I watch that worlds pass by

More about the book

In an interview by Hans Ulrich Obrist, the artist born in 1978 in Guangzhou discusses the foundational influences on her work. As the daughter of a sculptor, her early exposure to Western pop culture through her father's travels to Hong Kong shaped her artistic vision. Her indecision during art and film studies is reflected in the hybridity of her creations. The book highlights three complex works that blend sculptural and cinematic elements. Cao Fei explores the online realms of avatars and pop stars, alongside cinematic themes of zombies and romanticized model railways. These works, developed over several years, reveal a cohesive oeuvre rich in critical potential. In "La Town," meticulously crafted model parts depict plastic figures navigating a series of disasters; "Haze and Fog" portrays a shared city of the living and the dead in New Beijing; and "RMB City" presents an artificial world where avatars coexist, occasionally featuring a Marx figure. Her participation in numerous biennials, including Venice in 2015, has garnered significant attention, marking her as a key figure in the emergence of young transnational Chinese art, reflecting a perception of urban challenges that resonates with the future of Western societies.