Chinese artist Cao Fei is set to debut her latest multimedia project, "Dash" (known as "Super Farms" in China), at the Fondazione Prada in Milan on April 9. The exhibition is the result of three years of field research across China and Southeast Asia, where Cao documented the rise of smart farming and the integration of AI, drones, and autonomous vehicles into traditional agricultural landscapes. Her work captures a unique cultural synthesis where modern technology is sometimes integrated into ancient rituals, such as the worship of drones as deities.
This project marks a significant evolution in Cao Fei’s career-long investigation into the friction between humanity and rapid technological advancement. By focusing on the "contemporary farmer"—a demographic now including tech-savvy youth and former urban workers—the exhibition highlights how automation is reshaping labor and social structures in the Global South. The high-profile debut at a major European institution underscores Cao's status as a leading global voice in digital and video art.