The Work of Cao Fei

In my Contemporary Art and Theory class I took a few semesters ago I came across the work of Cao Fei, a Chinese artist based in Bejing known for her multimedia installations and videos.  She mixes social commentary, popular aesthetics, references to Surrealism, and documentary conventions in her films and installations.  One of the most interesting and famous works of Cao Fei is entitled RMB City.  RMB City (2007) is a part of her online works built in Second Life, a vast 3D online world that has operated since 2003.  Users can purchase real estate, set up businesses, and engage in all manner of virtual interactions.

"Named after Chinese money, RMB City shows a perverse view of Beijing- a blend of communism, socialism, and capitalism.  Like Beijing itself, it is constantly under construction, candy-striped smoke stacks suggest continuous industrial production and ships move good swiftly in and out of port.  A giant shopping cart, filled with skyscrapers and religious monuments, floats nearby; and Tiananmen Square has been converted into a swimming pool"

Her work comments on the rapid urbanization and economic development of China and its effect of social interactions.  Her work is unusual but nonetheless interesting and powerful.  The use of an online virtual world, that have become so popular for teens and young adults in past years, to create artwork allows viewers to interact with her work on a whole other level.  While her digital prints of her virtual world can be found in galleries around the world, viewers can login to Second Life and not only view but play in her computer made world.  Her work is another addition to the vast world of digital media art.  I hope you all enjoy her work as much as I do and for more information click on the link to her website below! :)

http://caofei.com