
Zou Cao
Chinese, b. 1975
Zou Cao holds an MA in Oil Painting from the Academy of Arts, Northeast Normal University and a PhD in Western Philosophy from the Academy of Philosophical and Social Studies, Jilin University. He also holds a post-doc in the Study of Fine Arts, Central Academy of Fine Arts. His special experience of academic studies and research has infused unique characteristics of conceptual art into his artistic creation, which is rich and diverse. They are divided into four major categories according to time and theme.
​
From 2002 to 2012, Zou's artistic creation is themed on a unique symbol "fingerprints". For nearly 10 years, he had produced 15 series of fingerprint works. His core idea is to adopt the research methodology of 2010 to 2015; focusing on the contemporary combination of traditional Chinese mentality with modern western art, in pursuit of a Chinese international contemporary artistic school. His efforts were shown in his solo exhibition “The Secret to Clouds and Mountains staged in Today Art Museum”. From 2015 onwards, Zou's developed his science-technology art style, discussing the topic of the possibility of art in our future featuring big data and science and technology. He has not only produced lots of sci-tech artistic works, but also owned three independent patents of scientific inventions. From 2016 onwards, Zou's artistic creation not only focuses on the body of traditional art, but also expands to the level of "social sculptures". That year, he made joint efforts with “Today Art Museum and Lenovo ThinkPad” to initiate an international art navigation project “Self-consciousness / Call for Actions”. In 2017, he took the project to attend the parallel exhibition MODUS of the 57th Venice Biennial and won positive comments worldwide. This exhibition was considered by Vogue and Vanity Fair as the most worthy parallel exhibition during the Biennial. The President of Venice Biennial and the President of the parallel exhibition sent letters of congratulations respectively. During the FIFA World Cup in Russia, Zou attended an online video show “New Three-taste Liaozhai” set up by Mr. Liu Jianhong, the famous football anchorer. He was invited to comment on art and football during the 12-series show with 200 million person times video-on-demand. The social sculpture works of Zou are intended to make artistic creation as a transitional methodology instead of an ultimate purpose, so that art can be related with more people and has its own temperature and attitude.
​
-
Zou Cao has been profoundly recognized and was invited to the grand opening of Himalayas Art Museum, Shanghai in June 2013.
-
Award- winner of the Third Jilin Provincial Youth Art Exhibition, Changchun, China in 2003. Widely Collected all over the world, held solo and group exhibitions in Taiwan, Korea, Austria, Germany, etc.
-
World famous artist Ai Weiwei has spoken about his admiration of his works and that fact alone adds value to any available pieces on the market.
-
Had a sell-out exhibition with Art Futures Group in 2014. Zao Cao was in collaboration with IBM ThinkPad in 2015 and 2016, promoting integration of technology and Chinese
contemporary art.
​
Educations and Background
​
1995
Instructor at Fushun Normal College of Art, Liaoning province
​
2004
Graduated from Art College of Northeast Normal University - Master's Degree
​
2007
Instructor at Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts University
​
2008
Doctor Degree of Philosophy at Jilin University
​
2011
Graduated from Beijing's Central Academy of Fine Arts University - Postdoctoral degree
​
​
Solo Exhibitions
​
2018
Being through Nothing, Beijing Art Now Gallery, Beijing, China
​
2015
Yunshan Formula, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
​
2014
Fingerprint & Context, ZHC Art Centre, Beijing, China
Strange and Familiar, Art Futures Group, Hong Kong
​
2012
Art and Commerce, Werkstatt - Galerie Kappich,
Hamburg, Germany
Landscape under the thumb, Michael Schultz Gallery, Beijing, China
​
2011
Perfect, Michael Schultz Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Authentic Peerless, Kunsthalle Dresden, Germany
​
2010
Timeless Classic, Von Lintel Gallery, New York, USA
Identity, Michael Schultz Gallery, Beijing, China
Marilyn Beneath The Middle Finger, Contemporary Art Space, Salzburg, Austria
​
2009
Fingerprints, Michael Schultz Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
