PHOTOFAIRS | IN FOCUS: Feng Li | White Not

PHOTOFAIRS, 15 Jan 2020

"Feng Li (b. 1971, Chengdu) took a particularly non traditional career path of a photographer, establishing an early career in Chinese medicine. In 1996 Li picked up his first camera and has since developed a distinct signature in photography, one recognised internationally having exhibited at multiple renowned galleries and fairs. Li’s current exhibition ‘White Not’ at Galerie F16 (Paris), a past exhibitor of PHOTOFAIRS, showcases a series of work developed over the course of ten years, across three cities; Chengdu, Berlin and Paris. 

 

The series demonstrates Feng Li’s fascination with the everyday banal lifestyle of citizens in the city. The attention of the viewer is swayed towards the unique characters captured in an unposed fashion, who are either strangers walking the streets or close acquaintances of the artist. Li explains that if a scene appears too humourous or attractive, he will avoid taking the shot, as this would therefore not align with the overall aesthetic and narrative of capturing ‘the norm’. "