CAO Zaifei 曹再飞

CAO Zaifei (b. 1974) (also known as CAO Yuanming) was born in Suzhou, Anhui Province and now lives and works in Shanghai. He earned his degrees from the Oil Painting Department of Nanjing University of the Arts and the Department of Philosophy and Religion of Nanjing University and was also a visiting scholar at Purdue University in the United States. He is currently a lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts of Shanghai University. His works span various mediums including paintings, sculptures, installations, videos, performances, etc. CAO’s artistic practice centres around delving into the inherent words and meanings concealed within the objects depicted in the images. Diverging from the prevailing political narrative in contemporary art, CAO's pictorial discourse provides a distinctive perspective that leans more towards ridicule than critique. His approach is characterized by a light-hearted dissolution rather than a stern indictment, offering an alternative viewpoint that challenges conventional notions in the art world.

CAO Zaifei’s solo exhibitions include “The Room of Sisyphus” (Don Gallery, Shanghai, 2023), “Everyday Jest” (Don Gallery, Shanghai, 2021), “Gravity” (Yidian Space, Beijing, 2016), “Strangers No More: Works by Cao Yuanming” (Purdue University Galleries, Indiana, USA, 2010), “Stranger on the Earth - Works by Cao Yuanming” (Aroundspace Gallery, Shanghai, 2008), “Chapel” (George Michell Gallery, Shanghai, 2007). His works have been widely exhibited in different institutions, including the White Rabbit Collection (Sydney, 2023), Center Art Gallery at Calvin University (Grand Rapids MI, USA, 2020), CCC Art Museum (Beijing, 2019), Doland Museum of Modern Art (Shanghai, 2019), China Art Museum (Shanghai, 2017), Jiangsu Museum of Modern Art (Nanjing, 2017), Guangdong Museum of Art (Guangzhou, 2016), Seoul Metropolitan Library (Seoul, 2016), etc.