1968

Zou Cao

Acrylic Oil Painters

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Education & Background | Exhibitions

Education & Background

Zou Cao is a multi-talented artist with a unique academic background. He holds an MA in Oil Painting from the Academy of Arts, Northeast Normal University, a PhD in Western Philosophy from the Academy of Philosophical and Social Studies, Jilin University, and a post-doc in the Study of Fine Arts from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. This diverse academic experience has infused his artistic creations with conceptual art elements, making them rich and diverse, categorized into four major themes.

From 2002 to 2012, Zou Cao’s artistic focus was on a distinctive symbol, fingerprints, and he produced 15 series of fingerprint works during this period. He then shifted his attention to combining traditional Chinese mentality with modern Western art, aiming to establish a Chinese international contemporary artistic school. His efforts were showcased in his solo exhibition The Secret to Clouds and Mountains at the Today Art Museum.

Starting in 2015, Zou delved into science-technology art, exploring the possibilities of art in the future, incorporating big data and science and technology. He not only created various sci-tech artistic works but also obtained three independent patents for scientific inventions.

From 2016 onwards, Zou’s artistic exploration expanded beyond traditional art to the level of social sculptures. He initiated an international art navigation project, Self-consciousness / Call for Actions, in collaboration with Today Art Museum and Lenovo ThinkPad. The project gained recognition and positive comments worldwide when it participated in the parallel exhibition MODUS of the 57th Venice Biennial. During the FIFA World Cup in Russia, Zou was invited to an online video show hosted by a famous football anchorer, where he commented on art and football, reaching an audience of 200 million video-on-demand viewers.

Zou Cao’s artistic achievements have been widely recognized, and he was invited to the grand opening of the Himalayas Art Museum in Shanghai in June 2013. He won the Third Jilin Provincial Youth Art Exhibition award in 2003 and has held solo and group exhibitions in various countries, including Taiwan, Korea, Austria, and Germany.

Renowned artist Ai Weiwei has expressed admiration for Zou Cao’s works, elevating their value in the art market. Additionally, Zou collaborated with IBM ThinkPad in 2015 and 2016, promoting the integration of technology and Chinese contemporary art.

Zou Cao’s art reflects a continuous exploration of innovative ideas and themes, earning him acclaim and recognition both nationally and internationally.

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

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