Cao Fei
The Eternal Wave AR (2020) | Augmented Reality
After premiering Cao Fei’s first virtual realty work, The Eternal Wave at The Serpentine Galleries, Acute Art has collaborated with the artist on an augmented reality version of the kitchen space in which The Eternal Wave begins. Continuing the artist’s exploration of virtual possibilities, this new iteration of the project responds to the current moment by shifting from the VR headset to the smartphone screen, an experimentation with technology that reflects a changed reality to the one in which the exhibition opened.
Viewers are able to use their smartphone to explore the installation (currently on view at the Serpentine Galleries) by tapping on the objects and furniture to activate the environment in different ways.
The Eternal Wave (2020) | Virtual Reality
Beijing-based artist Cao Fei’s first virtual reality work, produced by Acute Art, is entitled The Eternal Wave. This work follows the artist’s previous immersive digital works such as RMB City (2007) created and executed in the online 3D virtual world, Second Life.
An ongoing exploration of virtuality, reality and the perception of self in relation to technology, Cao Fei’s work expands on themes of automation, labour and domesticity.
A deeply immersive experience, visually and literally, the viewer becomes drawn into the deeper realms of the artist’s creative universe. An interactive VR work, the viewer is a participant and player – acting out a role in the artist’s production.
Using the spaces of the Beijing Hongxia Theatre’s kitchen as its backdrop, the experience begins in a physical rendition the kitchen. The space is a stage set that the artist designed for her film, Nova (2019), which was based on the theatre’s original kitchen.
From this starting point, the visitor embarks on a multi-sensory journey through various portals, traversing the boundaries between time and space to explore the computers of the early electronics industry in China and the areas in and around the Hongxia Theatre.
The title of the work is taken from the 1958 Chinese film directed by Wang Ping, which focuses on the story of an underground CPC telegrapher- a key reference within Nova.
About Cao Fei
Born in 1978 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, Cao Fei earned a BFA from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 2001.
Cao Fei’s works have been exhibited at a number of international biennales and triennales, including Shanghai Biennale (2004), Moscow Biennale (2005), Taipei Biennale (2006), the 15th & 17th Biennale of Sydney (2006 and 2010), Istanbul Biennial (2007), Yokohama Triennale (2008), and the 50th, 52nd & 56th Venice Biennale (2003, 2007 and 2015). Exhibitions and screenings of her work have taken place at Serpentine Gallery (2006 and 2008) and Tate Modern in London (2002, 2013 and 2014); New Museum (2009), Guggenheim Museum (2011 and 2018), and MoMA in New York (2016 and 2015); Fondation Louis Vuitton (2016), Palais de Tokyo (2005 and 2017), and Centre Pompidou in Paris (2019, 2014, 2003).
Cao Fei’s recent projects include the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Chinese Art Initiative at Guggenheim Museum New York, a solo show at Tai Kwun Contemporary in Hong Kong (2018), a retrospective at K21 Düsseldorf (2018) and a solo exhibition at Centre Pompidou, Paris (2019).
She was a nominee for the Future Generation Art Prize 2010 and the finalist of Hugo Boss Prize 2010. She received the Chinese Contemporary Art Award (CCAA) Best Young Artist Award in 2006 and Best Artist Award in 2016. She was also the recipient of Piedra de Sal Award at Cuenca Biennale in 2016
Cao Fei lives and works in Beijing.
Serpentine Galleries to feature Cao Fei’s ‘The Eternal Wave’
Note: Please check institution websites for up-to-date information regarding closures and suspension of VR experiences. Sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of the page and we’ll keep you updated on all our exhibitions. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Acute Art presents Cao Fei’s ‘The Eternal Wave’ in association with […]
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