Hong Lei (b. 1960, China) is one of the leading artists in the era of China’s New Photography movement in the 1990s. He currently lives and works in Changzhou and Shanghai.

Hong Lei graduated from Nanjing University of the Arts in 1987, and in 1992, he went to the China Central Academy of the Arts to pursue advanced studies in printmaking. Since 1996 he uses photography as a way of art representation. His renowned works include Autumn in the Forbidden City (1997), Chinese Landscape (1998), After Liang Kai’s (Song Dynasty) Masterpiece Sakyamuni Coming Out of Retirement (1998), I Dreamt that I was Hung Upside Down to Listen to Huizong Play the Zither with Chairman Mao (2004) and Nothing to Hide (2008), among others. In recent years, he has also explored the various boundaries and possibilities of photography by painting his own photos on silk, as well as video & installation works.

His works have been exhibited amongst others at Recontres d’ Arles: Arles Phototography Festival (Arles, France, 2003); Pompidou Centre, Paris (2003); 2011 Chengdu Biennale.