These are only some fingerprints 1, Stiftung Starke Lowenpalais, Berlin, Germany
​
2008
The New Art That Overtakes Pop - Art, Modern Art Gallery, Taiwan
​
2007
East is Red, Wellington Gallery, Hong Kong
Decoding the Code of Signs, Pan & Wei Gallery, Beijing, China
​
​
Group Exhibitions
​
2019
Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
​
2018
"The Illumination of Love and Philanthropy" Charity Art Exhibition, Art Futures Group, Hong Kong
​
2017
"What Has To Be Done" Art, Environment and Cross Disciplinary
Project, Today Art Museum, Beijing
"Boundless: Ongoing-Chinese Ink Art 2017", Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, China
57th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition, Venice, Italy
​
2016
'Think' Creates Possibilities In Life, UCCA, Beijing
Humanistic Nature and Society (ShanShui 山水)- An Insight Into The Future, Shanghai Himalayas Museum
​
2015
Ink Painting and construction of contemporary Chinese art, Chinese
American Museum, San Francisco

Group Exhibitions
​
2013
The Zero State - 2013 First China Installation Art Biennale, Tianjin Museum, Tianjin
A New Spirit in Ink-contemporary space ink 2013, Beijing,
MOGA Beijing
Insightful Charisma-Shanghai Himalayas Museum Inaugural Exhibition, Shanghai
​
2012
Biennale Italia-Cina, Monza, Italy
The Armory Show Art Fair, New York, USA
Art Fair Cologne, Cologne, Germany
​
2011
The 54th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
Mountains Beyond Mountains - Contemporary Art Exhibition, Enjoy
Museum Beijing, China
Face, Augsburg City Museum, Germany
The Armory Show Art Fair, New York, USA
Eastside - Current Positions of Chinese Art, Michael Schultz Gallery, Berlin, Germany
​
2010
All the Great Modern Things Chinese Pop, Galerie Schrade · Schlol3 Mochental, Germany
China Welcomes You, Stadtmuseum Oldenburg, Germany
Armory Art Fair, New York, USA
​
2009
Discovery, Beijing Found Museum
Art in Superstar, Art Center Hangaram Museum, Seoul, Korea
All the Great Modern Things - China Total, Kunsthalle Restock, Rostock, Germany
All the Great Modern Things -Chinese Pop, Kunsthalle
Dominikanerkirche, Osnabruck, Germany
Pieces of My Puzzle,Kunsthalle Rostock, Germany
​
2008
Chinese Contemporary, Kunsthalle Dresden, Germany
Art History of Miles Away, Beijing 2003 Found Museum
Lovely Blossoms and Full MoonJ - Yuz Collection of Chinese Contemporary Art, Yu Deyao Museum, Jakarta, Indonesia
​
2007
"The diverged Generation" , Art of the late 1970's,
Beijing 798 Art Festival
"Made in Beijing" - Academy Exhibition, Korean Hong IK University of Modern Fine Arts Museum, Seoul, Korea
Beijing 8S1 Contemporary Museum, 2007 Nomination Exhibition, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art
​
2006
Feel comfortable wherever one reaches, 798G allery, Beijing
​
2005
Video Cola, Jilin college of art museum, Changchun, China
Passing and Merging, 798 Gallery, Beijing
​
2004
Dialogue between Business and Art - Contemporary art event by proposal Centre, Beijing China
​
2003
"Measuring between Pupils", Shenzhen Short Film and Video Festival, Shenzhen
"The First Jilin Provincial Oil Painting Exhibition" Far East Art Museum, Changchun, China
​
2003
China International. The Fourth "OPEN" Performance Festival,
Changchun, China
"The First Invitational Video Exhibition of China Contemporary", Changchun, China
"The Third Jilin Provincial Youth Art Exhibition" Far East Art Museum,
Changchun, China
​
2002
The First Biennial Video Exhibition, Tel Aviv, Israel
The Sixth National Watercolour and Gouache Exhibition,
Shanghai Museum
Changchun International Independent Video Exhibition, Changchun, China
Bridge -Changchun Contemporary Art, Far East Art Museum, Changchun, China
Dialogue to Yanji, Yanji, China
​
2000
Liaoning Art Exhibition, Ninth Art Exhibition, Liaoning Museum, Shenyang, China
​
1999
China celebrating the 50th Year as a Republic, Liaoning Museum, Shenyang, China
​
1997
Northeast Oil Painting Exhibition, Liaoning Museum,
Shenyang, China
​
1996
Liaoning Provincial Young Art Exhibition, Liaoning Museum, Shenyang, China
​
​
Collections
​
Today Art Museum, Beijing
Yudeyao Museum of Art
Shanghai Art Museum
Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art
Walter Art Museum, Augsburg, Germany
Indonesia Yudeyao Museum of Art, Jakarta, Indonesia
The Pacific Fund Collection
Chinese American Museum, Los Angeles, America
