Cao Fei Utopia

Contemporary
discussion on China is saturated with superlatives that attempt to reflect the
dramatic shifts that have taken place within the lifetime of artist Cao Fei,
(born in 1978) from collective idealism to a more individualistic
consumption-centred society. As a native of Guangzhou, one of the first cities
to feel the effects of globalisation, Cao Fei continues to occupy a unique
position with regard to generation and geography.

Old enough to
retain some vestigial memory of earlier times and of the clashes between
traditional and capitalist materialism, yet also young enough to naturally
gravitate towards new technologies and means of communication, she is concerned
with transitional ideologies and media. Her work responds to China’s rapid
urbanization and the giddying pace of social and economic development. She
depicts states of transformation within a youth culture heavily influenced by
Japanese manga and anime and played out against an ever-expanding cityscape.

Opening reception: Friday 10 July