Cao Fei: Duotopia Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

MAG presents two related short videos by leading Chinese artist Cao Fei. These works, created within a metaverse platform known as Yuanbang Meta City, unveil the ongoing development of Duotopia, a futuristic roving city that appears to be supported by a tentacled avatar named Oz. Cao Fei draws the titles from “多 (duō),” which means “numerous” in Mandarin Chinese, referring to the many possible futures and future utopias that aren’t limited to a single outcome. The videos are self-referential in their making, as Cao Fei used machinima, a filmmaking technique that employs graphic engines and environments from 3D video games to produce these animations.