Ni Haifeng (1964)
Born in Zhoushan, China, Ni Haifeng has lived and worked in the Netherlands since 1994. Much of his work he creates with the object of 'turning something into nothing.' He enjoys disrupting the systems and patterns that most people take for granted. One such system is language. In a collaborative work with other artists in China, Ni produced a nonsensical calligraphic alphabet (1986), creating a set of meaningless but astonishingly authentic-looking Chinese characters. He later expanded this 'zero language' with made-up numbers, formulas and symbols, which he exhibited not only on canvas, but on buildings and even out in the landscape. By deconstructing the language, Ni's goal is to open up a new perspective on reality.
Working by this same principle, the artist recently explored a wide range of culturally determined phenomena and recorded his findings in photos and film. Ni immersed himself in the rich history of the Netherlands as a trading nation and the way in which the country receives its newcomers. A theme that resonates through all his work is the extent to which the attribution of value to the subject depends on knowledge and context. In this respect, Ni does not restrict himself to the Netherlands, but rather explores a wide variety of countries and cultures, never being afraid to subject his own person and way of life to his critical review.
