






What if Karl Marx built a city in The Sims and invited you to watch it burn?
Cao Fei explores a virtual metropolis within the online platform Second Life. The work blends real and fictional elements of Chinese identity and urbanism to comment on capitalism and development in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Marxist iconography intersects with modern corporate structures, creating a dystopian yet whimsical reflection on 21st-century economic realities.
Direction
Cao Fei's singular vision merging politics and play
Production
Hand-crafted digital world built in Second Life
Writing
Sharp Marxist satire delivered through absurdity

Director
Cao Fei
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes