Klik hier voor Nederlands
The work of Sixin Zeng (1995) engages with themes of migration, feminism and identity formation. Working from an interdisciplinary perspective, she explores how video, sculpture, installation and graphic elements can render the stories of the Asian diaspora visible. Zeng’s practice is grounded in extensive research, in which her own experiences are interwoven with those of others and with broader social movements. Through this approach, she seeks to articulate key dynamics of connection, displacement and community formation.
The 2.5D Nomad (2025–ongoing) emerged from Zeng’s research into cosplay. After moving to the Netherlands, she observed how many Chinese migrants immersed themselves in this form of performance art, meticulously dressing as iconic figures from popular culture. The artist was struck by the close-knit and welcoming nature of these communities, and recognized in them the inner tension that can arise when arriving in a new country as an outsider. Zeng understands cosplay as both a disguise and revelation: a way of embracing otherness, adopting a new form, and inhabiting a self-created in-between space. The work also brings into focus the tension between how many East Asian women are perceived and how they wish to present themselves.
Zeng’s installation features Chinese cosplayers in Europe, whom she followed as they prepared for and took part in conventions. Through a combination of video, mirrored surfaces and headphones interwoven with an anime wig, she invites viewers to step into this in-between space themselves.
Written by Kelly-ann van Steveninck