A negotiated presence and absence
Through the Curator's Lens: Ni Xuemin’s artistic vision
In Ni Xuemin’s work, the boundaries between interior and exterior dissolve, evoking a quiet sense of estrangement. His subdued palette and meticulously controlled lighting cultivate an atmosphere of haunting melancholy—a space where tension lingers in silence.
Rather than indulging in the theatrical absurdities of Freudian surrealism à la Dalí, Ni embraces a more restrained, introspective and intellectually rigorous approach—what might be called ‘critical surrealism.’ Echoing Magritte’s conceptual paradoxes, he navigates illusion with quiet precision. But while Magritte constructs clear visual riddles, Ni’s works exist in a more ambiguous psychological space. His paintings are not built on explicit surrealist juxtapositions but on an eerie emptiness—an absence that suggests an unresolved narrative.
The ‘absence’ of human figures in Ni's work is not an erasure, but what Jacques Derrida calls a ‘trace’—a presence defined by its very absence. Everyday objects serve as silent witnesses, prompting contemplation rather than theatricality. By omitting direct representation—facial expressions, gestures, actions—Ni resists immediate emotional judgment, instead prioritizing the interplay between objects and space to uncover deeper meaning. This approach aligns with the post-minimalist turn in contemporary art, where, as Rosalind Krauss observed, absence itself becomes a ‘modality of presence.’
The Architecture of Space and Perception
Ni’s recurring use of architectural elements—doors, windows, curtains, and arches—situates his work within the metaphysical painting lineage of Giorgio de Chirico, later explored by artists like James Casebere and Do Ho Suh. These structures serve as ‘boundary objects,’ simultaneously connecting and separating realms of experience.
‘I often employ visual nesting to evoke the perpetual tension between reality and illusion,’ Ni explains. ‘Doors, windows, and curtains become instruments to construct spatial paradoxes and existential dilemmas. In pursuing ‘reality,’ one ascends only to a more refined illusion—an illusion essential to sustaining the cognitive framework. This self-referential paradox challenges the rationalist paradigm of perception in contemporary art.’
Through these architectural devices, Ni creates what Gilles Deleuze describes as ‘folds’ in perception—spaces where interior and exterior collapse into one another. His work underscores the fragility of human cognitive frameworks, echoing Merleau-Ponty's insight that perception is never passive but an always embodied negotiation between self and world.
Artistic Evolution: From Realism to Spatial Inquiry
Ni’s journey did not begin in surrealism. His early work, deeply rooted in realism, honed his representational precision. It was through graduate studies and a deep contemplation of ‘viewing’ and ‘gazing’ that his focus shifted towards spatial relationships. Over time, the gradual elimination of the human figure signalled a transition from narrative-driven compositions to an exploration of space itself. This shift reflects what Nicolas Bourriaud termed ‘relational aesthetics’—an inquiry into human interactions and social contexts through the language of absence rather than presence.
‘When I first arrived, the shift from an idyllic southern town to a landscape of reed fields and alkaline soil felt unsettling,’ Ni recalls. ‘Over time, the site unearthed something raw within me, a sensation distinct from my experience in the south.’
His move to the Qicun Art District in 2022 marked a shift from familiarity to estrangement—and, ultimately, attunement. Here, space was not just a backdrop but an active force in shaping artistic consciousness. This transformation aligns with Miwon Kwon’s discourse on site-specificity, where place is not merely a physical location but a dynamic construct shaped by history, materiality, and lived experience. Ni’s evolving perception suggests that place is not external but something internalized, processed, and reinterpreted through artistic practice. His work becomes a negotiation between presence and absence, familiarity and estrangement, the known and the unknown.
Co-Creating Meaning: The Fluidity of ‘Self’ and ‘Other’
‘I have always believed that a work is only complete with the participation of the audience. From the very beginning of my creative process, I incorporate the audience’s expectations into the work.’
For Ni, his work remains ‘incomplete’ without the viewer’s engagement—a sentiment that echoes Roland Barthes' notion of the ‘writerly text,’ which demands active interpretation rather than passive consumption. By internalizing the viewer’s gaze within his creative process, Ni fosters a dialogic exchange between artist and audience, transforming the act of viewing into a shared meaning-making experience.
Art as Philosophical Inquiry
For Ni Xuemin, painting is more than an aesthetic pursuit—it is a philosophical inquiry into reality, perception, and consciousness. His work inhabits the intersection of personal expression and conceptual exploration, materializing 'embodied meanings'—ideas made tangible through form.
Through spatial paradoxes, strategic absences, and visual riddles, Ni constructs liminal zones where viewers negotiate their own relationship to reality. In the interplay of reality and illusion, presence and absence, isolation and connection, Ni articulates a distinctive artistic voice. His 'uninhabited landscapes' resonate with contemporary discourse on virtual spaces and digitally mediated reality while engaging with enduring philosophical traditions.
His art reminds us that contemporary relevance stems not solely from formal innovation but from an authentic engagement with fundamental human questions—questions that remain unresolved yet persistently compelling.
Personal Reflection
From the moment I encountered Ni Xuemin’s work, its mysterious melancholy and unspoken tension drew me in. To me, the dissolution of boundaries between interior and exterior echoes the increasingly blurred line between technology and the human body.
His sincerity lies in a commitment not to spectacle, but to a profound exploration of space and perception. This quiet rigor affirms his potential as an artist whose work will continue to evolve and resonate in subtle yet powerful ways.
Anna, March 9, 2025
