From the VTV Archive (2007): Cao Fei: National Father – Guo Fu, 2006

Why It Matters

The exhibition demonstrates how Generation Y artists reinterpret contested symbols, bridging divergent Chinese narratives and reshaping cultural memory. It signals a shift toward personal, transnational storytelling in the global art market.

Key Takeaways

• Cao Fei curated her father Cao Chon‑gen’s Sun Yat‑Sen statue show.
• Sun Yat‑Sen revered as “National Father” in Mainland China and Taiwan.
• Exhibition juxtaposes nation‑father and family‑father metaphors.
• Project probes Generation Y’s reinterpretation of historical narratives.
• Shown at Art Basel 2007, it spotlights cross‑cultural political art.

Pulse Analysis

Sun Yat‑Sen occupies a unique place in Chinese history, celebrated on the mainland as the founder of the Republic and in Taiwan as the “National Father.” His image transcends political divides, making his likeness a potent visual shorthand for national identity. Artists have long leveraged this symbolism, but Cao Fei’s 2006 project reframes it through a familial lens, prompting viewers to consider how a single figure can embody both statecraft and paternal affection. This duality resonates amid ongoing cross‑strait tensions, where cultural heritage often serves as a bridge or battleground.

Cao Fei, a prominent Generation Y artist, adopts the role of curator for her father Cao Chon‑gen’s solo show, turning a personal family history into a public inquiry. By labeling the exhibition “National Father,” she collapses the macro‑scale narrative of nation‑building with the micro‑scale dynamics of family lineage. The curatorial choice underscores a generational desire to de‑colonize historical narratives, allowing younger Chinese creators to question inherited myths while still honoring their cultural roots. This approach aligns with a broader trend where Chinese artists blend autobiographical content with socio‑political critique.

Debuting at Art Basel 2007, the project gained international attention, highlighting how contemporary Chinese art can mediate complex political discourses on a global stage. The Basel platform amplified the conversation beyond East Asia, inviting collectors and critics to engage with nuanced reinterpretations of Chinese identity. As the art market increasingly values works that fuse personal narrative with geopolitical relevance, Cao Fei’s exhibition exemplifies the commercial and cultural potential of such hybrid practices, signaling a new era of cross‑cultural artistic exchange.

Original Description

From the VernissageTV Archive (2007): Cao Fei: National Father – Guo Fu, 2006. Vitamin Creative Space, Art Basel 2007 Unlimited. Basel (Switzerland), June 12, 2007.

In my project National Father, I am acting as curator for my father Cao Chon-gen's solo show. He is a Chinese artist who has created a great many of Sun Yat-Sen's portrait statues. In Mainland China, Sun Yat-Sen was recognized as the 'forerunner of the democratic revolution,' and in Taiwan he was called 'National Father.' Sun Yat-Sen is the only public figure who is highly regarded and respected by both sides, both on the mainland and in Taiwan. Under two different kinds of ideology, Sun Yat-Sen was recognized and described in two versions: one originating in Mainland China and the other in Taiwan. The concept that I invite my father to follow in presenting the sculptures of Sun Yat-Sen is to look at the relationship of 'Nation and Father,' one is nation and another is family; one is father of a nation and another is father of a family. The project inspires me to rethink history, nation, and a kind of emotion and spirit that is beyond history and nation. Though some critics call me an artist of Generation Y, what I am interested in now is how this generation will rebuild their view of history after growing up. Looking for history is the process of looking for myself, as well as looking for a direction allowing me to leave behind my thoughts and questions about the reality live in today. (Cao Fei)

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