Cao Fei at Kunstmuseum Basel in a major survey
Published on 08/22/2026 at 13:17 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Cao Fei is currently on view at Kunstmuseum Basel | Gegenwart in a survey exhibition that runs through October 11, 2026. The museum says Cao Fei. Testimonies to the Near Future is her first solo show in Switzerland and her largest survey in Europe to date.Kunstmuseum Basel exhibition page
What Basel puts in play
The Basel presentation turns the entire Gegenwart building into a staged environment. Kunstmuseum Basel describes the show as an immersive city made from installations and video worlds, with works from across three decades.museum exhibition text
The centerpieces include Whose Utopia (2006), RMB City (2007-) and Asia One (2018). That line-up matters because it compresses Cao Fei's key concerns into one institutional frame: labor, urban change, simulation, and the pressure of technological speed.
A practice built on systems
Cao Fei works across video, digital media, photography, installation, and sculpture. Her own studio biography says she was born in 1978 in Guangzhou and lives and works in Beijing, while recent museum and studio texts place her work in major collections including MoMA, Tate, the Guggenheim, and Centre Pompidou.
That collecting profile fits the way her work travels. It moves easily between documentary fragments and speculative world-building, which makes her relevant to museums, biennials, and the video-based market segment alike.
All news and background on Cao Fei
Recent exhibitions, collection references, and institutional context on Cao Fei in one place.
Where the work stands now
Cao Fei's current public anchor is the Basel survey, which remains on view until October 11, 2026. The next dated exhibition action visible on the museum page is a guided tour on August 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM in Gegenwart.
Cao Fei at a glance
- Artist: Cao Fei
- Medium / Genre: Video, digital media, photography, installation, sculpture
- Born: 1978, Guangzhou
- Place(s) of practice: Beijing
- Active since: 1995
- Key work groups: RMB City, Whose Utopia, Asia One, Nova
- Current/last exhibition: Cao Fei. Testimonies to the Near Future, Kunstmuseum Basel | Gegenwart, May 30, 2026 - October 11, 2026
- Major collections: MoMA (New York), Tate (London), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), Centre Pompidou (Paris), M+ (Hong Kong)
- Awards: Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize (2021), SCAD deFINE ART Award (2024), Art Basel Awards Established Artist Medalist (2025)
- Next date: August 22, 2026, 3:00 PM, Kunstmuseum Basel | Gegenwart
Frequently asked questions about Cao Fei
Where can viewers see Cao Fei in August 2026?
At Kunstmuseum Basel | Gegenwart, where Cao Fei. Testimonies to the Near Future runs through October 11, 2026. The museum's event calendar also lists a guided tour for August 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM.
What does the Basel exhibition cover?
The museum frames it as a survey spanning more than 30 years. It includes Whose Utopia, RMB City, Asia One, Nova, and the Hip Hop series.
Which collections hold Cao Fei's work?
Her studio biography cites MoMA, Tate, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Centre Pompidou. The M+ collection page also lists five objects by Cao Fei.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
