News and Media

Published: May 3, 2011

HONG KONG - The Savannah College of Art and Design is pleased to announce "NO LAB on Tour" by renowned artists Cao Fei and MAP Office, on view at the SCAD Gallery in Hong Kong (2/F, 30-32 Wyndham St., Central, Hong Kong), from May 27-Aug. 12. A public reception will take place on Thursday, June 30, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

In "NO LAB," artist and Guangzhou-native Cao Fei has joined with the Hong-Kong-based MAP Office to create a site-specific installation and experience via film and the online virtual community, Second Life, which recalls the massive natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina. The project made its worldwide debut in November 2008 as part of the "Prospect.1 New Orleans" biennial, and was redesigned in new iterations and titled "NO LAB on Tour" for SCAD's locations in Lacoste, France, Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia. The new Hong Kong presentation is curated by SCAD's executive director of exhibitions Laurie Ann Farrell, in collaboration with MAP Office.

"NO LAB on Tour" depicts the storm surge and the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina through a stark, politically charged film. Visitors are able to sign into Second Life via interactive computer stations that provide access to the virtual "NO LAB" setting, and can participate in the ongoing project exploring ideas of urban space, society, and the trauma/drama of change.

Adding to the experience in Hong Kong are video and line drawings incorporating imagery from a Second Line parade (a traditional, New Orleans-style brass band parade) that marched through Savannah during SCAD's presentation of "NO LAB" there. The SCAD Savannah parade was led by a Mardi Gras Indian, life-size wooden cut-out figures of characters featured in Cao's film (President Barack Obama, Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey and Cao Fei's own Second Life avatar "China Tracy"), costumes, and a grand procession of students, faculty, staff and community members. The exhibition design has been reconceived for the Hong Kong venue and features new elements that showcase the evolution of the project at each successive SCAD location.

About the Artists
Cao Fei is among the most recognized artists in today's emerging international art scene, mixing social commentary, popular culture, surrealism, and documentary conventions. Her work depicts the rapid change occurring in modern day China and throughout the world, and continually blurs the line between fantasy and real life. The artist was born in the Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China, and earned a B.F.A. from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.

MAP Office is an interdisciplinary design and research platform conceived by Laurent Gutierrez and Valérie Portefaix. Their projects focus on territorial strategies of global spaces, involving a critical analysis of spatial and temporal anomalies and documentation of the ways in which human beings subvert and appropriate spaces for their own uses.

SCAD Gallery
2/F, 30-32 Wyndham St.
Central, Hong Kong (Entrance on Glenealy Street)
Gallery hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

The exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, visit scadexhibitions.com.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor's and master's degrees to prepare talented students for professional careers. As the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, SCAD offers more than 40 majors and more than 50 minors at distinctive locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; in Hong Kong; in Lacoste, France; and online through SCAD eLearning.

SCAD has more than 20,000 alumni and offers an exceptional education and unparalleled career preparation. The diverse student body, consisting of more than 10,000 students, comes from all 50 United States and nearly 100 countries worldwide. Each student is nurtured and motivated by a faculty of more than 700 professors with extraordinary academic credentials and valuable professional experience. These professors emphasize learning through individual attention in an inspiring university environment. SCAD's innovative curriculum is enhanced by advanced, professional-level technology, equipment and learning resources and has garnered acclaim from respected organizations and publications, including 3D World, American Institute of Architects, BusinessWeek, DesignIntelligence, U.S. News & World Report and the Los Angeles Times.