Cao Fei: My City is Yours

In the largest exhibition of her work ever seen in Australia, Cao Fei 曹 斐 brings the energy of the contemporary metropolis into the Art Gallery of New South Wales with a retrospective that includes two new commissions. Exclusive to Sydney.

Cao was recently voted one of the most influential artists in the world. Born in Guangzhou in 1978 and based in Beijing, she has documented China’s rapid urbanisation and digital revolutions for over two decades. Her acclaimed films, photography and large-scale installations offer thrilling encounters with the disorienting, quick-fire transformations of the new millennium. 

My City is Yours 欢迎登陆 is an invitation into a world of neon, street dance and pop music; a city both familiar and warped, real and virtual. Enter the exhibition via a replica 1960s Beijing cinema foyer, and exit through a homage to a popular Sydney yum cha restaurant.  

Designed by the artist and Beau Architects of Hong Kong, the exhibition takes the form of a cityscape. It’s a space of play and self-reinvention, where cosplayers and hip-hop dancers take over sidewalks in Fukuoka and New York. It’s a city of screens and pixels, mediated by gaming technologies, VR and the metaverse. It’s a city under construction, where neighbourhoods are razed overnight and workers compete for jobs with robots.

Enjoy 2-for-1 tickets on Wednesday nights during Art After Hours for visits between 5pm and 10pm.

Plus, enjoy 2-for-1 tickets everyday from 22 January to 16 February in celebration of Lunar New Year.