inward, listen to their inner voice, and rethink their values.

At this time, Hui Tang is no longer just a photographer. Photography is no longer a professional skill for him but a perspective to observe the inner world.

Today, Hui Tang's photography is no longer influenced by commerce and shows the nonchalance of life.

He doesn't sell his work; he only looks at people. He observes people from people's perspectives and observes the relationships between people, the relationship between people and society, the relationship between people and nature, and even the relationship between people and their own lives. People must have autonomy; only then will they not become puppets of other people's ideas.

Hui Tang has only taken photos for two films' posters; one is Youth, and the other is Crossroad Bistro.

Now people would comment something is "very Hui Tang, "this is so Hui Tang," because his creations are based on himself. Now some people like to take black and white portraits, and some young people even imitate Hui Tang to make money, but Hui Tang sees nothing wrong with that because he did not earn money through the "Hui Tang Style." "Hui Tang Style" does not exist in his commercial advertisement. Only his works have a particular memorable style.

He has evolved from a master of commercial photography to an independent and nonchalant thinker. Life will become simple and fulfilling under nonchalance.

A famous couplet in Vegetable Roots Discourse is very suitable to describe artist Hui Tang: "Not minding being favored or dishonored, one watches the courtyard flowers bloom and fall. Not caring whether to leave or stay, one follows the clouds on the far horizon as they roll and unfurl."

Independence and nonchalance gathered Hui Tang's generation's aggressiveness, refinement, and pondering.