Dash by Cao Fei at Fondazione Prada: the earth as a computational

Dash by Cao Fei at Fondazione Prada: the earth as a computational surface

In "Dash," Cao Fei frames contemporary agriculture as an informational apparatus: the land is represented as a surface organized by sensors, drones, algorithms and rural memories. The artist juxtaposes human gestures and technological devices to show how labour and landscape perception are being recoded.

The exhibition combines multi-channel video, physical installations and virtual environments. Technology is not presented as a mere theme but as an embedded element of the sensory milieu, revealing frictions and misalignments between local practices and systems of governance.

• Two-channel video: a 47-minute piece that portrays the agricultural cycle as interaction between bodies and machines.
• Dash-180c (VR): a virtual reality work that places the viewer within the engineered viewpoint of devices.
• Precision Agriculture: archival-like components and objects including weather stations, agricultural drones and rice-field structures.

Overall, the installation presents the earth as a telematic extension where knowledge, labour and management systems converge. The show prompts reflection on both the opportunities technology offers ecological practices and the tensions produced by process optimization.

Practical information

Dates: 9 April – 28 September 2026

Venue: Fondazione Prada, Largo Isarco 2, Milan

Hours: check the official website for opening times and tickets

Website: www.fondazioneprada.org